View entire thread: Green Coffee Beans and Fair Trade Issues
Posted by WDJackson on 2007-08-20 12:02:08 Post Subject: Green Coffee Beans and Fair Trade Issues
Hello, I''ve started researching about home coffee bean roasting and the potential this has for allowing consumers to purchase beans directly from coffee farmers and pay them a truly sustainable wage.
Some articles I''ve read and information disclosed in the documentary \"Black Gold\" are uncovering the fact that many coffee farmers are not receiving the fair trade wage of around $1.51 touted by the Fair Trade organization. There are coffee brokers, co-op directors and other players in the supply chain that take a portion of the money making it difficult still for many farmers to earn a sustainable living.
What is your opinion on this issue? Have you heard similar accounts? Do you know of any green coffee bean companies who are sourcing directly from farmers and guarantee them a fair wage?
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Posted by WDJackson on 2007-08-20 12:02:08 Post Subject: Green Coffee Beans and Fair Trade Issues
Hello, I''ve started researching about home coffee bean roasting and the potential this has for allowing consumers to purchase beans directly from coffee farmers and pay them a truly sustainable wage.
Some articles I''ve read and information disclosed in the documentary \"Black Gold\" are uncovering the fact that many coffee farmers are not receiving the fair trade wage of around $1.51 touted by the Fair Trade organization. There are coffee brokers, co-op directors and other players in the supply chain that take a portion of the money making it difficult still for many farmers to earn a sustainable living.
What is your opinion on this issue? Have you heard similar accounts? Do you know of any green coffee bean companies who are sourcing directly from farmers and guarantee them a fair wage?
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View entire thread: Oxfam v Starbucks (who do you support?)
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-05-21 14:03:35 Post Subject:
I don't understand, how would trade marking Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe help coffee farmers in Ethiopia?
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-05-21 14:03:35 Post Subject:
I don't understand, how would trade marking Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe help coffee farmers in Ethiopia?
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View entire thread: Juan Valdez vs. Starbucks!
Posted by tintinet on 2003-11-29 08:42:10 Post Subject: NYT for those who are too paranoid or lazy to register:
Move Over Starbucks, Juan Valdez Is Coming
By SHERRI DAY
Published: November 29, 2003
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
Bags of Juan Valdez coffee.
How about a nice large cup of coffee, light on the guilt?
The Colombian Coffee Federation, which represents more than 500,000 Colombian coffee growers, is planning to open its first coffee shops - all bearing the name Juan Valdez, after the federation's signature character - in the United States by early 2004. Gabriel Silva, the president of the federation, which is based in Bogotá, says the coffee growers have been "too passive" in claiming a larger piece of the $8.4 billion specialty coffee industry.
"In a cup of coffee that you get at a coffee shop, between 1 and 2 cents goes back to the farmer," Mr. Silva said, referring to Colombian growers. "We need to build our own solutions and take the destiny in our hands and really fight for our share of the industry."
Coffee growers are facing a difficult market. Per-capita consumption has been in decline since 1963 with the only growth area the specialty coffee shops, led by Starbucks, according to the International Coffee Organization in London. The price of coffee beans has also declined significantly from a high of about $1.20 a pound five years ago because of a global oversupply of coffee beans from countries like Vietnam and Brazil. In Colombia today, the average coffee grower gets only about 68 cents for a pound of coffee, Mr. Silva said.
Industry trade groups have tried to stem coffee farmers' losses by encouraging coffee producers to destroy oversupply and raise prices. They have also encouraged food companies to buy so-called fair trade coffee, which aims to guarantee what its advocates say is a living wage to poor coffee farmers in developing countries.
But even with Starbucks buying fair-trade coffee at an average of $1.20 a pound, Colombian coffee growers make only about a penny from each cup of coffee sold, Mr. Silva said. The average Starbucks' latte costs $2.25 to $3 a cup; a mocha costs $2.45 to $3.25.
By selling its own coffee at its own coffee shops, the federation, which represents both small and large coffee growers, plans to return 4 to 5 cents for each cup of coffee sold. Each of the federation's 560,000 farmers will also have an ownership stake in the shops, Mr. Silva said. The profits from the retail operation will go back to the federation, which said it would put marketing dollars behind the Juan Valdez brand and work to improve Colombia's coffee-growing regions by building roads, schools, health centers and housing.
"It's certainly interesting," John Glass, a restaurant analyst at CIBC World Markets, said of the coffee growers' plan. "I'm sure they can capture, to some degree, some more integrated profit if they vertically integrate it. The example would be Exxon Mobil. They own gas stations. They take it out of the ground, and they sell it."
The first Juan Valdez coffee shop is scheduled to open in New York, where the federation owns property on 57th Street and Lexington Avenue. The federation also plans to open three more flagship stores in Boston, Washington and Seattle.
The Juan Valdez trademark, which was created by DDB Worldwide Marketing in 1960's, is probably most familiar from a series of television commercials featuring the character standing in American supermarket aisles. The character was suspended in 2001, after coffee bean prices dropped significantly and the federation could no longer bankroll the ad budget for Juan Valdez.
But last summer, Juan Valdez made a comeback. The federation paid $1.5 million to buy him a cameo appearance in the Jim Carrey movie "Bruce Almighty." The federation plans to spend about $20 million on its coffee shops, but did not say how much of that would go for advertising and marketing. It will spend another $9 million this year and next to promote its marketing program for 100 percent Colombian coffee. The Sawyer Miller unit of the IPG Group is spearheading the federation's marketing campaign. Future Brands, another IPG unit, will work with the company on branding.
The stores will largely be modeled after five coffee shops that the federation operates in Colombia. There, they are testing product mix, pricing and the intricacies of running a retail operation. The stores, which are relatively spartan, serve nine different blends of coffee and are decorated in neutral browns and beiges, accented with wooden chairs that do not encourage patrons to linger. Although prices of the Colombian coffee have yet to be set for stores in the United States, Mr. Silva said he expected them to be lower than Starbucks'.
"Starbucks sells an experience," Mr. Silva said. "It's almost like a social place where you go there and meet your friends and read the paper and have some milk with coffee. They are not maximizing the potential of the pure coffee experience. Our stores are going to be much more down to earth - less opportunities for social interaction. It's not going to be a gathering place; it's going to be a place to get superior coffee, the best coffee in the world."
