Tags · Fair Trade
Walmart Offers Fair Trade Coffee
Friday, December 11th, 2009While Walmart has been criticized in the past for being more concerned with price than environmental or labor issues when sourcing its goods, one area where it’s improving its record is with coffee. This year, the company partnered with TransFair USA, an independent certifying agency, to offer fair trade-certified coffee in its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. The coffee is sustainably grown by farmers who receive a living wage and is thus more expensive than competing coffees – roughly $5.88 for a 10 to 12 ounce bag, compared with less than $5 for supermarket brand Eight O’Clock Coffee. But it tastes better (or at least it should), and by selling fair-trade coffee, Walmart vastly expands the market for such goods.
Read the full CBS News article, “What to Buy at Walmart” (coffee is number 3 on the list).
I’m not suggesting people do or do not shop at Walmart, I just like reading about new places offering fair trade coffee.
Bean by Bean Works with Small-Scale Farmers
Monday, December 7th, 2009ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) – A western Michigan couple say their coffee business is working to help Central American farmers earn a better living as it satisfies their customers’ caffeine urge.
Grand Valley State University graduate Derrell Jackson and his wife Missy operate the Bean by Bean coffee company.
Read the full Charleston Daily Mail article, “Michigan couple help coffee growers ‘Bean by Bean’.” Posted 12/5/09.