Poor Farmer

Some customers find contemplative quotes provocative, anti-Christian Vito Pilieci The Ottawa Citizen May 12, 2007 Starbucks says it won't change an advertising campaign that some believe is anti-Christian, despite boycotts across the United States. The Seattle-based coffee chain has drawn protests because of its "The Way I See It" campaign, which prints comments submitted by customers on its paper cups. One such thought -- written by London, Ont., native Bill Schell -- calls into question the existence of God. "Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help?" reads Mr. Schell's "The Way I See It" comment. "As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure." The company numbers each of its comments -- Mr. Schell's is No. 24...

Coffee is produced by a number of different global industries in almost every country in the world, making it one of the best products for tracking globalisation. BBC World Service's The Cost Of... programme tracked a kilo of coffee from its origins in Ethiopia to the fashionable coffee shops of Europe and the US. BBC World Service May 10, 2007 In the Ethiopian village of Yirgacheffe, farmers take sacks of raw coffee cherries to a market set up by a local farming co-operative. Scales weigh the coffee and money is paid to each farmer. At this primary stage, a kilo of coffee cherries costs $2.25 (£1.12). For some, however, the price they receive is far less, because where co-operatives are not an available option, farmers are offered below market rate by middlemen with the promise of ready cash. Robbie Shalo, one of the coffee harvesters who works during harvesting, sells at three birr per kilo - or 33 cents. "This is not enough to live by, even though I work here," he expl...

Starbucks Declined saying, "the licensing agreement has not yet been finalized" Democracy Now! the TV/Radio/Internet media outlet with a growing popularity in the US and many other countries, had a live broadcast yesterday regarding the status of the coffee trademark dispute between Ethiopia and Starbucks. I had the privilege of being one of the guests. Following is the transcript courtesy of Democracy Now! --------------- Following Public Campaign For Trademark Efforts, Coffee Giant Starbucks Signs Licensing Deal that Could Bring Millions to Ethiopian Farmers Many say the public pressure on Starbucks helped force them into the licensing agreement. Activists from the Ethiopian community, regional Fair Trade coalitions, University students, and consumer groups all got involved. But perhaps the most vocal of public campaigns was the one started by Reverend Billy, the founder of the Church of Stop Shopping. He took his campaign to the doorsteps of Starbucks coffee houses. With ...

The deal is yet to be unveiled. Douglas Holt , L'Oréal Professor of Marketing at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, is cautiously optimistic: "We would want to wait until we see the final agreement later this month to make a right judgment. It sounds good. They had been under pressure and promising better behavior and that just might have happened. They had messed up several times and I think I'll take them seriously this time. " - CorpWatch ------------ Trademarking Coffee: Starbucks Cuts Ethiopia Deal by Anton Foek, CorpWatch May 8, 2007 Starbucks, the world's largest coffee shop chain, and the Ethiopian government are on the verge of unveiling a deal that the company hopes will end attacks on the company's carefully constructed ethical image. Starbucks spokesperson Bridget Baker told CorpWatch that "a licensing, distribution and marketing" agreement for three of Ethiopia's specialty coffees would be announced later this month. If ...

Congratulations to all! SCAA’s 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition Business Wire May 8, 2007 LONG BEACH, Calif.-- If you want a really great espresso or cappuccino, head to San Dimas, Calif., hometown of Heather Perry, the best barista in the nation. Coffee Klatch Roasting’s Perry took top honors at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) 2007 United States Barista Championship (USBC), hosted by Krups. Perry won the intense competition at SCAA’s 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition, May 4 - 7. Perry previously won the 2003 United States Barista Championship. 2007 U.S. Barista Championship Results: 1. Heather Perry, Coffee Klatch Roasting, San Dimas, Calif. 2. Pete Licata, PT's Coffee Company, Overland Park, Kan. 3. Matthew Riddle, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago Ill. 4. Chris Deferio, Carriage House Cafe, Ithaca, NY 5. Kyle Glanville, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles, Calif. 6. Peter Middlecamp, Black Sheep Coffee, South Saint Paul, Minn. Competitors prep...

Panama’s Hacienda La Esmeralda Wins an Unprecedented Third Consecutive SCAA Roasters Guild Cupping Pavilion Competition SCAA's 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition May 8, 2007 Business Wire LONG BEACH, Calif.--Panama coffee estate, Hacienda La Esmeralda, reached the highest level of coffee supremacy May 7 when it was recognized for having the world’s best specialty coffee for a record third consecutive year. The coffee producer set the mark by winning this year’s Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) 2007 Roasters Guild Cupping Pavilion Competition in Long Beach, Calif. The coffee producer previously won the 2005 and 2006 Cupping Pavilions. The 2007 event took place at SCAA’s 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition. Hacienda La Esmeralda’s winning coffee--from the Jaramillo region of Boquete, Panama--was one of 104 of the finest coffees that participated in the three-day international competition. 2007 Cupping Pavilion Results: 1. Hacienda La Esmeralda, Panama 2. ...

The following is a transcript of a radio broadcast on the Voice of America (VOA) as a Special English Agriculture report on May 7, 2007. The report offers a snapshot of the Fair Trade movement but, unfortunately, at a cost of two serious errors. True, the Fair Trade movement calls for, among others, a guaranteed fair price for small coffee producers in poor countries. It should be noted, however, that the minimum price set by the FLO does not differentiate between fine or gourmet coffees and commodity coffees. Meanwhile, the world’s finest coffees are subjected to the same standards even though they fetch higher prices at a retail level. The initiative to trademark Ethiopia’s best-known coffee marks is not a substitute to the Fair Trade initiative. First of all, those gourmet coffees should have earned a better price than commodity coffees. Secondly, those specialty or fine coffees are worth much more than what is guaranteed by the Fair Trade initiative. So, when it comes to the...