Advertisement
The federation's plan promises to be a delicate balancing act, as the group will be directly competing with its primary consumers, packaged-goods companies that market 100 percent Colombian coffee as an ingredient in brands like Folgers and coffee shops, especially Starbucks, which controls 38 percent of the domestic specialty coffee shop market.
Officials at Starbucks, which has recorded 12 consecutive years of same-store sales growth despite the slumping economy, said they supported the Colombian coffee growers' efforts and would continue to buy coffee beans from them. Starbucks officials said the company was a "significant buyer" of Colombian coffee, but they declined to say how much coffee they purchased from Colombia, which is the second-largest coffee-producing nation in the world, after Brazil.
"We're not worried," said Dub Hay, Starbucks' senior vice president for coffee. "We're well aware of what they're going to do; we think there's room for everyone."
A representative of Dunkin' Donuts, which says it sells more cups of coffee a day than any other retailer, expressed support for the growers' efforts, along with a little confusion about the identity of the coffee shops' namesake. "Is that the guy with the horse?" asked Jon Luther, the chief executive of the restaurant division of Allied Domecq, which owns Dunkin' Donuts.
The federation has enlisted McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, to help develop its retail plan for its United States stores. McKinsey has been advising the federation on the creation of its coffee shop business model and the rollout of the stores.
But the federation's learning curve will be steep as the group will have to figure out how to transfer its skills as coffee growers to retail sales, analysts said.
"There's so much more to it," said Mitchell J. Speiser, a restaurant and food service analyst at Lehman Brothers, about the federation's plans. "It's site location; it's branding. It's the right management team. It's hiring the right people. Just on paper, having real Colombian coffee and creating a retail shop around it, they do win the authenticity factor, but it takes a lot more than that to create a successful brand and a successful retail chain."
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Posted by tintinet on 2003-11-29 08:42:10 Post Subject: NYT for those who are too paranoid or lazy to register:
Move Over Starbucks, Juan Valdez Is Coming
By SHERRI DAY
Published: November 29, 2003
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
Bags of Juan Valdez coffee.
How about a nice large cup of coffee, light on the guilt?
The Colombian Coffee Federation, which represents more than 500,000 Colombian coffee growers, is planning to open its first coffee shops - all bearing the name Juan Valdez, after the federation's signature character - in the United States by early 2004. Gabriel Silva, the president of the federation, which is based in Bogotá, says the coffee growers have been "too passive" in claiming a larger piece of the $8.4 billion specialty coffee industry.
"In a cup of coffee that you get at a coffee shop, between 1 and 2 cents goes back to the farmer," Mr. Silva said, referring to Colombian growers. "We need to build our own solutions and take the destiny in our hands and really fight for our share of the industry."
Coffee growers are facing a difficult market. Per-capita consumption has been in decline since 1963 with the only growth area the specialty coffee shops, led by Starbucks, according to the International Coffee Organization in London. The price of coffee beans has also declined significantly from a high of about $1.20 a pound five years ago because of a global oversupply of coffee beans from countries like Vietnam and Brazil. In Colombia today, the average coffee grower gets only about 68 cents for a pound of coffee, Mr. Silva said.
Industry trade groups have tried to stem coffee farmers' losses by encouraging coffee producers to destroy oversupply and raise prices. They have also encouraged food companies to buy so-called fair trade coffee, which aims to guarantee what its advocates say is a living wage to poor coffee farmers in developing countries.
But even with Starbucks buying fair-trade coffee at an average of $1.20 a pound, Colombian coffee growers make only about a penny from each cup of coffee sold, Mr. Silva said. The average Starbucks' latte costs $2.25 to $3 a cup; a mocha costs $2.45 to $3.25.
By selling its own coffee at its own coffee shops, the federation, which represents both small and large coffee growers, plans to return 4 to 5 cents for each cup of coffee sold. Each of the federation's 560,000 farmers will also have an ownership stake in the shops, Mr. Silva said. The profits from the retail operation will go back to the federation, which said it would put marketing dollars behind the Juan Valdez brand and work to improve Colombia's coffee-growing regions by building roads, schools, health centers and housing.
"It's certainly interesting," John Glass, a restaurant analyst at CIBC World Markets, said of the coffee growers' plan. "I'm sure they can capture, to some degree, some more integrated profit if they vertically integrate it. The example would be Exxon Mobil. They own gas stations. They take it out of the ground, and they sell it."
The first Juan Valdez coffee shop is scheduled to open in New York, where the federation owns property on 57th Street and Lexington Avenue. The federation also plans to open three more flagship stores in Boston, Washington and Seattle.
The Juan Valdez trademark, which was created by DDB Worldwide Marketing in 1960's, is probably most familiar from a series of television commercials featuring the character standing in American supermarket aisles. The character was suspended in 2001, after coffee bean prices dropped significantly and the federation could no longer bankroll the ad budget for Juan Valdez.
But last summer, Juan Valdez made a comeback. The federation paid $1.5 million to buy him a cameo appearance in the Jim Carrey movie "Bruce Almighty." The federation plans to spend about $20 million on its coffee shops, but did not say how much of that would go for advertising and marketing. It will spend another $9 million this year and next to promote its marketing program for 100 percent Colombian coffee. The Sawyer Miller unit of the IPG Group is spearheading the federation's marketing campaign. Future Brands, another IPG unit, will work with the company on branding.
The stores will largely be modeled after five coffee shops that the federation operates in Colombia. There, they are testing product mix, pricing and the intricacies of running a retail operation. The stores, which are relatively spartan, serve nine different blends of coffee and are decorated in neutral browns and beiges, accented with wooden chairs that do not encourage patrons to linger. Although prices of the Colombian coffee have yet to be set for stores in the United States, Mr. Silva said he expected them to be lower than Starbucks'.
"Starbucks sells an experience," Mr. Silva said. "It's almost like a social place where you go there and meet your friends and read the paper and have some milk with coffee. They are not maximizing the potential of the pure coffee experience. Our stores are going to be much more down to earth - less opportunities for social interaction. It's not going to be a gathering place; it's going to be a place to get superior coffee, the best coffee in the world."
Advertisement
The federation's plan promises to be a delicate balancing act, as the group will be directly competing with its primary consumers, packaged-goods companies that market 100 percent Colombian coffee as an ingredient in brands like Folgers and coffee shops, especially Starbucks, which controls 38 percent of the domestic specialty coffee shop market.
