Today a delegation from the Fair Trade Coalition came to the coffee shop to solicit a donation in their 2nd Annual Regional Conference. I believe in the value of fair trade, so i didn’t throw them out, but the thing is, fair trade coffee is more expensive, so i view the purchase of said coffee as a donation in and of itself, and doesn’t necessitate the further donation to a group that promotes the use of fair trade coffee. It’s not that I’m callous, it’s just that I feel like i AM promoting the use of fair trade coffee, a kind of silent endorsement. Our thing here is good coffee. Anyone can use fair trade beans and make a horrible cup. It is the quality establishments that deserve promotion. Starbucks uses fair trade beans. That’s the only part of their entire business model that’s fair, yet they are still garnering recognition as a socially conscious establishment simply because they use fair trade beans.
Which brings me to my point. I propose that a news publication, grassroots organization, or simply a philanthropic/enterprising individual to document the quality of various coffee shops in a given locale. This could be a weekly column in a newspaper or blog, it could be a comprehensive analysis included in a visitors guide to increase tourism, or assembled as a pamphlet to be distributed among the coffee-minded.
In my original plan, I would be the ultimate authority, but I can also see where multiple opinions can create a more moderated, level-handed evaluations, rather than a quick judgment that could doom an establishment to failure.
If anyone out there is in a position where they could employ an educated coffee snob, I’d be willing to take the job!
Great post. Doesn’t the Fair Trade oranization get a portion of the proceeds also? As with any bureaucracy, this takes money. I would rather develop relationships with the farmers and cut out the middle men and the farmers get more for their beans also.