Filter Stories - Coffee Documentaries
A documentary-style podcast about coffee and people
Why El Salvador isn't bringing back coffee
El Salvador used to grow a quarter of the world’s coffees. Today, it’s barely more than a rounding error. As coffee production fell, illegal migration to America grew.
But there are many …
A Eulogy for Tito
Hector “tito” Vargas passed away in December 2019.
We honor him by playing the season finale of the Duolingo Spanish Podcast.
Correction: Tito …
Is your coffee building Trump's wall? Part 5: How can we support marginalised coffee producers?
You buying a coffee from El Salvador and Trump building a border wall have nothing in common.
Or do they?
Over five episodes, we explore a story of El Salvador. We confront massacres, wide …
Is your coffee building Trump's Wall? Part 4: The Rich and the Marginalised
You buying a coffee from El Salvador and Trump building a border wall have nothing in common.
Or do they?
Over five episodes, we explore a story of El Salvador. We confront massacres, wide …
Is your coffee buildling Trump's wall? Part 3: Requiem for a Coffee Republic
You buying a coffee from El Salvador and Trump building a border wall have nothing in common.
Or do they?
Over five episodes, we explore a story of El Salvador. We confront massacres, wide …
Is your coffee building Trump's wall? Part 2: El Savage
You buying a coffee from El Salvador and Trump building a border wall have nothing in common.
Or do they?
Over five episodes, we explore a story of El Salvador. We confront massacres, wide …
Is your coffee building Trump’s wall? Part 1: A tale of two El Salvadors
You buying a coffee from El Salvador and Trump building a border wall have nothing in common.
Or do they?
Over five episodes, we explore stories of El Salvador. We confront massacres, wide …
Big and Small in El Salvador: Part 3
We meet a man who came from humble beginnings who has achieved what Armando and Maria have only ever dreamed about.
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Big and Small in El Salvador: Part 2
Imagine you’re a coffee buyer on a mission to buy Salvadoran coffee. We visit Armando and Maria’s farms. Which farm would you choose to buy from?
…
Big and Small in El Salvador: Part 1
20 years ago specialty coffee patted itself on the back for saving coffee farmers, both big and small, from the misery of low coffee prices.
But what's it like for a small coffee farmer …
Unseen Bean: Part 2
Gerry's cafe failed.
We investigate why by putting ourselves in Gerry's shoes and experiencing the coffee world as a blind man.
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Gerry’s roastery: http://www.theunseenbean.com/
More …
Unseen Bean: Part 1
Gerry has a disability that keeps 2 in 3 adults out of full time work.
But Gerry demolishes expectations over and over again.
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Gerry’s …
Venezuela
What do you do when you want to buy a cafe but your country is collapsing around you?
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If you haven't already, please subscribe to the show …
Stateless
Mikhail is a specialty coffee barista. But he’s stuck on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
He doesn’t want to be there and he’s trying to get off. But he can’t. There are boats …
Sofía
What were your dreams at 16? Sofía lives on a remote coffee farm in Nicaragua and hers is to be a great english translator.
But Sofía needs school …
Aquiares
In Central America, you can’t tell the story of coffee without mentioning war.
This is Alfonso. He's hugged Fidel Castro and President Reagan …
Tito
Tito lives on a mountain in Panama, is a rebel and doesn’t listen to anyone.
Which is why he makes a terrible decision: he buys a coffee farm instead of getting an education. Tito is now …
Amish
Raymond's family want him to spend his life using a horse instead of a car, to live off the grid and have little contact with the outside world.
But young Raymond is curious and explores the …
Berries and Lemon
Martin is the best barista in Kenya and has a dream to open a cafe. Except, he can't. Kenyans don't drink coffee.
But he has a plan: he’s going to win the World Barista Championships to …
Firefly
Murray is one of Ecuador's most famous coffee farmers. But there's a problem: he's only earning $2 profit from 250 espressos. How does he survive?
While he struggles, his farm is splashed …
Asheville
Sarah has just landed her dream job working as a barista for the best cafe in North Carolina.
Her cafe will soon be featured in the New York Times …
How you can listen to this podcast
You can listen to episodes right here on the website, or if you prefer, in a podcast app. Listening in an app makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve already heard, listen without using your data plan and many other conveniences.