Coffee is the number one reason
Costa Rica has a large prosperous middle class. Farmers were given
property with the agreement that they would grow coffee on it to
sell. Currently, Starbucks is the largest purchaser of Costa Rican
Coffee. They do not produce decaffeinated coffee,, but ship all
of the beans to Germany who processes them and returns the beans
at no cost to Costa Rica. Germany then sales the caffeinated water
from processing the beans to Pepsi, Coca Cola, Jolt and others.
When a family made enough money to own more than one cart, they
painted one and used it for pleasure, as sign to their neighbors
that they were doing well. |