Agenda
Fact and Figures – Canadian Coffee Consumers
Effects of Coffee Trade
Fair Trade
Key Elements of Fair Trade
Compare the following coffee companies Tim Hortons Starbucks Ethical Bean
Facts and Figures about the Canadian Coffee Consumers
Canadians consume more than 40 million cups a day-an average of 2.6 cups daily for each coffee drinker
63 % of adult Canadians drink coffee on the daily base
Almost two-third of the coffee is consumed at home
Question
If so many people drink coffee, how is it possible that the famers are still poor?
http://vimeo.com/3983264
Effects of Coffee Trade
Small family farmers grow over 50% of the world’s coffee. Majority come from Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Mexico.
When you buy a cup of coffee or a pound of your favourite coffee beans from the local shop, here is a breakdown of where your dollars go: 55% goes to the shippers and the roasters 25% goes to the retailers 10% goes to the exporters 10% goes to the growers
Effects of Coffee Trade
Unfair coffee trade can be seen as "sweatshops in the fields.”
typical field worker on a coffee plantation makes about $3.20 a day.
Unsafe working conditions also put the health of farmers and field workers at risk.
In many farms children are used for cheap labour.
Fair Trade
Fair trade agreements guarantee that the farmers/producers receive a fair price for their products.
If it is labelled “Fair Trade Certified” then the product has met standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organization International (FLO)
TransFair is the organization that audits and certifies fair trade goods in Canada
Key Elements of Fair Trade
Producers are paid fair price
Fair trade helps improve the independence of the producers
Fair trade provides a safe and healthy working environment
Key Elements of Fair Trade
Decreases the risk of using Children for cheap labour
Work by women is valued and rewarded
Improves environmental practices and methods of production
Tim Hortons – Coffee Partnership
Provide financial assistance to improve quantity and quality of coffee – technical training
Consult with farmers – help them get their coffee to the market at the best time and best price
Provide educational and medical care assistance
Educate farmers – environmental management
Tim Hortons
Don’t disclose where they purchase their coffee from
Don’t state how much financial assistance is provided for training, education, and medical care
They serve more than 3 million cups of coffee per day, which is more than Starbucks
Starbucks – Fair Trade?
Starbucks Fair Trade Advertising:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=116912161652952
Starbucks – Fair Trade?
The Good:
• Starbucks has been Fair Trade Certified since 2000
• Starbucks is the biggest purchaser of Fair Trade coffee – 39 million pounds in 2009
• The largest buyer of Fair Trade coffee in the world
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Starbucks – Fair Trade?
Class Questions:
• How many people believe they are drinking fair trade coffee when at Starbucks?
Starbucks – Fair Trade?
Class Questions:
• Do you specifically ask for a certain brand / Ask them to brew a fresh cup for you?
• Most likely you are probably not drinking Fair Trade coffee…
Starbucks – Fair Trade?
The Bad:
• Less than 5% of Starbucks coffee sold is Fair Trade
• Starbucks charges more for Fair Trade coffee
• Starbucks very rarely features a Fair Trade coffee as its “Coffee of the day”
• Often you will have request a Fair Trade coffee and wait for it to be brewed
Ethical Bean Coffee
just. Better - Fair Trade Certified, BC Kosher Certified, Organic Cerified and B corporation Certified
One of Canada’s leading suppliers of 100% Fairtrade Certified organic and shade grown coffee.
Producers they purchase from are safe from the volatilities of the coffee market.
Ethical Bean Coffee
roasted in a 100% carbon neutral facility that has been designed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards
Biodegradable and compostable cups and cutlery used at the roaster's on site café
bag-return program that invites consumers to drop off all empty coffee bags (even competitors) for storage until a suitable recycling solution is found
2010 Ethical Bean became a certified B Corporation. Their products, practices and profits result in positive change that benefit both environmental and social causes
Summary
Tim Horton’s does not purchase fair trade coffee
Starbucks purchases a few fair trade coffee products
Ethical bean purchases 100% fair trade organic coffee products and runs its cafes sustainably
Summary
It’s your choice as the consumer to purchase fair trade products
Emerging trend of sustainability and corporate social responsibility will pressure Tim Hortons and Starbucks to change their practices