Starbucks rolls out Fairtrade lattes and cappuccinos
02 September 2009 09:30
Starbucks has started serving 100% Fairtrade Certified and "Starbucks Shared Planet" verified coffee in all of their espresso-based beverages in the UK and Ireland. The move is expected to increase the amount of Fairtrade Certified coffee sold in the UK and Ireland by 18% this year.
Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation UK, said, "Starbucks is really setting the pace for the coffee industry by using its global size for good. This move will expand the reach of Fairtrade and deepen its impact on tens of thousands of farmers who are at the very heart of the Fairtrade system. Farmers need Fairtrade now more than ever, and even though these are difficult economic times, people across the country are staying loyal to their ethical values and to Fairtrade. From today they can enjoy Fairtrade values over their favourite Starbucks coffee."
Starbucks is already the world's largest purchaser of Fairtrade coffee, and the switch to Fairtrade Certified espresso in the UK will help contribute to a total global annual payment to small-scale coffee farmers estimated at £2,500,000.
"Starbucks has always been committed to ethical sourcing and this is a milestone in our partnership with Fairtrade which spans over a decade," said Darcy Willson-Rymer, managing director, Starbucks UK & Ireland. "Using 100 % Fairtrade Certified coffee for Starbucks espresso is just one aspect of our work together. We are also sharing our collective knowledge and best practices in responsible sourcing to further improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers as well as to ensure the availability of the highest quality coffee. From farm inspections through to programmes to help farmers improve coffee quality and environmental sustainability, as well as loan initiatives - the work is extensive and certainly doesn't begin and end with the Fairtrade Mark on our cups".
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