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June July 2010
A Cooperative Coffees e-Newsletter for and about Fair Trade
June/July 2010
In this issue...
Reach out!
Summer is at its peak...we hope you're reading this in the cool breeze of a fan with an iced coffee or fruit smoothie in-hand, enjoying the long days, warm evenings, and bountiful produce that comes with this wonderful season! We'll take just a couple minutes of your time to update you on our latest news...before you go jump in a nearby pool or lake!
Coop Coffees is thrilled to announce a series of roaster-farmer exchanges and focused visits with our producer partners, thanks to the support of USAID's Farmer-to-Farmer Program (or in this case, a "roaster-to-farmer"). Our visit with producer groups AIPEP, APROCAFE, and Pasybol in Bolivia was part of this new program...and as you'll see in Florent's trip report (see travel news), it has proven just how beneficial this kind of engagement is for producers and roasters alike!
Fair Trade is all about continued and mutually beneficial relationships over the long haul. We are proud to see our roasters recognized for their engagement across the different Primary Principles of Fair Trade. In the recent release of the Fair Trade Federation's "Nine Fair Trade Principles," two of our roaster-members are featured for their full commitment to the core values of the movement. Several of our roaster-members will also be presenting at the Fair Trade Futures Conference in Boston, September 10-12, which will look at those values and the implications they have on the different actors throughout the Fair Trade system.
In other news... the overwhelming challenges that occur in producer countries all over the world constantly prove the need for a fairer system of trade that supports and sustains small-scale producers. In June, Guatemala was ravaged by Tropical Storm Agatha - wreaking havoc with the country's infrastructure and agricultural production in general. It will most certainly take years for the countryside to fully recover.. a heart-wrenching reminder of the precarious situations so many small-scale producers live in around the world. Supporting direct and long-term relationships with these producers is simply one way of helping them to deal with such overwhelming situations.
Thanks and enjoy your read!
Let us know what changes you'd like to see in this newsletter by emailing us at bignews@coopcoffees.com.
Outreach and Communications
Coop Coffees partners with USAID's Farmer-to-Farmer Program
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Cooperative Coffees has its feet on the ground with producer partners like never before! Thanks to the generous support of the USAID sponsored Farmer-to-Farmer Program, Cooperative Coffees roaster-members and staff have been enlisted to provide technical advice on topics of their expertise – such as quality control and testing, specialty roasted coffee, creating contract opportunities and generating sales in local and international markets and navigating Fair Trade and Organic certifications. |
Roaster News
Bongo Java launches "Hot and Cold"
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Never a boring day in the life of a roaster...or a popsicle-maker! That's very much the case for Bob Bernstein (owner of Nashville's Bongo Java) and his wife, Irma Paz Bernstein who will be opening "Hot & Cold," combining their respective specialties. The new shop will feature Bongo's coffee and Las Paleta's (Irma's popsicle shop) ice cream and will be located next to the Fido cafe, Bongo's popular restaurant in Hillsboro Village. The press has already picked up on the fun and fitting concept...and we know the rest of the community will too once the shop opens! Best of luck Bongo! Learn more from the Nashville Post... Or from the Tennessean... |
Larry's Beans and Just Coffee featured in FTF's FT Principles
Producer News
Tropical Storm Agatha devastates Guatemala
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In late May, early June, during a Coop Coffees delegation to Guatemala and hours after the Volcano Pacaya coated Guatemala City with a thick layer of ash (closing down the international airport for 5 days!), Tropical Storm Agatha ravaged the country, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands homeless, after massive mudslides. The damage was similar to that of Hurricane Stan (2005) and Mitch (1998) -- billions of dollars lost in cut roads, swept-away bridges, and acres of destroyed agricultural land. Thankfully, none of our producer partners suffered any fatalities and their lands seemed to have held up against the rains, for the most part. But many of the roads and infrastructure used by our partners was severely damaged and many suspect that it will be years before the country can things back to the way they were. Coop Coffees witnessed it all and also got to briefly participate in the immediate relief effort following the storm. |
Travel: Where in the world is Coop Coffees?
Winding our way through Bolivia
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Traveling "through the clouds" is not nearly as easy as it sounds...in altitudes of nearly 13,500 feet above sea level, nothing is easy for anyone coming from the average heights of North America. Add into the mix winding, dusty, busy roads alongside a precipice and you've got a recipe for a real...adventure!! Coop Sol staff, Florent Gout and intern, ShiYi, along with Brad Brandhorst from Larry's Beans, Mike Moon of Just Coffee experienced first-hand the harrowing drive and breathtaking landscape on the way to three communities where Coop Coffees partners are located. Once they finally got there, they were able to to discuss the coffee market, learn more about the coops...and experience life with the locals! |
The latest in the Fair Trade movement
Join hundreds at the FT Futures Conference -- LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
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Don't forget to sign up for this year's largest convergence of Fair Trade promoters, activists, and friends. It's scheduled for September 10-12, 2010 and will take place in Boston, MA. Join hundreds of others in what is sure to be a memorable and productive event. Check out the website for more info... REGISTRATION CLOSES AUGUST 1ST - DON'T MISS IT!! - Register here... |
