10.31.2005 ET

(CSRwire) Oakland, CA - TransFair USA joins Oxfam America in welcoming the McDonald's Corporation's decision to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee exclusively in 658 of its restaurants across New England and Albany, N.Y. starting November 1, 2005. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) plans to source, roast and package Newman's Own Organics (NOO) Fair Trade Certified coffee for McDonald's to sell in its restaurants across the Northeast region.

Oxfam America followed last week's joint announcement from McDonald's, GMCR, and NOO with its own press release expressing excitement about the news and its hope that McDonalds -- a leading food service retailer with 30,000 restaurants serving 50 million people worldwide -- extends the launch to include its restaurants throughout the U.S.

TransFair applauds those sentiments.

"This is a great moment for the Fair Trade movement -- one that will have an immensely positive impact on Fair Trade farmers and serve as an example for other companies that are still considering whether to respond to consumer demand for Fair Trade products," said Paul Rice, President and CEO of TransFair USA. "Our hope is that McDonald's will embrace Fair Trade across its entire system and convert all of its U.S. restaurants to Fair Trade in the next year or two."

Rice added: "Companies such as Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Costco and Sam's Club, as well as thousands of smaller independent companies, are selling Fair Trade Certified coffee and McDonald's will help to accelerate the trend. Its entry into the market sends a powerful signal to the food industry that Fair Trade means quality. American consumers want fairness as well as great-tasting coffee, and they'll be getting both in every cup of Newman's Own Organics Fair Trade Certified."

Fair Certified Trade products - including coffee, tea, cocoa, rice, sugar and fruit -- are offered currently in more than 30,000 cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and dining service venues nationwide. More than 500 companies throughout the U.S. are licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified products.

For more information about TransFair visit www.fairtradecertified.org.

About TransFair
TransFair USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is one of nineteen members of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. It audits transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified™ products and the international suppliers from whom they source, in order to guarantee that the farmers and farm workers behind Fair Trade Certified goods were paid a fair, above-market price. In addition, annual inspections conducted by FLO ensure that strict socioeconomic development criteria are being met using increased Fair Trade revenues.

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