Archive for October, 2008

Certified Organic vs. Fair Trade Certified

October 27th, 2008 davidguide

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 organic and fair trade. As the market for both fair trade and organic grows many businesses would rather change the definition than to change their practices. We are seeing this now in the fair trade coffee market place. As time goes on a search for fair trade coffee is more and more likely to turn up non-certified “fair trade” coffee, which is most likely just a marketing rouse to attract ethical customers. In a recent search of ebay for fair trade coffee 90% of the results were not third party certified, and upon further examination most looked very suspect. We have seen this already in the organic market. How many products marketed to organic consumers are actually certified? Companies have greened their names but not their practices. Without non-biased third party certification of organic or fair trade we are left to trust self interested parties who will only profit from that trust. So look at the labels a product caries, look into the requirements of that certification and make an informed decision. Know what labels you trust and know the ones that you feel are deceptions. With fair trade Transfair is currently the only certification agency, so look for the fair trade label. (more…)

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Fair Trade – Why Is It Important?

October 26th, 2008 davidguide

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 development and humane wages and working conditions. It is based on the twin principles that the producer of a product should receive a living wage for his or her work and that commerce should be done with the intent of maintaining environmental conditions for future generations. Those goals are accomplished by working directly with small businesses, cooperatives and community-based organizations, thereby cutting out layers of middlemen. As a consequence of the elimination of middlemen, the retail prices for fair trade items are comparable to products that are not fair trade.

In determining a living wage, consideration is given to the locality in which the products are made. If the local country has a minimum wage law, the wages for fair trade products will at least match it. Sometimes, however, a legal minimum wage is less than a living wage. Where that is the case, the fair trade producer will receive at least a living wage. Fair trade workers are organized into cooperatives or other participatory workplaces. That way, each worker can have a say in local issues, such as working hours and safe and dignified working conditions. (more…)

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The Challenges Of Fair – Equitable Trade In Indonesia

October 26th, 2008 davidguide

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 small. The cities mentioned have a combined population of close to perhaps 40 million inhabitants. However our target market is middle to upper-class Indonesians and expatriates- making up perhaps a market as small as 1.5 million potential consumers. Of this number those interested or those whose buying decisions are based solely on our efforts to trade fairly with our partners is probably as little as 10,000 people or less.

Fair trade, relationship coffee and organic partnerships play an important part in the retail coffee market overseas. As much as 38% of the coffee market in the USA is engaged in some form of certified or direct relationship with growers (fair-trade, organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly etc). In the Indonesian market understanding of relationship coffee and/or fair-trade is weak. This is for a number of reasons- lack of education and understanding of the coffee market is perhaps one major reason. However apathy towards the agricultural sectors of the economy is also a very important reason. Most urban Indonesians view the agricultural sector as being both remote and removed from their lives. The closest many modern Indonesians come to being in contact with farmers is buying produce in Supermarkets. (more…)

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Harvesting Coffee In Java – Care, Attention And The Social Aspects Of Coffee In The Community

October 24th, 2008 davidguide

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 sheds in the centre of the town. Sunlight filters through the canopy of taller trees, speckling the coffee grown below in a pleasant, clear half-light. The coffee trees are a mixture of Arabica, with some taller Liberica trees reaching up to fill gaps left in the canopy above. The trees, without exception, are laden with coffee cherries, red and ripening under the warm Indonesian sun.

It has been months since the flowers on the trees bloomed, flooding the village with the sweet jasmine like floral scent that coffee is famous for. If someone could capture that scent, bottle it, they would produce perhaps one of the most sort after perfumes in the world. As the flowers die off, green buds of fruit develop in their place. Arabica is self pollinating, but this does not prevent big, black Indonesian jungle bees from visiting the blossoms during flowering. The honey Coffee flowers produce is also delectable, pale, sweet and with an unmistakable Melati flavour. Wonderful, but the flavour is of course nothing like coffee at this stage. (more…)

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Specialty Coffee – A Vibrant Industry, Or The Future Of Coffee At Crossroads Of Change?

