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Fairtrade Coffee

foxybrowne

Can anyone reccomend a decent tasting fairtrade coffee? Have been drinking Nescafe Blend 37 all my life, and would like to move over to fairtrade if I can find a decent one.

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Shabadu

Instant? Or ground/beans? I don't know any good instant ones...

dubadubdub

Tescos do a good own brand fairtrade ground coffee. It's good value for you and for the farmer - that can't be bad.

tSubh Dearg

Oxfam do a good range of fair trade coffee both ground and instant. They're both equally nice

edanto

Does anyone know if the Kenco/Kraft 'sustainable' coffee that they are now selling to restaurants etc. comes anywhere near the Fairtrade standard?

A friend of mine has the option to buy it instead of the regular Kraft trade coffee and he's looking for some background on it. Any ideas?

EDIT:
Found a link with some background
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FQP/is_4729_134/ai_n13783614

It seems like the Rainforest Alliance, the group that have certified Kraft's coffee, are more concerned with environmental aspects of the farming instead of the more holistic model of FairTrade. Kraft do mention schooling the children of farmers and running co-operatives, but I get the impression it's just lip service.

Freelancer

Both Kraft and Nescafe have released their own "fairtrade" coffee. They don't bother applying for the fairtrade label, they instead apply their own standards and own rules. Naturally these are less strenious and generous than the geniune fair trade, label.

Kraft has a similar deal to the one Nestle has with the rainforest alliance, it is more focused (on the important) rainforest conservation rather than the issue of fair price, and improved quality of life for their farmers.

Kraft and Nestle are not interested in improving their corporation's ethical stance. If they where they could apply the fairtrade concept and label across the board to all their products and ranges. Instead they are engaging in a two fold campaign. Greenwashing, and Niche Marketing.

Greenwashing is where a large corporation divert a small amount of it's vast resources in a high profile campaign or product with an ethical twist, in order to improve their image.

Niche marketing is obvious, there is a booming and thriving market in ethical products and kraft and nestle want in. They're eyeing the bottom line and the ethical market like gourmet coffee, or herbal teas as another market to target and aquire.

Like I've said (at length) it's hyprocritical to offer some ethical goods, while still keeping an line of unethical products, essentially companies like kraft and nestle are saying "we don't care that our products are made in an unethical manner, but you might, and we want your money, so here's an ethical one as well". Theres no evidence that by only buying their ethical coffee or whatever that you're going to change their business practices. There is however a clear way to hurt them, boycott them and only drink ethical coffee, hit them at the bottom line and thats the way to force them to change.

As for the decision, you're drinking an instant darkroastish coffee. Invest in a coffee maker, cafe tiere, italian coffee pot, and there are several decent medium and dark roasted fair trade coffees available in Oxfam, Superquinn, and I think Tesco, and you'll enjoy a superior cup of coffee and it's fairtrade.

Oh and and (taken from Irish Indo) I'd avoid Java Republic.

Irish Independent 7 dec 2005 Fairtrade Ireland in legal row with Java Republic. Charlie Weston

FAIRTRADE Ireland, the charity dedicated to relieving poverty in developing countries, has threatened legal action against coffee wholesaler Java Republic in a row about the use of the charity's trademark.

A letter from solicitors Woodcock & Sons on behalf of the Irish Fair Trade Network claims Java Republic is "abusing" the terms Fairtrade coffee and FairTrade. Java Republic was set up by former Bewley's staffer David McKernan and has Dublin offices, roasting, grinding and packing facilities. Its main customer is Superquinn. The coffee wholesaler buys coffee directly from producers and roasts beans for retail outlets and the catering trade.

Material
The solicitors' letter calls on Mr McKernan to immediately recall all products and promotional material from shops. The lawyers allege: "It has come to our client's attention that you are abusing the Fairtrade mark in that you are using the words 'fairtrade coffee' and 'FairTrade' on products which amounts to passing-off or which involves the use of a name or mark similar to and which could reasonably be confused with the mark."

Managing director of Java Republic David McKernan said: "This matter is subject to legal proceedings, so we cannot comment at present."

Lawyers for Fairtrade have demanded that Java Republic recall brands including Sumatra Blue, Munkey Espresso and Mocha Centro.

The letter, a copy of which has been seen by this newspaper, also calls for an undertaking from Java Republic not to use the trademark and to sign a licence agreement with Fair Trade Ireland

edanto

That's some really helpful information, thanks very much. I guess I can pass all that info on to him and tell him that RA/Kraft sustainable isn't as good as the FairTrade coffee, but it might be slightly better than just buying the normal Kraft stuff.