Officials at Starbucks, which has recorded 12 consecutive years of same-store sales growth despite the slumping economy, said they supported the Colombian coffee growers' efforts and would continue to buy coffee beans from them. Starbucks officials said the company was a "significant buyer" of Colombian coffee, but they declined to say how much coffee they purchased from Colombia, which is the second-largest coffee-producing nation in the world, after Brazil.
"We're not worried," said Dub Hay, Starbucks' senior vice president for coffee. "We're well aware of what they're going to do; we think there's room for everyone."
A representative of Dunkin' Donuts, which says it sells more cups of coffee a day than any other retailer, expressed support for the growers' efforts, along with a little confusion about the identity of the coffee shops' namesake. "Is that the guy with the horse?" asked Jon Luther, the chief executive of the restaurant division of Allied Domecq, which owns Dunkin' Donuts.
The federation has enlisted McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, to help develop its retail plan for its United States stores. McKinsey has been advising the federation on the creation of its coffee shop business model and the rollout of the stores.
But the federation's learning curve will be steep as the group will have to figure out how to transfer its skills as coffee growers to retail sales, analysts said.
"There's so much more to it," said Mitchell J. Speiser, a restaurant and food service analyst at Lehman Brothers, about the federation's plans. "It's site location; it's branding. It's the right management team. It's hiring the right people. Just on paper, having real Colombian coffee and creating a retail shop around it, they do win the authenticity factor, but it takes a lot more than that to create a successful brand and a successful retail chain."
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View entire thread: My fair trade beans experience
Posted by macchiato on 2004-01-16 10:35:02 Post Subject: My fair trade beans experience
I have heard alot about fair trade coffee. The ideas behind fairtrade is assisting the independant coffee farmers. I am a righteous member of society and beleived wholeheartedly that fair trade coffee beans would show my compassion for struggling farmers.
Now my problem with fair trade.
I've purchased multiple pounds of fair trade grinds and fair trade whole beans from different sources. It seems that even companies with an already wide array of beans for sale are adding "fair Trade" coffee beans on the label, as if this was the flavor of the bean! With a blind eye, I sheepishly purchased a few pounds of this "fair trade" and have had enough of trying them out.
For starters buying fair trade coffee beans without a hint of their source was one of the stupidest things I've done. Blindly making a purchase based on the ethical feelings in my soul rather then truthful debate of if I even wanted coffee that style. This package says the beans are from central and south america, I now sit here and ponder "these beans have seen more areas on the face of the earth then I have!". I have also another pound here from Mexico, and have purchased Guatemalan in the past.
moving on...
I spent time drinking each of the blends I have purchased. Starting with a very good smooth blend from Guatamala. This was my first experience with fairtrade, the sticks and non-coffee materials I found in the bag where to say the least distastful, but the coffee it made tasted as if it had an air of presence and style in my mouth. This was purchased through a friend and I hardly take into consideration when buying super market fair trade beans.
Next I have this unknown pound of fair trade I purchased that says it originates from both Central and South America. This is my second, it is slightly bitter but frankly I am upset over the marketing of fair trade coffee as a flavor or style of coffee and not a method of purchase!
Finally is the worst one yet, I have failed in different style to have this Mexican fair trade coffee taste any good! it is always rather bitter and never any tasteful. I do not know its orgins as it was a gift, but I do know without any of the traditional non-fair trade coffees at my office I had to purchase an extra pound of beans just so I am not drinking bitter coffee all week!
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Posted by macchiato on 2004-01-16 10:35:02 Post Subject: My fair trade beans experience
I have heard alot about fair trade coffee. The ideas behind fairtrade is assisting the independant coffee farmers. I am a righteous member of society and beleived wholeheartedly that fair trade coffee beans would show my compassion for struggling farmers.
Now my problem with fair trade.
I've purchased multiple pounds of fair trade grinds and fair trade whole beans from different sources. It seems that even companies with an already wide array of beans for sale are adding "fair Trade" coffee beans on the label, as if this was the flavor of the bean! With a blind eye, I sheepishly purchased a few pounds of this "fair trade" and have had enough of trying them out.
For starters buying fair trade coffee beans without a hint of their source was one of the stupidest things I've done. Blindly making a purchase based on the ethical feelings in my soul rather then truthful debate of if I even wanted coffee that style. This package says the beans are from central and south america, I now sit here and ponder "these beans have seen more areas on the face of the earth then I have!". I have also another pound here from Mexico, and have purchased Guatemalan in the past.
moving on...
I spent time drinking each of the blends I have purchased. Starting with a very good smooth blend from Guatamala. This was my first experience with fairtrade, the sticks and non-coffee materials I found in the bag where to say the least distastful, but the coffee it made tasted as if it had an air of presence and style in my mouth. This was purchased through a friend and I hardly take into consideration when buying super market fair trade beans.
Next I have this unknown pound of fair trade I purchased that says it originates from both Central and South America. This is my second, it is slightly bitter but frankly I am upset over the marketing of fair trade coffee as a flavor or style of coffee and not a method of purchase!
Finally is the worst one yet, I have failed in different style to have this Mexican fair trade coffee taste any good! it is always rather bitter and never any tasteful. I do not know its orgins as it was a gift, but I do know without any of the traditional non-fair trade coffees at my office I had to purchase an extra pound of beans just so I am not drinking bitter coffee all week!
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View entire thread: fairtrade
Posted by jpscoffee on 2007-10-14 19:03:16 Post Subject:
what about other several million people who are consumers of non fair-trade coffee on daily basis and are possibly not even aware of that fact. Do you even know what fair trade coffee is? Have you any facts beyond the hype you are repeating?
How is possible to rise awareness around this issueWhat issue are you talking about?
Coffee industry is one of the most profitable industriesHow do you know this? At what level is it the most profitable? Are you a store owner? Are you a roaster? Are you a coffee broker?
Can medias such asTV, film or use of any other media help in increasing the consciousness about this problem??? What problem?
You seem to want to "save the world", but I think you need to do some research and get facts before you go forth. Read the press release below to shine a different light on "fair trade".
