| Gourmet coffee lovers have been seeing a few | | | | This leads to |
| new terms in the | | | | |
| | | | dubious claims by some of the corporate |
| local premium coffee shop as they file past | | | | coffee representatives |
| the seasonal retail | | | | |
| | | | and has lead to the need for certification |
| displays of roasted whole bean bagged | | | | authorities.One group, Fairtrade Labeling |
| coffees. Phrases include | | | | Organizations International (FLO) |
| | | | |
| eco-friendly, organic, shade grown, fair | | | | has been active in monitoring and |
| trade and certified | | | | certifying, auditing and |
| | | | |
| sustainable. Most often those beans seem to | | | | verifying standards for sustainable coffees. |
| the casual buyer to | | | | Another, named |
| | | | |
| be simply more expensive than the corporate | | | | Transfair USA, carries on similar activities |
| mega-brands.But these few phrases represent | | | | in the American |
| far more than at first glance, | | | | |
| | | | coffee market. Consumers are justifiably |
| including economic and social gains for the | | | | confused when many |
| growing regions and | | | | |
| | | | terms are applied to sustainable coffees and |
| farmers, harvesters and processors of green | | | | fail to |
| coffee beans at the | | | | |
| | | | differentiate between organic, eco-friendly, |
| local level. Sustainable coffee means | | | | fair trade and |
| premium prices and quality | | | | |
| | | | sustainable terms.Premium prices are |
| coffee due to organic farming practices, | | | | sometimes supported by certification, |
| fair market payment for | | | | |
| | | | labeling and monitoring by third-party |
| beans to local growers and quality controls | | | | organizations and |
| being adopted by the | | | | |
| | | | sometimes by local governments such as the |
| "certified" coffee brands.Those premium | | | | "Jamaica Coffee |
| coffee prices reflect growing concerns | | | | |
| worldwide | | | | Industry Board." But some labeling is simply |
| | | | slick sales and PR |
| of paying fair wages to growers, using more | | | | |
| expensive | | | | by greedy corporations seeking premium |
| | | | prices for average coffee |
| ecologically friendly organic farming | | | | |
| practices, better pay for | | | | beans, so support for labeling initiatives |
| | | | and independent |
| traditionally underpaid harvesters and | | | | |
| processing workers and | | | | certification is growing.Fair Trade and |
| | | | sustainable coffees are seeing increasing |
| strict quality controls being adopted for | | | | |
| "certified sustainable | | | | production in Central and South American |
| | | | growing regions, most |
| coffees."Daniele Giovannucci consults with | | | | |
| governments, international | | | | notably in Mexico and Peru. Columbia has |
| | | | seen some pressure and |
| agencies, and businesses on coffee markets | | | | |
| and production | | | | attempts to divert production of cocaine |
| | | | with coffee crops for |
| strategies to improve competitiveness and | | | | |
| support innovative | | | | the fair trade market with little major |
| | | | success to report so |
| environmental and rural poverty reduction | | | | |
| work. Giovannucci has | | | | far. Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia are big |
| | | | participants in |
| authored exhaustive studies, including the | | | | |
| 2003, "The State of | | | | sustainable coffees in Africa while East |
| | | | Timor, India and |
| Sustainable Coffee Report - A Study of | | | | |
| Twelve Major Markets." study discusses coffee | | | | Indonesia are major supporters of |
| market forces in Europe and Japan | | | | sustainable coffee in Asia.With the North |
| | | | American coffee market dominated by |
| and the growth of sustainable coffee around | | | | multinational |
| the world, | | | | |
| | | | giants Sara Lee, Kraft and Procter & Gamble, |
| estimating that fair trade, organic, and | | | | little interest has |
| eco-friendly coffees | | | | |
| | | | been shown in adopting sustainable coffee by |
| represent less than 2 percent of coffee | | | | major corporate |
| consumption in developed | | | | |
| | | | coffee producers. Meanwhile, Brazil and |
| markets.Another Giovannucci authored study, | | | | Vietnam, the world's No. |
| "Sustainable Coffee Survey | | | | |
| | | | 1 and No. 2 coffee producers, respectively |
| of the North American Specialty Coffee | | | | are flooding the |
| Industry," he estimates | | | | |
| | | | market with poor quality beans and driving |
| the Global market for sustainable coffee to | | | | down coffee prices.But major grocery chains |
| be approximately | | | | are seeing demand for sustainable |
| | | | |
| $565 million retail for over a million 60 | | | | coffee and may adopt fair trade and organic |
| kilo (about 132 | | | | coffees to sell |
| | | | |
| pounds) bags of green coffee beans. is | | | | nationwide at Safeway, Kroger and |
| estimated that growers of certified | | | | Albertson's stores. Increases |
| sustainable coffees | | | | |
| | | | in availability, demand and awareness of |
| can nearly double their income from | | | | sustainable coffee are |
| otherwise depressed coffee | | | | |
| | | | leading to more of the same in a spiraling |
| prices. So economically challenged third | | | | increase for fair |
| world countries see | | | | |
| | | | trade organic and shade coffees in premium |
| small farmers adopting organic growing | | | | markets. Some |
| techniques as a ticket | | | | |
| | | | sustainable coffees are even finding their |
| out of poverty and subsistence. Corporate | | | | way into instant |
| buyers are attracted | | | | |
| | | | coffees, but the vast majority of the |
| to sustainable growers by consumer goodwill | | | | sustainable market is in |
| and health concerns | | | | |
| | | | premium and specialty markets. |
| related to those organically grown coffees. | | | | |