Greenwashing is a great phrase to describe it - you should see the glossy brochures that they sent about this coffee. A CD with a video and all - haven't watched that yet.

I found a really indepth report on the pages of the Institute for Sustainable Development about the different labels.
www.iisd.org/pdf/2004/sci_coffee_standards.pdf

edanto

Does anyone know of a wholesale supplier for Fairtrade coffee in Ireland please?

Blub2k4

Freelancer pretty much hits the nail on the head.

I was watching a programme about this the other night and the conclusion was that if Nestle can get a "fairtrade" label through jumping through a few hoops with a small range of their coffee products despite the fact that they are in general an extremely unfair company that the whole "fairtrade" label has been compromised.
I watched the programme and wouldn't trust the label or the ethics behind it now that the multinationals are getting into it to give their images a "spit and polish" or the great phrase "greenwashing", in any case it appears that the "fairtrade" label is losing credibility and chances are an alternative will be needed if the original aims are to be upheld.

edanto

Did Nestle really get a 'fairtrade' label or is it one of the other ones such as 'rainforest alliance approved'?

There's no doubt that multinationals are greenwashing away (have a read of the first few chapters of The Corporation), but I'd be surprised if Nestle got bona fide Fairtrade status.

EDIT: :eek: Apologies for doubting you - one of their 8,500 products is certified. http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/qa071005.htm

edanto

I like the way they're going about this. The product supply chain was audited like any other smaller coffee company would be (possible more stringently, given that it's Nestle) and the Partners Blend product approved for the Fairtrade Mark.

fairtrade link above wrote:

Of course we acknowledge that many Fairtrade supporters have other concerns about this company’s practices. We also recognize that bringing about change in the behaviour of multinationals requires a variety of strategies and approaches. Fairtrade is one way that companies like Nestlé can have a more positive impact in the lives of poor communities in the developing world by developing more constructive long-term relationships with their producer partners.

What a good way to change the behaviour of a company! I hope that Fairtrade have laid down some rules about the way Nestle can use their logo in advertising.

Blub2k4

edanto wrote:

I like the way they're going about this. The product supply chain was audited like any other smaller coffee company would be (possible more stringently, given that it's Nestle) and the Partners Blend product approved for the Fairtrade Mark.

What a good way to change the behaviour of a company! I hope that Fairtrade have laid down some rules about the way Nestle can use their logo in advertising.

If you think it is acceptable then fair enough, it is simply greenwashing and casts disrepute on the fair trade certification, I do understand that the auditing hit the standard but come on http://www.badcorp.org/company.cfm?caID=20886000

fair they aint.....

edanto

They're no angels. But the fairtrade certification is related to a particular product, not a company, and in this case, it deserves the award.

For the producers etc involved in this blend, they get a decent price for their coffee and the other Fairtrade elements such as funding for community organisations.

I see it as a success that a profit-centered multinational has been forced to introduce an ethical product line; we can't beat corporations (yet - just hope for an international trading body with legal standing and votes, in contrast to the WTO) or destroy them, but it's exciting to see that the Fairtrade movement has had even a minor impact on the behaviour of Nestle.

The movement is gaining strength, moving towards the centre of the market where it could have its biggest impact.

CJhaughey

The best Fairtrade coffee IMHO is Illimani Andean organic
not rediculously expensive like some coffees €3.90 a pack.
it is in a Brown and gold pack.

BendiBus

dubadubdub wrote:

Tescos do a good own brand fairtrade ground coffee. It's good value for you and for the farmer - that can't be bad.

But is it not ethically questionable to shop in Tesco in the first place? Global conglomerates aren't really in line with the broader concept of fair trade.

Blub2k4

BendiBus wrote:

But is it not ethically questionable to shop in Tesco in the first place? Global conglomerates aren't really in line with the broader concept of fair trade.

It appears some people are cool with that and think of the move of fair trade to corporations as a good thing, the post from Edanto would be an example, personally I cant take fair trade seriously if a company as "bad" as nestle can get it, for any reason or any product. I appreciate that it is like an ISO and once you meet the standard you get it, they possibly need to be a bit broader with it though to stop companies like nestle getting it, maybe put in a clause necessitating fair business practises in the whole operation, personally as it stands "fair trade" is a non-starter for me.
The second point brought up by the programme was the unneccessary premiums put on fair trade which DONT make it to the producer, pure extra profits for the vendor.