PRESS RELEASE
Fairtrade Coffee Does Little to Help Coffee Farmers in Developing Countries
Contact: Lura Forcum, Mercatus Center, (703) 993-4960 or lforcum@gmu.edu
Study available at www.mercatus.org/fairtradecoffee
Arlington, VA, June 21, 2007Buying Fairtrade coffee may ease your conscience and line the pockets of coffee retailers, but it does little to improve the lives of coffee farmers and laborers in developing countries. According to a study by Colleen Berndt, published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, coffee marketed as “Fairtrade” fails to provide financial benefit to farmers, while imposing significant costs. In her report, “Is Fairtrade in Coffee Production Fair and Useful: Evidence from Costa Rica and Guatemala and Implications for Policy”, Berndt - who is a lecturer in economics at San Jose State University argues that the program serves as little more than a hedge for coffee farmers.
What is the benefit of being a Fairtrade coffee farmer?
About three cents. In exchange for obtaining certification from the Fairtrade Labeling Organization’s (FLO), coffee farmers in developing countries can sell their coffee at a price that is about US$0.03 higher than the regular coffee market. However, coffee farmers only reap this benefit for about 20% of their coffee crop because that’s all that Fairtrade buyers currently purchase. The rest is sold on the unregulated market at a lower price.
While this isn’t helping coffee farmers much, it’s helping the very poorest participants of the coffee trade even less. Owners of coffee farms have some capital, but the migrant workers who provide most of the labor are far more impoverished. FLO requires that these workers be paid a minimum wage, but actual wages aren’t monitored so migrant workers probably aren’t seeing their fair share.
What are the costs of being a Fairtrade coffee farmer?
In order to sell to Fairtrade buyers, coffee farmers must organize themselves into cooperatives. The members must then follow FLO’s guidelines and pay the organization to monitor their compliance. In addition, the farmers, many of whom are barely literate, are required to keep detailed records about the co-op’s decision-making and distribution of profits in order to maintain certification.
There are other, less direct costs as well. Although FLO says that its goal is to help farmers become “financially secure and self sufficient,” its own requirements work against that goal. For example, co-op farmers are prevented from owning more than 12 acres of land and employing any full-time employees. While this may keep large coffee plantations from profiting from the price floor, it also discourages smaller coffee farmers from expanding their businesses.
How is Fairtrade acting as a hedge?
In developed financial markets, there are various tools to distribute risk. They range from simple crop insurance to more complex forms of risk buying and selling in futures and commodities markets. Coffee farmers lack access to these types of tools, which is what makes a Fairtrade co-op appealing. Fairtrade enables farmers to benefit from the price floor when the market is down, and sell to the unregulated market when prices are higher.
And since the co-op isn’t required to sell any amount of coffee to Fairtrade buyers, the farmers are inclined to sell their poor-quality beans where there is a price floor, and their higher-quality beans on the unregulated market. That’s something to think about the next time you order a venti-Fairtrade-mocha-ccino-frappe from your favorite coffeehouse.
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a research, education, and outreach organization that works with scholars, policy experts, and government officials to connect academic learning and real world practice. The mission of Mercatus is to promote sound interdisciplinary research and application in the humane sciences that integrates theory and practice to produce solutions that sustainably advance a free, prosperous, and civil society.
This reminds me of how Al Gore looks so good on paper, but look at his actions according to this:
Two houses... different stories
An Inconvenient Truth: A Tale of Two Houses
House #1
A 20 room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more energy than the average American household does in a year. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400. In natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not situated in a Northern or Midwestern "snow belt" area. It's in the South.
House #2
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university. This house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house is 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on a high prairie in the American Southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas and it consumes one-quarter electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville , Tennessee ; it is the abode of
the "environmentalist," Al Gore.
HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford , Texas ; it is the residence the of the President of the United States , George W. Bush.
An "inconvenient truth."
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Posted by jpscoffee on 2007-10-14 19:03:16 Post Subject:
what about other several million people who are consumers of non fair-trade coffee on daily basis and are possibly not even aware of that fact. Do you even know what fair trade coffee is? Have you any facts beyond the hype you are repeating?
How is possible to rise awareness around this issueWhat issue are you talking about?
Coffee industry is one of the most profitable industriesHow do you know this? At what level is it the most profitable? Are you a store owner? Are you a roaster? Are you a coffee broker?
Can medias such asTV, film or use of any other media help in increasing the consciousness about this problem??? What problem?
You seem to want to "save the world", but I think you need to do some research and get facts before you go forth. Read the press release below to shine a different light on "fair trade".
PRESS RELEASE
Fairtrade Coffee Does Little to Help Coffee Farmers in Developing Countries
Contact: Lura Forcum, Mercatus Center, (703) 993-4960 or lforcum@gmu.edu
Study available at www.mercatus.org/fairtradecoffee
Arlington, VA, June 21, 2007Buying Fairtrade coffee may ease your conscience and line the pockets of coffee retailers, but it does little to improve the lives of coffee farmers and laborers in developing countries. According to a study by Colleen Berndt, published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, coffee marketed as “Fairtrade” fails to provide financial benefit to farmers, while imposing significant costs. In her report, “Is Fairtrade in Coffee Production Fair and Useful: Evidence from Costa Rica and Guatemala and Implications for Policy”, Berndt - who is a lecturer in economics at San Jose State University argues that the program serves as little more than a hedge for coffee farmers.
What is the benefit of being a Fairtrade coffee farmer?
About three cents. In exchange for obtaining certification from the Fairtrade Labeling Organization’s (FLO), coffee farmers in developing countries can sell their coffee at a price that is about US$0.03 higher than the regular coffee market. However, coffee farmers only reap this benefit for about 20% of their coffee crop because that’s all that Fairtrade buyers currently purchase. The rest is sold on the unregulated market at a lower price.
While this isn’t helping coffee farmers much, it’s helping the very poorest participants of the coffee trade even less. Owners of coffee farms have some capital, but the migrant workers who provide most of the labor are far more impoverished. FLO requires that these workers be paid a minimum wage, but actual wages aren’t monitored so migrant workers probably aren’t seeing their fair share.
What are the costs of being a Fairtrade coffee farmer?
In order to sell to Fairtrade buyers, coffee farmers must organize themselves into cooperatives. The members must then follow FLO’s guidelines and pay the organization to monitor their compliance. In addition, the farmers, many of whom are barely literate, are required to keep detailed records about the co-op’s decision-making and distribution of profits in order to maintain certification.
There are other, less direct costs as well. Although FLO says that its goal is to help farmers become “financially secure and self sufficient,” its own requirements work against that goal. For example, co-op farmers are prevented from owning more than 12 acres of land and employing any full-time employees. While this may keep large coffee plantations from profiting from the price floor, it also discourages smaller coffee farmers from expanding their businesses.
