A Fairtrade coffee for the road

A Fairtrade coffee for the road

Giving customers a great new reason to call in for their regular coffee fix is behind the move by Wild Bean Cafe to sell only Fairtrade coffee in its nationwide chain.

From tomorrow (June 10) all espresso coffee served in 78 Wild Bean Cafes will be made from Fairtrade certified beans, an exercise that will increase the annual volume of Fairtrade coffee sold in New Zealand by two thirds.

Locally, the Fairtrade certified market in New Zealand recorded sales of $8 million in 2007 according to FTAANZ while the Australasian market is growing at almost 60 per cent a year.

Wild Bean Cafe spokesperson Diana Stretch says the move to Fairtrade has been in the planning for two years.

“We have worked very closely with FTAANZ and Cerebos Gregg’s to ensure we continue to serve a quality product at the price our customers are used to paying while retaining the taste they love.

“In New Zealand there is increasing demand for ethically and sustainably sourced products. We also believe that sourcing Fairtrade coffee beans is the best way to ensure a better and more equitable deal for producers.

“We are delighted that our switch will significantly increase the supply of Fairtrade coffee in New Zealand. It also means our customers can enjoy their morning coffee a little bit more knowing the people who have produced the beans are getting a fair deal,” Diana says.

Fairtrade ANZ director Steve Knapp says consumers can make a difference.

“We know New Zealanders like to play fair and want to make a tangible, personal difference. The FAIRTRADE Label means consumers know they are helping to make a difference to people in need, we are very pleased to have Wild Bean Cafe on board. This means a huge increase in the availability of Fairtrade Certified coffee in New Zealand.”

Fairtrade guarantees a minimum price for commodities and provides the producer with an additional social premium in order to fight the poverty of small farmers and wage workers in developing countries.”

The beans used in the Wild Bean Cafe Fairtrade blend are sourced from Fairtrade cooperatives in Brazil, Tanzania and Costa Rica.

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