Transparency

Finca Market was built on one simple idea:

Cut out unnecessary middlemen while keeping just enough margin to grow a fair, efficient, and transparent marketplace.

The goal?

To return power—and profit—to the people who grow and roast the world’s coffee.

The Problem

Take a look at the top U.S. importers from 2021-2024:

Most are non-American middlemen, capturing enormous value while roasters overpay and producers are left behind.

On the origin side, things aren't much better. Adjusted for inflation, producers were lured into the C-Market at a value of roughly $10 per pound in the 1970s.

Since then, their real earnings have plummeted—while the industry built layer upon layer of intermediaries who trade, blend, and finance the same coffee multiple times before it ever reaches a roaster.

In Colombia alone, there’s roughly a $3 billion gap between what producers earn and what their coffee is worth at the port (FOB).

That gap repeats itself across nearly every origin.

You could argue that the $3 billion covers sampling, cupping, logistics, and financing—but does it really?

Is that what a fair supply chain looks like?

The Big Question

Are today’s middlemen truly adding value—or just holding the market hostage? Are they better than roasters at choosing what Americans want? Better than Colombian farmers at setting fair production prices? Or are we simply stuck in an outdated system?

That’s the question Finca Market set out to answer.

And we believe the answer is no—they’re not better. There’s a smarter, fairer way where we all win.

The Better Way

Our approach is simple:

Cup every single smallholder coffee possible.
Let producers set their own prices — C-Market + the premium they believe they deserve.
Centralize those offers into a transparent, transactable index.
Give roasters full access to origin, afloat, and spot offers.
Add just enough margin to keep operations sustainable and growth steady.
Democratize the marketplace so producers and roasters alike can participate across the green coffee supply chain.

Because when everyone plays fairly, the power of good eventually wins.

Our Margin Philosophy

We don’t have all the answers yet—but here’s what we know:

Traditional exporters often add ~79% on top of Colombian specialty coffee.
Marketplaces charge ~20% on origin trades.
Producer co-ops barely break even at ~7% on $100M in coffee.
Specialty coffee sales reps ask for ~3% commission.

So where are we starting?

→ 10% at origin.

That’s it.

The long-term goal:

Keep it economically feasible, reward producers, lower costs for roasters, and make up for lower margins through volume and additional services like financing.

Will It Work?

We’re not naïve. This isn’t easy money – it’s hard change.

We’ll likely bleed cash before we break even. But we’d rather lose on integrity than win on exploitation.

Because once roasters and farmers align, the economics flip — and everyone downstream of the old model will have to evolve or fade.

This only works with your help, the producer’s help, and the help of everyone that believes in a fairer world. So if you’re a producer: please send us a message. If you’re a roaster, request a demo and share with your friends. If you’re a person believing in a better world, follow us and share.

Because if you do, together, we’ll build the coffee market this world deserves.