How is Fairtrade acting as a hedge?
In developed financial markets, there are various tools to distribute risk. They range from simple crop insurance to more complex forms of risk buying and selling in futures and commodities markets. Coffee farmers lack access to these types of tools, which is what makes a Fairtrade co-op appealing. Fairtrade enables farmers to benefit from the price floor when the market is down, and sell to the unregulated market when prices are higher.
And since the co-op isn’t required to sell any amount of coffee to Fairtrade buyers, the farmers are inclined to sell their poor-quality beans where there is a price floor, and their higher-quality beans on the unregulated market. That’s something to think about the next time you order a venti-Fairtrade-mocha-ccino-frappe from your favorite coffeehouse.
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a research, education, and outreach organization that works with scholars, policy experts, and government officials to connect academic learning and real world practice. The mission of Mercatus is to promote sound interdisciplinary research and application in the humane sciences that integrates theory and practice to produce solutions that sustainably advance a free, prosperous, and civil society.
This reminds me of how Al Gore looks so good on paper, but look at his actions according to this:
Two houses... different stories
An Inconvenient Truth: A Tale of Two Houses
House #1
A 20 room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more energy than the average American household does in a year. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400. In natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not situated in a Northern or Midwestern "snow belt" area. It's in the South.
House #2
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university. This house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house is 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on a high prairie in the American Southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas and it consumes one-quarter electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville , Tennessee ; it is the abode of
the "environmentalist," Al Gore.
HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford , Texas ; it is the residence the of the President of the United States , George W. Bush.
An "inconvenient truth."
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View entire thread: Kona Coffee & Tea
Posted by Rowley on 2003-11-17 09:10:29 Post Subject: Kona Coffee & Tea
Kona Coffee and Tea recently won a Gevalia Kaffe sponsored Kona Coffee Cuping Contest (for anyone confused Kona is an island of Hawaii USA). Beating out 70 other reputable Kona Coffee farmers who submitted a 50 lbs sample for cupping.
The full article is at pacific.bizjournals.
Does anyone have comments about Kona style coffee? I am already looking into finding some samples.
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Posted by Rowley on 2003-11-17 09:10:29 Post Subject: Kona Coffee & Tea
Kona Coffee and Tea recently won a Gevalia Kaffe sponsored Kona Coffee Cuping Contest (for anyone confused Kona is an island of Hawaii USA). Beating out 70 other reputable Kona Coffee farmers who submitted a 50 lbs sample for cupping.
The full article is at pacific.bizjournals.
Does anyone have comments about Kona style coffee? I am already looking into finding some samples.
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View entire thread: Vodafone and Fairtrade coffee
Posted by mightybean on 2004-01-08 10:18:38 Post Subject:
The point being made in my last post is that if we farmed in the U.S. the same way we farmed 100 years ago we could not compete in a world market, heck if farmed the way we did 50 years ago we could not compete. I read an article about some coffee farmers in of all places Austrailia, they are on the cutting edge of coffee farming, I'll try to find a link to post to it because it was very informative. What was neat about it was that they were using these machines to harvest the coffee. It was cool. How does that turn into desert for my children?. If the coffee farming is inefficent then maybe theses farmers should grow something else. In the U.S farmers grow many crops in rotation I dont know the geographiacl landscape of the coffee area but it cant be the only crop that will grow in theses regions. I think your hearts in right place Wulf but I think that in the long term your ideas hold these people back and hurt the environment.
Ron
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Posted by mightybean on 2004-01-08 10:18:38 Post Subject:
The point being made in my last post is that if we farmed in the U.S. the same way we farmed 100 years ago we could not compete in a world market, heck if farmed the way we did 50 years ago we could not compete. I read an article about some coffee farmers in of all places Austrailia, they are on the cutting edge of coffee farming, I'll try to find a link to post to it because it was very informative. What was neat about it was that they were using these machines to harvest the coffee. It was cool. How does that turn into desert for my children?. If the coffee farming is inefficent then maybe theses farmers should grow something else. In the U.S farmers grow many crops in rotation I dont know the geographiacl landscape of the coffee area but it cant be the only crop that will grow in theses regions. I think your hearts in right place Wulf but I think that in the long term your ideas hold these people back and hurt the environment.
Ron
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View entire thread: Read "The Coffee Book, An Anatomy of an Industry"
Posted by tlhamzy on 2005-02-07 19:19:57 Post Subject: mmmm good!
Blue Monkey, I have handed out samples all year long to some of my most descriminating coffee-drinking friends and have not had one complaint. They all say "mmmm good!"
As far as being part of the certification process at a retailer level, you are a part of it when you choose to support the system, by buying certified, which ensures it is actually certified. Your customers feel better too.
It is unfortunate that honest coffee buyers (have there really been any? I don't know, based on the poverty of the coffee-producing countries and the damage to our water systems and rain forests, if there have been, they have been the minority, and now it's time for verification), who may have been giving coffee farmers fair prices, buying only organic shade grown, before the certification process was started (not by a corporation, by the way, but by a guy armed with a masters degree who saw a need), that they have to fork out a fee to certifyers now....but those who have been running the coffee industry have had their chance to be "honest" and it just hasn't worked.
Read all about Fair Trade here:
http://www.transfairusa.org/content/abo ... 329_bt.php
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Posted by tlhamzy on 2005-02-07 19:19:57 Post Subject: mmmm good!
Blue Monkey, I have handed out samples all year long to some of my most descriminating coffee-drinking friends and have not had one complaint. They all say "mmmm good!"
As far as being part of the certification process at a retailer level, you are a part of it when you choose to support the system, by buying certified, which ensures it is actually certified. Your customers feel better too.
It is unfortunate that honest coffee buyers (have there really been any? I don't know, based on the poverty of the coffee-producing countries and the damage to our water systems and rain forests, if there have been, they have been the minority, and now it's time for verification), who may have been giving coffee farmers fair prices, buying only organic shade grown, before the certification process was started (not by a corporation, by the way, but by a guy armed with a masters degree who saw a need), that they have to fork out a fee to certifyers now....but those who have been running the coffee industry have had their chance to be "honest" and it just hasn't worked.