October 24th, 2008 davidguide

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 sprightly 87. He passed away peacefully hopefully dreaming of coffee trees laden with ripened cherries. While most people have never heard of him, Peet is widely recognised as being the father of modern “specialty coffee” in the industry. He was a Dutchman who became an American. He had traded tea for Lipton’s in Java, lived in Sumatra, worked in the business in New Zealand before, finally, settling down (somewhat) in the University suburb of Berkeley, California. It was at Berkeley where he founded his roastery in 1966 and Peet’s Coffee was born. Alfred Peet was passionate about coffee. His roasting exploits legendary and his ability to commentate, roast and put out fires simultaneously are famous. His experiences while living in Indonesia had given him an affinity with farmers who grew coffee, as well as a thorough understanding of the origin, the place where coffee was grown. This background, combined with his love of roasting, resulted in a place where coffee was not just a cup of Java, but something exotic, living and with a story. (more…)

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Designing Your Coffee Shop Menu

October 22nd, 2008 davidguide

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 if you have a high turn over rate at your coffee shop.

They will really appreciate being able to choose the size of coffee, tea, or cappuccino that they purchase. They will also like being able to choose the types of additions they get inside of such drinks. Pay attention to what customers ask for though. There are plenty of additions and substitutions to deal with at any coffee shop.

You do have to be careful with this concept though. Keep in mind that the more selection you offer to customers, the more your employees have to learn too. (more…)

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They Are More Than Just Coffee Shops Now

October 17th, 2008 davidguide

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 to do with myself if I come across too much free time. Yet it is important to balance out the day with some time to relax and be with your own thoughts.

This is one of the best places in town where you can do something like that. Try to go to the coffee shop in the late morning or the early afteroon. This way you can avoid the crowds. You won’t have to stand in a long line to get served. You also won’t have to wait around for a table to open up where you can sit down.

The cost of a cup of coffee is well worth the mental relaxation that I get from the atmosphere. (more…)

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For The Love Of The Coffee Shop

October 16th, 2008 davidguide

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 the needs of those that come in you will have no trouble at all being profitable.

There is quite a difference between the coffee you buy to make at home and what you get at a coffee shop. The smell of it is enough to get people walking by to go in and place an order. Being able to get one flavor of coffee on Monday and another on Tuesday is exciting too. You don’t have to use the entire canister like you do at home. It is worth the cost of a cup of coffee to have something that tastes so good.

Many people are often on the go so making coffee in the morning and sitting down to drink it is out of the question. They find it more convenient to just get it on their way to work. (more…)

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Common Coffee Shop Business Mistakes

October 16th, 2008 davidguide

Running a coffee shop business can be a great idea, but there are some common mistakes that owners run into. Do your best to avoid these types of issues and you will find it is more profitable for you. There is no shortage of consumers out there for coffee and related drinks. Therefore you simply need to do your best to bring those customers to you.

Not advertising your coffee shop business is a mistake. There are too many others out there for people to go to. The thing you will also come across is that people are often very loyal to the coffee shop they already go to. Therefore you need to offer something that will entice them to give you a chance.

It could be a promotion for a free cup of coffee or some other offer that has value to them. You may be able to offer a lower price than the competition and sometimes that will work. You need to realize though that most consumers don’t mind paying a bit more for quality. Therefore that tactic may not get you very many new customers. (more…)

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What Do Customers Want From Their Coffee Shop?

October 15th, 2008 davidguide

Do you have what it takes to operate a coffee shop? These days consumers are looking for more than a cup of either regular or decaffeinated coffee that they will drink black or with a mixture of cream and sugar. They want a full line of drinks that include lattes, cappuccino, espresso, and other favorites.

You can be sure your customers are going to be expecting the very best quality of coffee products from you. If they get it every time they come in they will be a regular customer. They will also recommend your coffee shop to their friends.

Make sure you always have a good supply of cups and lids too. Nothing is going to annoy your customers more than being told you are out of lids or something similar that makes it seem like you aren’t prepared. Keep a close eye on your inventory so you always have plenty of ingredients on hand. Your customers will come to know your coffee shop as being very reliable. (more…)

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