|
Starbucks Fair Trade Coffee of the Day May 18; Demand Starbucks
Serve Fair Trade as Coffee of the Day Every Week, Not Just Once!
Today, May 18, 2001, is the first day Starbucks is brewing Fair
Trade Certified coffee in all its cafes as the Coffee of the Day,
in recognition of Fair Trade Day May 19. Congratulations to all
of you who constantly demanded that Starbucks BREW Fair Trade
coffee in addition to selling it whole bean!! Your efforts have
paid off. In a time of great industry crisis, this is a victory
for farmers who gain a fair price through Fair
Trade.
If you are a Starbucks customer, always buy Fair Trade! Tell
the Starbucks workers and customers -- our potential allies --
about your commitment to buy only Fair Trade, and keep asking
for Fair Trade brewed coffee.
Now that they have brewed it as Coffee of the Day once in their
cafes, we need to keep up the pressure for them to brew it at
least once a week! Write a letter to Starbucks (a sample is included
below). Or send a fax from our website, demanding that they brew
Fair Trade http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/coffee/starbucksfax.html
Thanks to all, and keep up the great work for Fair Trade!!
Deborah
Mr. Orin Smith, CEO Starbucks Coffee Company P.O. Box 34067 Seattle,
WA 98124-1067 Fax: 206.447.3432
Dear Mr. Smith:
I care about farmers and workers around the world. I make my
purchasing decisions according to my belief that the person who
produced a product I buy should be paid a living wage and have
safe and healthy working conditions. That's why I am committed
to purchasing exclusively Fair Trade Certified coffee, and I am
glad that you are now offering your customers that choice. This
will have a real positive impact in the lives of farming families
around the world.
As you well know, coffee prices are at an eight year low, remaining
below $.60 for almost the entire month of April with no increase
in sight. This of course means that farmers are becoming even
more impoverished, going further into debt and losing their land.
You admitted in a recent NPR interview that, "the people
in these countries are challenged to feed themselves, to clothe
their family, to give them any kind of an education. This is an
incredibly marginal existence that these people live." Meanwhile
coffee companies such as Starbucks have not lowered consumer prices
but are pocketing the difference, even taking into account the
quality premiums in the specialty industry.
The Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International recently
released figures about the current volume of Fair Trade coffee
available. Their figures show a total production by groups on
the Fair Trade Coffee Register of 165,000,000 pounds in year 2000,
whereas total sales were only 30,000,000 pounds. This leaves
an additional 135,000,000 pounds of Fair Trade coffee produced
by cooperatives that are not receiving a Fair Trade price. This
translates into approximately 3600 available containers of Fair
Trade coffee. While not all of this coffee might be Starbucks
quality, it is impossible to believe that there is not sufficient
quantity for Starbucks to significantly increase your volume.
In fact, we know from many of the most reputable specialty importers
that there is an abundant supply of quality of Fair Trade Certified
coffee at this time.
I strongly urge Starbucks to offer Fair Trade coffee as the Coffee
of the Day on at least a weekly basis. I want to let you know
that until the brewed and espresso coffees at Starbucks are Fair
Trade Certified, I will choose only the whole beans. I hope that
you will soon offer your customers the choice to buy Fair Trade
Certified coffees that are brewed and in espresso drinks, because
that will have the largest volume impact for farmers. I also understand
that Starbucks has many marketing channels besides the stores,
such as universities. I hope that you will soon offer colleges
exclusively Fair Trade Certified coffee.
I have heard that Starbucks was the first major coffee retailer
to develop a Framework for Action/Code of Conduct for its suppliers.
Unfortunately I understand that this Code has yet to be implemented.
While the rest of your coffee is still picked by workers who were
not guaranteed their rights, I feel compelled call on you to immediately
implement your Code of Conduct and have it independently monitored
to ensure that workers rights are guaranteed in the production
of all Starbucks coffees.
Thank you for doing the right thing. I look forward to drinking
Fair Trade Certified coffee in Starbucks¹ cafes soon.
Sincerely,
--
Deborah James, Fair Trade Director Global Exchange
deborah@globalexchange.org
415.558.8682 ext.245
415.255.7498 fax 2017 Mission Street #303, San Francisco, CA
94110
www.globalexchange.org/economy/coffee
|