Read all about Fair Trade here:
http://www.transfairusa.org/content/abo ... 329_bt.php
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View entire thread: Organic, Shade Grown Green Coffee available at cost plus 20%
Posted by carney322 on 2005-02-18 02:05:41 Post Subject:
I appreciate your feedback and looked into the pricing. It turns out that 25 cents per kilo of that price is a market increase due to a smaller than average worlwide harvest of coffee this year. Also, I talked to the director of SFS who helped convert this farm to organic and he corrected my original statement: we are paying 40% more than Starbucks offered.
When you do the math this comes to roughly 1.69 a pound for their price and they fill containers which would mean pennies a kilo added on for shipping and we do not have that luxury. You also did not mention if the price you had is for organic.
I got my comparison quote from: www.thecaptainscoffee.com.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that this is a project designed to treat people fairly and provide income for coffee farmers to support their families, not to get the cheapest coffee available. It's a tragedy that there is such a disparity between market prices and fair prices and we are simply trying our hardest to do something good in the world.
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Posted by carney322 on 2005-02-18 02:05:41 Post Subject:
I appreciate your feedback and looked into the pricing. It turns out that 25 cents per kilo of that price is a market increase due to a smaller than average worlwide harvest of coffee this year. Also, I talked to the director of SFS who helped convert this farm to organic and he corrected my original statement: we are paying 40% more than Starbucks offered.
When you do the math this comes to roughly 1.69 a pound for their price and they fill containers which would mean pennies a kilo added on for shipping and we do not have that luxury. You also did not mention if the price you had is for organic.
I got my comparison quote from: www.thecaptainscoffee.com.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that this is a project designed to treat people fairly and provide income for coffee farmers to support their families, not to get the cheapest coffee available. It's a tragedy that there is such a disparity between market prices and fair prices and we are simply trying our hardest to do something good in the world.
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View entire thread: Honduran coffee
Posted by MSGRLLC on 2005-09-06 11:38:05 Post Subject: Honduran coffee
Cuppers in the past have been quick to judge Honduran coffee as less valuable and poorer quality than other Central American coffees, including Guatemalan and Costa Rican. This, I must say, has been the mistake of cuppers worldwide. In the past few years alone, Honduras and its coffee farmers have gone to great lengths to reach the "par" level of coffee production that say, Colombia, has acheived. Today Honduran coffee is as good as or better than other Central American coffees. which has in turn made it a diamond in the rough.
Anybody interested in cupping some delicious, shade-grown, bird-friendly, estate-grown Honduran coffee should please contact me for more details. Our finca prides itself on not only the best coffee and equipment for processing, but also aiding in the economic and social development of the Honduran people.
Please call Jeff at 303-868-4454 or email MSGRLLC@comcast.net for more information or if you are interested in the best Central American coffee available today.
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Posted by MSGRLLC on 2005-09-06 11:38:05 Post Subject: Honduran coffee
Cuppers in the past have been quick to judge Honduran coffee as less valuable and poorer quality than other Central American coffees, including Guatemalan and Costa Rican. This, I must say, has been the mistake of cuppers worldwide. In the past few years alone, Honduras and its coffee farmers have gone to great lengths to reach the "par" level of coffee production that say, Colombia, has acheived. Today Honduran coffee is as good as or better than other Central American coffees. which has in turn made it a diamond in the rough.
Anybody interested in cupping some delicious, shade-grown, bird-friendly, estate-grown Honduran coffee should please contact me for more details. Our finca prides itself on not only the best coffee and equipment for processing, but also aiding in the economic and social development of the Honduran people.
Please call Jeff at 303-868-4454 or email MSGRLLC@comcast.net for more information or if you are interested in the best Central American coffee available today.
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View entire thread: Splendid Espresso Blend!!!
Posted by davidsbiscotti on 2008-03-26 06:14:35 Post Subject:
Hi Taylor, thanks for the pm.
There's an abundance of info on how to make espressos, complete with latte art and etching how-to's and contests and so on. There's the big coffee chain scene, the fancy terms we use and even the spiffy coffee mugs we collect. The romanticisms of the coffee roasting process has also been expressed by many and really is a world on its own. These things are fine and good for those of us who really enjoy a cup of good coffee.
But your site offers a different look into the world of coffee, the pure beginning stages of coffee that I don't think we get to see enough of. Thank you for your contribution, I will add your link to my blog for my customers to view as well.
Here's a link to some info and videos of the Ugandan coffee farmers who nurture and harvest the coffee we enjoy:
http://www.croptocup.com/farmer_regional_profiles.php
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Posted by davidsbiscotti on 2008-03-26 06:14:35 Post Subject:
Hi Taylor, thanks for the pm.
There's an abundance of info on how to make espressos, complete with latte art and etching how-to's and contests and so on. There's the big coffee chain scene, the fancy terms we use and even the spiffy coffee mugs we collect. The romanticisms of the coffee roasting process has also been expressed by many and really is a world on its own. These things are fine and good for those of us who really enjoy a cup of good coffee.
But your site offers a different look into the world of coffee, the pure beginning stages of coffee that I don't think we get to see enough of. Thank you for your contribution, I will add your link to my blog for my customers to view as well.
Here's a link to some info and videos of the Ugandan coffee farmers who nurture and harvest the coffee we enjoy:
http://www.croptocup.com/farmer_regional_profiles.php
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View entire thread: Fairtrade Thread.
Posted by wulf on 2003-11-20 08:55:42 Post Subject:
I was not insinuating that the fair trade foundation was corrupt...just was wondering how much actually goes to the farmer...As to the other comment....My point was if I can not make my business work...I need to find a new line of work....am I wrong on that?
I recognise that I've only got direct experience of the UK based organisation (and there only as a semi-informed consumer) so I was just being careful not to overstate my expertise. On the page:
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/food_coffee.htm
they say:
In 2003, Fairtrade producer groups are receiving three times the international price for robustas and double the international price for arabicas.
but the price in the supermarket is directly comparable to equivalent products so I'm reasonably confident they're not skimming off the top (beyond reasonable costs).
On the point about not artificially supporting a failing business, I see where you're coming from. The downside of applying this to coffee producers is that, firstly, the international market has pushed prices too low so that would drive a lot of people out of coffee production (so we'd all have to drink soy substitutes instead) and also that coffee farmers who move to another production area often choose the much more 'rewarding' field of drugs.
If we want coffee produced (and thus the market for all the susidiary industries like roasting and providing refreshments) we need to be willing to pay a fair price for the raw material. Of course, on the postive side, modern communications technology makes it much easier to 'shrink' the world and get closer to the source provider. As a roaster, are you in contact with any of the people who grow and pick the beans you use?
