Archive for October, 2008
Certified Organic vs. Fair Trade Certified
The title of this article is disturbing. The concepts of Organic and Fair Trade are very important to building (rebuilding) a sustainable society. The good news is that the certifications are not mutually exclusive and actually complement each other nicely.
First, a word about certification. In our current market, third party certification is essential to both [...]
Fair Trade – Why Is It Important?
Fair trade is increasingly popular for imported goods. You may see coffee in your gourmet food store with a “fair trade” label. You may see textiles and crafts for sale on the web advertised as being “fair trade” products. But what is it exactly? Fair trade is an approach to marketing that incorporates environmentally sustainable [...]
The Challenges Of Fair – Equitable Trade In Indonesia
Fair-trade, Fair and Equitable Trade and Relationship Coffee in Indonesia- a Merdeka Coffee view:
1/. Internal (Indonesian specific) Barriers- Indonesia is a country with a huge potential internal consumer base. However at this stage the consumers we target are based in Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bali and Bandung. Outside of these cities, the market is very [...]
Harvesting Coffee In Java – Care, Attention And The Social Aspects Of Coffee In The Community
In the village the streets are quiet and empty. It is a little after midday and the children are at school, the adults going about their daily routine in the fields higher up the slope of the volcano. The only noise is the occasional cackle of hens and a mournful mooing coming from the dairy [...]
Specialty Coffee – A Vibrant Industry, Or The Future Of Coffee At Crossroads Of Change?
Seattle; the home of Boeing, software giants, grunge music and…specialty coffee. Well, not quite. Contrary to popular belief, while Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Boeing and Oracle do indeed hail from the Pacific Northwest, modern specialty coffee has its roots much further south.
When Alfred Peet died in his sleep a few weeks ago he was a [...]
Designing Your Coffee Shop Menu
What should you place on the menu of your coffee shop? This will definitely take some planning so don’t rush. You want to give customers enough choices that they will be content enough to keep coming back. The more choices you offer though the more training your employees will need. This can become an issue [...]
Knowing What Coffee To Choose For Your Coffee Shop
The type of coffee to serve in your business depends on what you want your coffee shop to represent. Some owners want to keep it very simple and only offer premium of the basic regular and decaffeinated forms. Others want to offer a full range of premium options to choose from. Knowing what your options [...]
Understanding The Basics On Gourmet Coffee
Have you done your homework with gourmet coffee? If not then you need to get a move on it. There is very little chance your coffee shop is going to do well if you don’t know much about what it is that you sell. People aren’t going to pay for coffee that is low quality [...]
They Are More Than Just Coffee Shops Now
A coffee shop is more than just a place to get a drink. If you are seeing it for only that then you nare certainly missing out. I have a very busy day most of the time but I tend to enjoy it. I seem to thrive on staying busy and I don’t know what [...]
For The Love Of The Coffee Shop
Coffee shops of all sizes are here to stay so this can be a great business to invest in. It doesn’t matter if you buy into a chain establishment or develop your own reputation from the ground up. There is definitely a demand for coffee all year long so as long as you can meet [...]
