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Starbucks coffee farm employment practices face review!

Published: 2026-05-17 Author:

Last Updated: 2026/05/17, ▲ Click to pay attention| Daily Boutique Coffee Culture Magazine Coffee Factory Recently, according to reports from the Washington Post and Daily Coffee News, a new report released by two labor inspection organizations showed that investigators conducted an independent field survey in China's Yunnan Province and found that Starbucks

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According to a new report released by two labor watchdog organizations, investigators conducted independent field investigations in China's Yunnan Province and found that coffee farms in Starbucks and Nestl é supply chains may not meet certification requirements, according to reports by the Washington Post and Daily Coffee News.

It is reported that the report is from New York-based China Labor Watch (China Labor Watch) and the new Danish non-profit organization Coffee Watch (Coffee Watch).

There is a "ghost farm" and "coffee money laundering" model in the two companies' coffee supply chains, in which small family-run farms informally supply coffee beans to large estates purchased and certified by Starbucks or Nestl é. Through this model, large estates can both meet expected yields and avoid establishing detailed contractual relationships with the small farms that supply them.

In this model, however, some hiring practices on small farms may not comply with Starbucks' promised employment rules and complete production records.

China Labor Watch says it has sent undercover investigators three times in a few months this year to conduct dozens of interviews with 66 people at 26 farms around Pu'er that are said to supply coffee to Starbucks and Nestl é. Including coffee farmers, their families and local school teachers.

Investigators found that farm workers' wages are based on the weight picked, which means they often work seven days a week from dawn to dusk during the harvest season in order to make as much money as possible. However, this practice has virtually prompted some behaviors that do not comply with Starbucks' employment rules, including long working hours, no paid leave, no protective equipment, no contract protection, and so on.

The report noted that there were serious labor abuses in Starbucks and Nestl é's supply chain, which violated the terms of the two companies' certification programs, namely, C.A.F.E, which is operated by Protection International for Starbucks. Practice and 4C used by Nestl é.

In response, Starbucks said its supplier agreement requires all farms to keep detailed records of their coffee production and purchases and "prohibits the informal supply arrangements mentioned in the report".

In addition, the company said it maintained ethical procurement standards "regularly" with "farms around the world". "suppliers are regularly audited by third parties as part of our C.A.F.E. Time plan to identify any violations of our standards." They said they would be "committed to a thorough investigation" once full details of the allegations were received.

Meanwhile, Nestl é has been buying coffee beans from China since. A Nestl é spokesman said the company was "very serious" about the allegations outlined in the report and had contacted coffee suppliers to "investigate carefully and take corrective action if necessary".

Picture from: Washington Post

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