Wulf
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Posted by wulf on 2003-11-20 08:55:42 Post Subject:
I was not insinuating that the fair trade foundation was corrupt...just was wondering how much actually goes to the farmer...As to the other comment....My point was if I can not make my business work...I need to find a new line of work....am I wrong on that?
I recognise that I've only got direct experience of the UK based organisation (and there only as a semi-informed consumer) so I was just being careful not to overstate my expertise. On the page:
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/food_coffee.htm
they say:
In 2003, Fairtrade producer groups are receiving three times the international price for robustas and double the international price for arabicas.
but the price in the supermarket is directly comparable to equivalent products so I'm reasonably confident they're not skimming off the top (beyond reasonable costs).
On the point about not artificially supporting a failing business, I see where you're coming from. The downside of applying this to coffee producers is that, firstly, the international market has pushed prices too low so that would drive a lot of people out of coffee production (so we'd all have to drink soy substitutes instead) and also that coffee farmers who move to another production area often choose the much more 'rewarding' field of drugs.
If we want coffee produced (and thus the market for all the susidiary industries like roasting and providing refreshments) we need to be willing to pay a fair price for the raw material. Of course, on the postive side, modern communications technology makes it much easier to 'shrink' the world and get closer to the source provider. As a roaster, are you in contact with any of the people who grow and pick the beans you use?
Wulf
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View entire thread: I found a great new coffee company online!!!
Posted by espressolane on 2004-08-08 12:35:46 Post Subject:
TransfiarUSA is a member of the FLO (fair trade labeling organization). The FLO is headquartered in Germany. Any organization using the “fair trade certifiedâ€
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Posted by espressolane on 2004-08-08 12:35:46 Post Subject:
TransfiarUSA is a member of the FLO (fair trade labeling organization). The FLO is headquartered in Germany. Any organization using the “fair trade certifiedâ€
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View entire thread: I found a great new coffee company online!!!
Posted by ralphshade on 2004-08-16 13:36:03 Post Subject: RE: No reply.
Kind of presumptuous to say that there was no reply after such a short period of time, don't ya think?
Actually, I was trying to formulate a well-thought out response to what I can only describe as a bit of a rant. Here goes;
"TransfairUSA does not certify any producers. They are one of the US auditors for FLO.
The fees and royalties paid to transfair are for the auditing functions for chain of custody. Transfair pays a portion of the proceeds to FLO for its license, as do all others who use the label. Transfair is an information and data collection processor and redistributors.
They ride the coattails of other organizations. "
I don't think you can say that TransfairUSA rides the coattails of other organizations, since as you state, the are an auditor for FLO. In fact they are the authorized agent for FLO in the US. They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.
"No individual farms are certified, Only cooperatives or groups are eligible for certification.
The term “farmersâ€
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Posted by ralphshade on 2004-08-16 13:36:03 Post Subject: RE: No reply.
Kind of presumptuous to say that there was no reply after such a short period of time, don't ya think?
Actually, I was trying to formulate a well-thought out response to what I can only describe as a bit of a rant. Here goes;
"TransfairUSA does not certify any producers. They are one of the US auditors for FLO.
The fees and royalties paid to transfair are for the auditing functions for chain of custody. Transfair pays a portion of the proceeds to FLO for its license, as do all others who use the label. Transfair is an information and data collection processor and redistributors.
They ride the coattails of other organizations. "
I don't think you can say that TransfairUSA rides the coattails of other organizations, since as you state, the are an auditor for FLO. In fact they are the authorized agent for FLO in the US. They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.
"No individual farms are certified, Only cooperatives or groups are eligible for certification.
The term “farmersâ€
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View entire thread: I found a great new coffee company online!!!
Posted by espressolane on 2004-10-10 13:42:56 Post Subject: Re: RE: No reply.
Actually, I was trying to formulate a well-thought out response to what I can only describe as a bit of a rant. Here goes;
I am not sure why you would call my reply a rant, you asked for my opinion and thoughts. I replied with facts and opinions.
"TransfairUSA does not certify any producers. They are one of the US auditors for FLO.
The fees and royalties paid to transfair are for the auditing functions for chain of custody. Transfair pays a portion of the proceeds to FLO for its license, as do all others who use the label. Transfair is an information and data collection processor and redistributors.
They ride the coattails of other organizations. "
I don't think you can say that TransfairUSA rides the coattails of other organizations, since as you state, the are an auditor for FLO. In fact they are the authorized agent for FLO in the US. They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.
Yes, I can say that FTO and TransfairUSA ride the coattails of other organizations. The FTO, and by that TransfairUSA have taken up activities in areas that have been long assisted by USAID, OCIA, Smithsonian, Rain forest alliance and a host of others. These groups have been working in these regions longer than FTO, and doing good work to help the people. They have set a number of things in motion, that FTO and others are getting the benefit from. Talk to these groups, you might just be surprised at what they have to say.
“They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.â€
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Posted by espressolane on 2004-10-10 13:42:56 Post Subject: Re: RE: No reply.
Actually, I was trying to formulate a well-thought out response to what I can only describe as a bit of a rant. Here goes;
I am not sure why you would call my reply a rant, you asked for my opinion and thoughts. I replied with facts and opinions.
"TransfairUSA does not certify any producers. They are one of the US auditors for FLO.
The fees and royalties paid to transfair are for the auditing functions for chain of custody. Transfair pays a portion of the proceeds to FLO for its license, as do all others who use the label. Transfair is an information and data collection processor and redistributors.
They ride the coattails of other organizations. "
I don't think you can say that TransfairUSA rides the coattails of other organizations, since as you state, the are an auditor for FLO. In fact they are the authorized agent for FLO in the US. They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.
Yes, I can say that FTO and TransfairUSA ride the coattails of other organizations. The FTO, and by that TransfairUSA have taken up activities in areas that have been long assisted by USAID, OCIA, Smithsonian, Rain forest alliance and a host of others. These groups have been working in these regions longer than FTO, and doing good work to help the people. They have set a number of things in motion, that FTO and others are getting the benefit from. Talk to these groups, you might just be surprised at what they have to say.
“They serve the function that they have been hired for in the US.â€
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View entire thread: I want to roast & sell from home - why not?
