Why support small coffee farmers? Because the magic in your morning cup starts with them. These are the growers who know their trees like old friends, who taste cherries right off the branch, and who care deeply about the land they farm. When we choose to support small farmers, we are choosing better flavor, stronger communities, and a coffee industry that puts people first.
In this Evans Brothers Coffee guide, we’ll take a closer look at why supporting small coffee farmers matters and how their passion shows up in every sip you enjoy.
What supporting small coffee farmers looks like in practice
At Evans Brothers Coffee, supporting small coffee farmers starts with real connection.
Randy Evans, cofounder of Evans Brothers Coffee, shares, “Supporting small coffee farmers for us starts with building direct relationships with the producers that we work with. It's important to understand their challenges, and the best way to do this is through direct communication. We have personally visited most of the farms that we purchase from, eating lunch with them, telling stories, and learning about their families.”
Here is what that looks like in day to day practice:
- Actually showing up. As mentioned before, Evans Brothers has visited most of the farms, allowing the team to truly understand each farmer’s world and foster trust that goes far beyond contracts.
- Working with importers who specialize in smallholder coffees. These partners help verify farmer payments and confirm sustainability, which makes sure the money and the credit go where they should.
- Sticking with farmers over the long haul. Coffee farmers face constant price swings, so Evans Brothers commits to long-term buying relationships with minimum price guarantees. Randy says this stability helps farmers secure loans, plan ahead, and keep improving their farms.
- Paying farmers what their coffee is truly worth. Evans Brothers pays well above the Fair Trade floor and adds quality premiums for micro-lots and carefully processed coffees. These premiums go directly to the farmers and encourage them to keep investing in quality.
- Helping farmers see the value in their work. By participating in cupping competitions and giving producers clear feedback, the team helps farmers understand what makes their coffees shine.
- Sharing farmers’ stories. Small farmers often do not get much visibility in the global market. Randy says, “We try to promote them through sharing their stories with our customers so that they can understand the value of smallholder coffees and price premiums.”
In the end, supporting small coffee farmers is about treating them as true partners. It is about slowing down, listening well, and making choices that honor the people who make great coffee possible.
How smallholder partnerships influence flavor and quality
When you work closely with smallholder farmers, you taste the difference in the cup. Their farms are often family run and intentionally tended, which gives them the freedom to focus on quality rather than hitting huge volume goals.
As Randy explains, “Working with smallholder farmers tends to elevate quality and diversify flavor in ways that are harder to achieve with large-scale, commodity focused farms. Smallholder farmers can focus on quality over volume...they plant better varieties, generally have higher elevation farms, better soil, they can harvest more selectively, process with more detail.”
Smallholder partnerships often lead to better flavor because growers can:
- Plant higher quality varieties that thrive in their specific microclimate.
- Farm at higher elevations where coffee cherries develop more sweetness and complexity.
- Harvest more selectively by picking only ripe cherries instead of rushing through large fields.
- Process coffee with more detail and care, which protects the natural sweetness and clarity in the cup.
All of these choices add up. “This translates to better cup quality, more sweetness and clarity, more uniformity, and much higher cup scores overall,” Randy says. When roasters and small farmers work closely together, customers can taste the difference from the very first sip.
A story from the source: Las Delicias and Santa Barbara
Some of the most meaningful parts of sourcing happen when you stand on the farm with the people who grew the coffee. Randy says it best: “We have been fortunate to partner with some really cool farmers through the years. The people are always amazing, and every time we visit the producers we are left with a sense of pride and responsibility to honor their hard work as best we can.” For Evans Brothers, these farmers are the heroes of the industry, and roasting becomes a way to showcase their work with the respect it deserves.
One of their longest standing relationships is with the Menendez family in El Salvador. Evans Brothers has been buying coffee from Miguel Menendez and his two sons for fourteen years, and each visit feels like coming home. Miguel is a fourth generation coffee farmer with six small farms, and he lights up when he welcomes visitors. His hospitality, his passion, and his depth of knowledge make every trip unforgettable.
