- Business Wire -
Starbucks Coffee Company is proud to join in the celebration of the fourth annual Fair Trade Month sponsored by TransFair USA. Starbucks is one of the largest purchasers of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world.Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX) is proud to join in the celebration of the fourth annual Fair Trade Month sponsored by TransFair USA. Starbucks is one of the largest purchasers of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world, and we are eager to share Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee with our customers, helping to build awareness of TransFair USA’s work.
As part of Starbucks ongoing commitment to sustainably source coffee and to engaging with coffee farming communities, Starbucks will feature our 100% Fair Trade Certified(TM) Café Estima Blend(TM) as the “Coffee of the Week” in participating Company-operated and licensed stores in the United States and Canada for three weeks in October. Our 100% Fair Trade Certified(TM) Café Estima Blend(TM), a blend of Latin American and African coffees, has a smooth texture and a complex flavor profile.
“We are extremely pleased to promote Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffees,” said Dub Hay, Starbucks senior vice president, Coffee and Global Procurement. “We share many common goals with TransFair USA, including our mutual commitment to helping ensure coffee farmers are treated fairly, and to providing a platform for them to invest for their future.”
“We are pleased that Starbucks is taking a leadership role during Fair Trade Month by featuring their Fair Trade Certified(TM) Café Estima Blend™ as ‘Coffee of the Week’ for a majority of the month,” said Paul Rice, the founding President & CEO of TransFair USA. “ Starbucks commitment to fair trade shows that you can give consumers a great product while still paying farmers a fair wage and taking care of the environment. By featuring Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee for the majority of October, Starbucks is helping customers make a tremendous difference in the lives of thousands of family farmers.”
In fiscal 2006, Starbucks purchased 18 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee, a 50 percent increase over the 11.5 million pounds we purchased in fiscal 2005. This represents 14 percent of global Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee imports, and about 30 percent of Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee imported into the United States.
Starbucks buys Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee in part because it benefits small-scale coffee farmers organized into cooperatives. Starbucks is increasing the use and visibility of Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee throughout our business by:
* Working actively with TransFair USA to promote Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee
* Highlighting our 100% Fair Trade Certified(TM) Café Estima Blend(TM), as “Coffee of the Week” periodically throughout the year
* Selling whole bean and ground 100% Fair Trade Certified(TM) Cafe Estima Blend(TM) coffee by the bag
* Making additional Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee options available at college and university campus stores
* Selling Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee under the Kirkland Signature brand in Costco stores in the U.S. and Canada
* Utilizing it in a variety of coffee blends. These blends, however, cannot be marketed or sold as Fair Trade Certified(TM) because Fair Trade beans do not comprise 100 percent of the product
“Offering premium quality Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee allows Starbucks to help give our customers the opportunity to not only experience wonderful coffees, but to support coffee farming communities,” said Hay.
About Starbucks: Starbucks Coffee Company provides an uplifting experience that enriches people’s lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time. To share in the experience, visit www.starbucks.com [http://www.starbucks.com].
About TransFair USA: TransFair USA is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified(TM) products in the United States. TransFair USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified products and their international suppliers to guarantee that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages. TransFair USA certifies coffee, tea, herbs, vanilla, cocoa, chocolate, rice, sugar, bananas and flowers.