Fair Trade Coffee Proposal
Prepared by Students for Peace and Justice
Contact:
Proposal
Fair Trade Coffee should be served exclusively by Campus Dining Services (ARAMARK). This includes all coffee served at The Acorn, Octagon, Danieley Commons, Harden, and McEwen. Because Starbucks cannot provide Fair Trade Coffee exclusively, this will require switching to a coffee vendor that sells only Fair Trade Coffee.
General Information concerning Fair Trade Coffee
Around the turn of the century, coffee prices plummeted by 50% leaving them at the lowest price in 100 years, which is sometimes as low as 30 cents per pound of coffee. Because of this many coffee growers have found themselves in poverty and cannot afford to feed themselves and their families or send their children to school. In addition, access to health care is severely limited by this decrease in income.
Fair Trade Coffee seeks to provide a solution to this problem by providing coffee farmers a minimum price of $1.26 per pound for their coffee (or $1.41 per pound of organic coffee). This provides coffee growers with a livable wage. This increase in income provides growers with enough to feed themselves and their families, send their children to school, and have increased access to health care.
Why Elon Should Offer Only Fair Trade Coffee
Elon University’s mission statement places an emphasis on “preparing students to be global citizens and informed leaders motivated by concern for the common good.” If Elon University, on being informed of the coffee crisis and of the means by which the University can alleviate human suffering by changing its policy on coffee, fails to implement the necessary changes, then the University has failed to follow through on its mission by not setting the example in acting from “concern for the common good.”
In addition, Elon University, has identified itself as being a Periclean Institution by “pass[ing] Resolutions identifying the basic objectives of Project Pericles as part of their institutional missions”[1]. These objectives are encompassed in the goal of “cultivat[ing] a learning environment that enables institutions to integrate issues of civic and social responsibility into the academic and co-curricular experiences of students”[2]. Having entered into this agreement, if the University fails to stop serving conventional-trade coffee, a product that perpetuates poverty for many around the globe, then it has not lived up to the policies and standards of Project Pericles.
Moreover, Elon University has proclaimed itself to be a “progressive institution” and has, in recent months, had the acclaim of being called a “college with a conscience.” Elon University cannot live up to this name while supporting products and institutions that increase or perpetuate poverty and suffering of human beings around the globe. One such product is conventional-trade coffee, which currently makes up the majority of coffee sold on campus. If Elon University is a socially responsible institution, it is the obligation of the University to either not serve such a product, or find a fair alternative. Since, in the case of coffee, there is a fair alternative in Fair Trade Coffee, the University should serve coffee that has been certified as Fair Trade exclusively.
100% Fair Trade Coffee Campuses
§ Wesleyan University
§ Loyola University of Chicago
§ Boston College
§ Harvard University
§ Northwestern University
§ Yale University
Fair Trade Coffee Roasters
All of the following information has been compiled from each roaster’s website. All roasters listed below only sell Fair Trade coffee.
Larry’s Beans
Located in Raleigh, NC
Website: http://www.larrysbeans.com
Phone: (919) 828-1234
Larry’s Beans is North Carolina’s first Fair Trade Coffee Roaster. Currently employing eight people, Larry’s Beans roasts over twenty-five varieties (including decaf) of coffee. Larry’s Beans only roasts Fair Trade, organic (or transitioning organic), and shade grown coffee. Larry’s Beans currently supplies coffee to boutiques and coffee shops across the Southeast. Attached is a copy of wholesale prices for Larry’s Beans.
Larry’s Beans is a member of the Fair Trade Federation*.
Students for Peace and Justice has been in contact with Larry’s Beans. We have been communicating mainly with Ethan, who can be contacted at .
Pura Vida
Located in Seattle, WA
Website: http://www.puravidacoffee.com
Phone: 1-877-469-1431
Contact E-mail:
Pura Vida is a coffee producer in Seattle, Washington that is unique in that it is “charitably owned” and use “all of [their] resources to help at risk children in coffee-growing countries who suffer from the damaging effects of poverty.” Pura Vida currently supplies Fair Trade coffee to over 70 colleges and universities across the country. Pura Vida also has a national distribution agreement with Aramark. Testimonials from various food service representatives from colleges and universities can be found here: http://www.puravidacoffee.com/wholesale/testimonials.asp
Pura Vida is a member of the Fair Trade Federation*.
Peace Coffee
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Website: http://www.peacecoffee.com
Phone: 1-888-324-7872
Contact E-mail:
Peace Coffee was started in 1996 and slowly grew in the 1990s, and has increased its business dramatically during the first five years of the 21st century. They currently employ ten people. They currently roast 15 different varieties (including decaf) of coffee, all of which are Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic. Peace Coffee supplies coffee to grocery stores, coffee houses, and other boutiques nationwide.
Peace Coffee is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and buys its coffee through the Fair Trade Coffee purchasing cooperative.*
Dean’s Beans
Located in Orange, MA
Website: http://www.deansbeans.com
Phone: 1-800-325-3008
Contact E-mail:
Dean’s Beans is a fair trade roaster that roasts coffee that is fair trade, organic, shade grown, and kosher. Dean’s Beans supplies coffee to coffee shops and boutiques across the country. In addition, Dean’s Beans can be found in many Whole Foods grocery stores. Attached to this packet is a copy of their wholesale prices.
Deans Beans is a member of the Fair Trade Federation*.
Just Coffee
Located in Madison, Wisconsin
Website: http://www.justcoffee.net
Phone: (608) 204-9011
Contact E-mail:
Just Coffee is a fair trade roaster that roasts only Fair Trade, organic (or transitioning to organic), and shade grown coffee. Just Coffee also engages in environmentally friendly practices such as composting. Just Coffee is collectively owned and all of its employees receive the same pay and benefits.
Just Coffee is a member of the Fair Trade Federation*.
Café Campesino
Located in Americus, GA
Website: http://www.cafecampesino.com/
Phone: 1-888-532-4728
Contact E-mail:
Café Campesino is a fair trade roaster that roasts only Fair Trade, organic, and shade grown coffee. The company was started in 1998 and currently sells many different blends and varieties of coffee, as well as organic teas. Café Campesino is built on guiding principles which include developing relationships with growers, educating consumers, and being a good steward of the environment.
Café Campesino is a member of the Fair Trade Federation*.
Ugly Mug Coffee
Located in Memphis, TN
Website: http://www.uglymugcoffee.com
Phone: 1-877-845-9684
Contact E-mail:
Ugly Mug Coffee is small coffee roaster that roasts and sells Organic, Fair Trade Coffee exclusively. Ugly Mug Coffee roasts and sells various blends of coffee, single origin coffee, and flavored coffee. In addition, Ugly Mug Coffee sells Organic, Fair Trade Teas.
*The Fair Trade Federation is a group of fair trade companies that have committed themselves to the cause of Fair Trade and share in the values of fair wages, consumer education and environmental sustainability among other things.
[1] http://www.projectpericles.org/?sec=colleges&sub=main
[2] http://www.projectpericles.org/?sec=policies&sub=main