coffee

The Unsustainable Fair Trade Business Model

Michael Giberson Colleen Haight examines the past and present of Fair Trade-certified coffee and wonders whether it has a future in “The Problem with Fair Trade Coffee,” published at the Stanford Social Innovation Review. The title probably should have been “Problems,” plural, as more than one problem gets explored in the article. I’ve argued in …

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Saturday Was World Fair Trade Day, Help a Coffee Grower by Ignoring “Fair Trade Marketing” and Buying Quality Coffee Instead

Michael Giberson The second Saturday in May has been anointed as “World Fair Trade Day.” If you’re interested in buying fair trade coffee, consider what Lawrence Solomon, owner of the Green Beanery in Toronto, has to say about the fair trade marketing system. (In brief: not a good way to help or even to express care for …

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Fair Trade for Coffee May Be Good, But…

Michael Giberson Fair trade for coffee is good, but many readily available alternatives may be better. “Better” as in, better for the producer and better for consumers. I was browsing the website of a local specialty coffee roaster, and noticed the “Ethics” labels on the products: “Premium price” and “Farm Gate”, but not “Fair Trade.” …

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