A Word from TransFairUSA on Recent Starbucks Decision

by zarah

Published October 29, 2008 @ 01:43PM PT

In response to Starbucks' latest decision to double their Fair Trade Certified Coffee purchases, Kim Moore over at TransFair USA sent over some words to share with all of us.

Zarah, you said it best.  The fact that Starbucks is doubling its purchases of Fair Trade Certified(tm) coffee is absolutely huge news.  It's big news for Starbucks, TransFair USA and the entire Fair Trade certification movement, but, most importantly, it's huge news for the farmers and families who will benefit directly.

To put this into perspective:

*       Starbucks has committed to buy a monumental 40 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee in 2009, making it the largest buyer of Fair Trade Certified products in the world.  This number nearly equals the total US sales of Fair Trade Certified coffee in 2005 (44 million pounds).

*       Starbucks 2009 coffee purchases will represent a greater than 10% increase in total Fair Trade Coffee sales worldwide.  In 2007, over 135 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee were sold around the world.

*       Starbucks increased dedication to Fair Trade Certified will benefit more than 100,000 farming families in countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru and Indonesia.  Hundreds of thousands of farmers will be receive above-market prices for their beans, and the millions of dollars in Fair Trade premiums will be directly invested into improving their communities.

And it doesn't stop there!  Beyond this 40 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee, Starbucks commitment is accompanied by its global reach and leadership in the coffee industry. By offering even more Fair Trade Certified coffee, Starbucks will continue to give the Fair Trade Certified label greater visibility, helping to raise consumer awareness of the label, in turn, giving more small farmers in developing countries the opportunity to participate in the Fair Trade system and receive its benefits.

This announcement is the culmination of years of support, dedication and enthusiasm. Whether you petitioned your local grocery store or restaurant to carry Fair Trade Certified products or simply made the ethical decision to make your morning cup of coffee Fair Trade Certified, we could not have come this far without you.

TransFair USA hopes that you will share our pride as we continue to push forward, filling stores, restaurants and coffeehouses with Fair Trade Certified products and improving the lives of struggling farmers and their families throughout the world.

-Kim Moore

Director of Business Development, Coffee and Beverages

TransFair USA