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Starbucks Celebrates World Fair Trade Day
Starbucks Celebrates World Fair Trade Day
Published 05-12-05
Submitted by Starbucks Corporation
"Starbucks and the fair trade movement share common goals," said Dub Hay, Starbucks senior vice president, Coffee and Global Procurement. "Our goal is, and has always been, to help ensure that coffee farmers receive a fair price for the coffee they grow, enabling them to strengthen and invest in their coffee farms for the future."
Early Supporter of Fair Trade CertifiedTM Coffee
The Starbucks commitment to Fair Trade CertifiedTM coffee has never been stronger than it is today. For fiscal year 2005, Starbucks has committed to purchasing 10 million pounds of Fair Trade CertifiedTM coffee, which according to TransFair USA would account for nearly 25 percent of all Fair Trade coffee imported into the United States in 2005.
"We applaud Starbucks for their commitment to purchasing and selling Fair Trade Certified coffee," said Paul Rice, president and ceo, TransFair USA. "Working together, organizations like TransFair, Starbucks and the entire coffee industry can help address critical issues of poverty, environmental degradation, and wildlife protection in the world's coffee growing communities while offering consumers a high quality cup of coffee."
In conjunction with TransFair USA, the nation's only independent, third party certifier of Fair Trade products, Starbucks began purchasing and selling Fair Trade CertifiedTM coffee in 2000, making it the first major coffee company licensed to sell Fair Trade coffee in the U.S. Since that time, Starbucks has worked with a number of other organizations dedicated to the fair trade movement. Starbucks is the only specialty coffee company licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee in 23 different countries.
Starbucks commitment to fair trade includes three distinct areas: purchasing; farmer relationships; and marketing and distribution of Fair Trade CertifiedTM coffee.
Purchasing of Fair Trade CertifiedTM Coffee: In 2001, Starbucks purchased 1 million pounds; in fiscal year 2002, 1.1 million pounds were purchased; in fiscal year 2003, the Company purchased 2.1 million pounds; and in fiscal 2004, the amount more than doubled to 4.8 million pounds. For fiscal year 2005, Starbucks has committed to purchasing 10 million pounds.
Farmer Relationships: Starbucks Farmer Support Center in San Jose, Costa Rica, with its team of agronomists and sustainability experts, works with coffee farmers and co-op managers to develop best practices for growing quality coffee responsibly and improve the quality of coffee crops.
Marketing and distribution of Fair Trade Certified coffees: Starbucks offers customers a variety of ways to enjoy Fair Trade Certified coffee. Starbucks "Fair Trade Blend" coffee is promoted as "Coffee Of the Week" on a quarterly basis and can be brewed upon request in Starbucks Company-operated retail stores in the U.S. and Canada. Whole bean and ground Fair Trade Certified coffee is also sold by the bag (alongside a variety of other shade-grown, organic and conservation coffees) in retail stores. Additionally, Starbucks is working with food service outlets and grocery and club chains to offer Fair Trade Certified coffee to consumers in a wide range of retail and specialty channels later this year.
Starbucks Comprehensive Approach to Sustainability
Starbucks strongly believes in the importance of building mutually-beneficial relationships with coffee farmers and coffee communities with which it works. The Starbucks approach to collaborating with farmers and suppliers in coffee growing regions includes:
About Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,000 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino(R) coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot(R) coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo(R) Tea's line of innovative superpremium teas and Hear Music'sTM exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best Coffee(R) and Torrefazione Italia(R) Coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.
Starbucks Corporation
Starbucks Corporation
It's the way we do business Contributing positively to our communities and environment is so important to Starbucks that it's a guiding principle of our mission statement. We jointly fulfill this commitment with partners (employees), at all levels of the company, by getting involved together to help build stronger communities and conserve natural resources.
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