The Whole Bean Vs. Ground Coffee Debate

Is it better to grind one’s own coffee? A lot of coffee drinkers ask this question, but the answer isn’t a simple one. Ultimately, it depends on what’s most important to you: flavor or convenience.

Whole bean coffee tends to have the advantage when it comes to flavor. Whenever coffee is ground, the aromas and flavors begin to diminish somewhat. The sooner the ground coffee is used, the more the flavor will be retained in your drink. When you grind it yourself, you get a much fresher tasting coffee—one that’s closer to the natural taste of the coffee bean.

Many coffee makers have built-in grinders, and simple grinders can be purchased for relatively cheap. Pre-ground coffee, on the other hand, can go straight into the filter, and requires no extra equipment.

Of course, you might be wondering: Is it cheaper to buy coffee whole bean? The answer isn’t a clear one, and it depends on your purchasing and drinking habits. While grinders don’t come free, some do argue that because whole bean coffee has a much longer shelf life, the consumer can save money by buying coffee beans in bulk.

That being said, a cheap grinder may grind the coffee poorly, resulting in a coffee that’s worse than one that had been pre-ground for the consumer. And buying an expensive grinder may not be worth it for everyone—even with the savings that come with buying bulk. It depends largely on how much coffee you drink.

If you do choose to go with ground coffee, consider buying it in small amounts and more regularly. Ground coffee will only retain its freshness for nine days, and after a month, it will go bad. So figure out how much coffee you go through, and also how much freshness matters to you, before you decide on a purchasing schedule—which, for ground coffee, might end up being once a week, or once a month.

Whole bean coffee, on the other hand, lasts about ten times longer than ground coffee does. While the initial purchase of a decent grinder and a bulk quantity of coffee may seem more daunting, it does mean that you can forget about buying more coffee for the better part of a year.

Speaking of which, when storing your coffee, whether it be whole bean or ground, make sure to keep it in an airtight container in a cold and dry place. This will improve the lifespan of the coffee, helping retain its freshness.

As far as variety goes, neither has a real leg up on the other. You can buy flavored whole bean coffee as well as flavored ground coffee. In both cases, you will have no problem finding your favourite types of coffee. The main differences between the two are convenience, freshness and money. And even then, as we’ve seen, depending on your coffee drinking habits, it’s tough to say which will end up being more convenient, or more affordable. As far as freshness goes, while grinding your own coffee does tend to have the advantage, don’t forget that you have the option of buying ground coffee in smaller amounts and on a regular basis; thus, fresh-tasting coffee is an option either way.

Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina / flickr

What Is Fair Trade Coffee?

Put simply, Fair Trade coffee is coffee that is bought directly from coffee growers, purchased at a higher price than non-Fair Trade coffee. There’s a reason for the higher price, of course, and it’s in the name. It ensures that coffee growers aren’t underpaid. Which brings us to the history of Fair Trade coffee:

In the early 90’s, the price of coffee dropped drastically around the globe. This was the result of free trade coffee. Free trade allows traders to trade without the interference of a government. The idea behind free trade is that it better reflects supply and demand. Since the product moves directly between buyer and seller, the government is unable to arbitrarily inflate prices.

Unfortunately, free trade can also cause problems, and it did for coffee growers. The price drop of the 90’s meant that growers were selling their crop for less than it had cost them to produce. They couldn’t wait to sell their product, so they had to let it go immediately, for ridiculously low prices.

Fair Trade coffee was a reaction to this. It is, in one sense, not unlike free trade coffee, since it is purchased directly from the grower. However, Fair Trade also ensures that growers are given reasonable payment for their product. But the prices are still very reasonable for the buyer. Because Fair Trade coffee cuts out the middlemen and women, it’s no more inflated than most goods on the global market.

In a Fair Trade system, growers are always given a price that will allow them to sustain their business and maintain at least a basic standard of living. They are also provided with an added premium, which is put toward funding development projects in the area. The goal is to help build a better future for the generations to come.

Premiums work like this: Fair Trade coffee growers are required to be a part of a coop with other nearby coffee growers, and these coops decide how the premiums should be spent. The Fair Trade system encourages communities to work together, to look out for one another.

If an importer wishes to become Fair Trade certified, they must pay growers a minimum of $1.26 per pound. Upon becoming Fair Trade certified, coffee companies use the Fair Trade label on their product, so that potential customers know whether or not they’re really buying Fair Trade.

Fair Trade coffee can now be purchased almost anywhere coffee is sold. This has resulted from public awareness, which has put pressure on companies to purchase Fair Trade. Both major coffee franchises and independent coffee shops purchase free trade coffee, and many purchase it exclusively. However, others purchase only a small portion of their coffee through Fair Trade.

But as public pressure continues, we will likely see companies buying more and more Fair Trade coffee. In fact, in 2006, 45 per cent more Fair Trade coffee was purchased than was the year before. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re going pretty fast.

If you want to help support Fair Trade, there are many ways of getting involved. The easiest way?  Just ask your coffee vendor: “Is this coffee Fair Trade?” Or you can even buy Fair Trade coffee online. You won’t suffer for purchasing Fair Trade either: Prices for Fair Trade coffee are low, often just as low as non-Fair Trade coffee. And in the process of buying it, you’ll know that you’re making an important difference.

Image: JsBarrie / Flickr

Office Coffee Service

Employees at a busy office often have one thing in a common: a desire for coffee. Supplying your office with coffee is the obvious solution. How one goes about doing this, however, is up to them. There are online coffee vendors who offer subscription office coffee service, and ones who will meet you in person; each has its perks, and each has its disadvantages.

There exists more than one office coffee service, which means you will have to choose. Some are more online-focused, and they will mail your orders to you. Others are more localized; they will deliver the coffee themselves and they will have someone you can talk with beforehand, in person.

Once you’ve scouted out your office coffee delivery service options, the next step is contacting a vendor in order to arrange a walkthrough of your office. The vendor will consider your specific needs. You can also sign up for office coffee service delivery online, but it is advised that you talk to someone, either over the phone or in person, before going ahead. You will have to set up workable delivery schedules and negotiate contract terms.

The big advantage of online office coffee delivery services is price—which is no small advantage, indeed. While arguably less personable, exclusively online coffee delivery services can generally offer the best prices.

Another thing to consider, besides customer service and price, is selection. Different companies will not only offer different coffee brands, but different equipment as well. Some argue that in-person vendors offer more equipment choices, but a little research will help you make a more informed decision. Besides, perhaps you already know that you want a specific coffee service station, in which case selection matters less than the company carrying specifically what you’re looking for.

But whichever you pick, an online coffee service or an in-person one, make sure that a customer service representative is available to you. You will want someone to talk you through any problems that might arise, with your account, with the equipment, with anything that might go wrong. One more thing to check into: Make sure that you are able to change your monthly plan. Most likely, the needs of your office will change, and you’ll want to be able to switch brands as well as the amount of coffee you’re ordering—you may need more, you may need less.

Once you have signed up for a coffee delivering service, either the coffee will be delivered by a delivery person or it will be received in the mail, which is more likely for online coffee services. If the delivery is made in person, the vendor should do a check of the equipment, making sure it is clean and working.

Essentially, when choosing a coffee service for offices, it is a question of savings versus customer service. In-person delivery generally offers better customer service, but online coffee delivery services can be much cheaper. Then again, there are always exceptions worth looking for. So see what you can find, see what suits your needs and your price range, and good luck.

We offer easy office coffee services and office coffee subscriptions with regular delivery through our website.

Photo: Lululemon / flickr