Posted by jlyon10 on 2008-08-13 07:25:56 Post Subject: roast at home
I roast at home for myself and give some away to mostly family. I don't sell the roasted beans. I have 2 fresh roast plus 8 roasters plus a BBQ drum, I mostly roast outside. I have a website where I sell green coffee beans and not many customers. I do have a few at work and some friends buy off of my site also. I have been in business for 2 years and basically haven't turned a profit yet, that is what I mean about my ship has not come in. I have met many coffee farmers, distributors online and I am having a ball but at this point it is still a hobby.
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Posted by jlyon10 on 2008-08-13 07:25:56 Post Subject: roast at home
I roast at home for myself and give some away to mostly family. I don't sell the roasted beans. I have 2 fresh roast plus 8 roasters plus a BBQ drum, I mostly roast outside. I have a website where I sell green coffee beans and not many customers. I do have a few at work and some friends buy off of my site also. I have been in business for 2 years and basically haven't turned a profit yet, that is what I mean about my ship has not come in. I have met many coffee farmers, distributors online and I am having a ball but at this point it is still a hobby.
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View entire thread: My thoughts on Starbucks
Posted by jdandtracy on 2007-07-17 21:18:13 Post Subject: Re: SB is still at fault
JD, hi! Even though i was refering to Starbucks' community service IN MY COUNTRY COsta Rica, (in the areas where they buy the coffee), i think that what you point out is pretty sad.
SB has gotten big and they either CAN NOT or DONT WANT TO BOTHER hiring employees that are as committed as your wife. So, if they don't have the human element to make their principles a reality, then they probably stopped caring or some bean counter told them it was expensive.
I am glad you and your wife are in business. i hope you two are very successful and please, don't forget about the people who plant the coffee. They are int he short end of the stick.
Thanks for your encouragement! As it goes with anything in life, the quality of the people involved is what makes it successful or ruins it. When a company gets as large as Starbucks, there will be a degradation of the quality of employees, just due to the numbers involved. I wish you well, and the coffee farmers also...
JD
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Posted by jdandtracy on 2007-07-17 21:18:13 Post Subject: Re: SB is still at fault
JD, hi! Even though i was refering to Starbucks' community service IN MY COUNTRY COsta Rica, (in the areas where they buy the coffee), i think that what you point out is pretty sad.
SB has gotten big and they either CAN NOT or DONT WANT TO BOTHER hiring employees that are as committed as your wife. So, if they don't have the human element to make their principles a reality, then they probably stopped caring or some bean counter told them it was expensive.
I am glad you and your wife are in business. i hope you two are very successful and please, don't forget about the people who plant the coffee. They are int he short end of the stick.
Thanks for your encouragement! As it goes with anything in life, the quality of the people involved is what makes it successful or ruins it. When a company gets as large as Starbucks, there will be a degradation of the quality of employees, just due to the numbers involved. I wish you well, and the coffee farmers also...
JD
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View entire thread: My thoughts on Starbucks
Posted by Dota Coffee on 2007-04-02 18:57:17 Post Subject: bottom line it pisses me off
Coffe note, hi! thank you for giving me your feedback, it is really interesting.
I guess bottom line is that is easy to see how much SB bothers me.
Some of what you mentioned made sense, and certainly the numbers paint a funny picture, if not unbelievable. But then, numbers are numbers and accountants can be very creative. You have lots of examples of that in corporations.
What bothers me inmensely is that SB really does not do as much as they could, WHILE they brag about doing even more. You are right when you mention the big roasting operations but at least they don't hype themselves as SB does; they simply go about their business in a quite way.
If you listen to the VP of Corporate Responsibility for SB (just the title is a bit much), you would think they just found the cure for AIDS and taught every person in the world to read.
You are right when you say this is a topic that is close to me. My family sold coffee berries for peanuts for decades to cooperatives that thought they are making a killing by selling to SB. So, it is different when you hear people brag about changing the lives of coffee farmers in Costa Rica if you know the economics of the industry and those families first hand.
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Posted by Dota Coffee on 2007-04-02 18:57:17 Post Subject: bottom line it pisses me off
Coffe note, hi! thank you for giving me your feedback, it is really interesting.
I guess bottom line is that is easy to see how much SB bothers me.
Some of what you mentioned made sense, and certainly the numbers paint a funny picture, if not unbelievable. But then, numbers are numbers and accountants can be very creative. You have lots of examples of that in corporations.
What bothers me inmensely is that SB really does not do as much as they could, WHILE they brag about doing even more. You are right when you mention the big roasting operations but at least they don't hype themselves as SB does; they simply go about their business in a quite way.
If you listen to the VP of Corporate Responsibility for SB (just the title is a bit much), you would think they just found the cure for AIDS and taught every person in the world to read.
You are right when you say this is a topic that is close to me. My family sold coffee berries for peanuts for decades to cooperatives that thought they are making a killing by selling to SB. So, it is different when you hear people brag about changing the lives of coffee farmers in Costa Rica if you know the economics of the industry and those families first hand.
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View entire thread: POLL: WHAT'S WRONG WITH STARBUCKS?
Posted by kimmie on 2005-07-26 07:31:53 Post Subject: don't hate me for this
hi..i m posting some really honest feedback over here.. I really love starbucks..i started out drinking starbucks not knowing who they are and what is coffee..to me that is just some weird brew my granny will drink with me when i was in pre-school..till i joined them back abt 7 years back..i know that they are really big and multiplying ..a lot of ppl dislike them as they are over size but one thing for sure..they really treated their employees with respect and put a lot of effort into their training..they make me what i m now..squeezing my way to any coffee info..looking into the state of coffee as well as they really take care of their partners the coffee farmers and treating the bean with respect...even though..i have left them for another company..they still contact me to ensure that i am fine and alive..
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Posted by kimmie on 2005-07-26 07:31:53 Post Subject: don't hate me for this
hi..i m posting some really honest feedback over here.. I really love starbucks..i started out drinking starbucks not knowing who they are and what is coffee..to me that is just some weird brew my granny will drink with me when i was in pre-school..till i joined them back abt 7 years back..i know that they are really big and multiplying ..a lot of ppl dislike them as they are over size but one thing for sure..they really treated their employees with respect and put a lot of effort into their training..they make me what i m now..squeezing my way to any coffee info..looking into the state of coffee as well as they really take care of their partners the coffee farmers and treating the bean with respect...even though..i have left them for another company..they still contact me to ensure that i am fine and alive..
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