Two of the farms Evans Brothers buys from, Las Delicias and Santa Barbara, sit side by side on a lush volcano just above the family’s mill at close to 2000 meters. The view from the top is breathtaking, but the real magic is in the care that happens on those steep hillsides. Randy describes following Miguel, now in his late seventies, as he moves through the trees with energy and pride, pointing out every detail of the farm. They taste cherries straight off the branches, talk through the newest pruning decisions, and walk through each step of processing, from selective harvesting to fermentation to drying.
Miguel is meticulous. Every lot is marked. Every choice is intentional. The first time Randy cupped coffees with the Menendez family, he was stunned by how the same varietal, grown only a short distance apart, could taste so different because of tiny shifts in microclimate or soil. “It really opened my eyes to how complex and wonderful specialty coffee can be. The little details matter.”
Las Delicias and Santa Barbara are a reminder that great coffee begins with people who care deeply about their craft. Partnerships like these are why Evans Brothers does what it does.
Challenges small coffee farmers face today
Small coffee farmers are up against a lot right now.
Randy explains, “Small coffee farmers face many challenges today. Unstable market prices, rising costs, climate change, and limited access to buyers who value their hard work.”
These issues make it hard for farmers to plan for the future or feel confident that their work will be fairly rewarded.
Here are some of the biggest challenges they face:
- Unpredictable market prices that often drop below the cost of production
- Rising expenses for labor, fertilizer, and transportation
- Climate change that brings unpredictable weather, pests, and lower yields
- Limited access to buyers who understand and value specialty quality
Evans Brothers tries to support farmers by building direct, long-term partnerships. Randy says that sourcing directly allows them to:
- Pay fair and reliable prices instead of leaving farmers at the mercy of the commodity market
- Commit year after year, giving farmers the confidence to invest in their land and their families
- Share helpful feedback that improves processing, consistency, and cup quality
“As roasters, we depend on them and need to show them that we care,” Randy says. Part of that care is celebrating the farmers’ stories so customers can connect with the people behind their coffee. It is one of the most meaningful ways to honor their hard work and keep these small farms thriving.
How coffee drinkers can make a difference
Everyday coffee drinkers have more influence than they might think.
Randy says, “Everyday coffee drinkers can support small farmers by choosing coffee roasters who value transparency.” The more specific the information, the more likely it is that the roaster is truly supporting small producers. As he says, “The more specifics about where a coffee comes from, not just the name of the country, the better.”
Here are a few simple ways to make a meaningful impact:
- Choose roasters who share clear sourcing details. Look for the name of the farm, the producer, or the cooperative. Randy says that single origin coffees that highlight specific farms “put more identity, recognition, and value back into the hands of small producers.”
- Buy single origin coffees. This is one of the easiest ways to directly support the people growing the coffee you love.
- Be willing to pay a little more for quality. According to Randy, “Higher quality coffee costs more because farmers receive better, more stable prices.” Paying a bit more helps ensure that farmers are compensated fairly for their work.
- Read the stories. Many roasters share farm details and sourcing notes on their websites. These stories help connect you to the people behind your coffee and show that the roaster values the producers.
Certifications can be helpful, but Randy encourages people not to rely on them as the only indicator of ethical sourcing. He explains, “Third party certifications are good, but none of them are all encompassing models, nor do they always translate to quality.” Fair Trade is “a floor price but generally not enough,” and Organic “does not mean it is better,” especially when some farmers already use organic methods but cannot afford certification.
Randy sums up their approach: “What matters most to us is quality, sustainability, and long-term relationships, not just labels. We choose coffees based on how they taste, how they are grown, and how well they support the farmers who grow them, whether they are certified or not.”
Your choices as a coffee drinker really can make a difference. When you choose transparency, quality, and roasters who value their producers, you help small coffee farmers continue the work they have poured their lives into.
Why supporting small coffee farmers matters in your daily coffee ritual
Supporting small coffee farmers is a simple way to make your daily cup more meaningful. It strengthens the communities and families who put real care into every harvest. It also helps preserve the quality and craft that make specialty coffee so special. When you choose coffees that support small farmers, you are choosing a better future for the people and the coffee you love.
Written by Allie Drinkward