(Admin’s note: Blog edited November 9, 2009 for minor changes and clarity.)

What’s this Fair-Trade stuff all about?

(a quick recap from last blog post)

Fair-Trade certification is an organized social movement & economic-based approach that aspires to help producers in developing countries promote sustainability by paying close attention to the details in trade & cutting out the middle man.

This means the farmers are being paid fairly for their work, the living and working conditions are safer & the producers have direct access to international markets, thereby cutting out the middle man and extra costs.

In today’s society of social responsibility our cars are becoming gas sippers as opposed to gas guzzlers, our papers & plastics are becoming more recyclable and our homes are becoming greener. It’s fashionable to care about more than just what affects us & us alone. Fair-Trade coffees fit cozily right in the middle of that societal fad.

In addition to the social responsibility, there’s also the health aspect. With people searching for ways to lead a healthy & long life, the organic market keeps growing and growing. Currently, according to TransFair USA, 60% of Fair-Trade certified coffees in the U.S. are also certified organic.

Am I made for Fair-Trade?

When you’re adding new coffees to your line-up, it’s a perfect time to re-evaluate your customer base. You should ask yourself some important questions when considering Fair-Trade Organic coffees:

• Ultimately the decision to bring in Fair-Trade Organic coffees is one that can increase sales, with the right amount of effort and research involved.
  • If you’re near a college or university you may think about appealing to the different humanitarian and environmentalist groups often found on campuses. By introducing Fair-Trade Organic coffees, you’ll appeal directly to these customers.
  • You can think about creating a “Fair-Trade Friday” or an Organic day where you offer an “Only Organic” special of all Fair-Trade & Organic items. You can offer a Fair-Trade & Organic coffee or espresso based drink with Organic milks & an organic scone or muffin at a discounted price.
• Know who your customers are and what they like! It sounds trivial but it matters. Take an informal tally one morning. Grab a couple pieces of paper and check off how many men vs. women, how many cups of flavored, dark, medium or light roasted coffees you sell. These little tidbits can be helpful when choosing which new Fair-Trade Organic coffees to bring in.
• Don’t re-invent the wheel. Give your customers what they want and what you know already works. If they like a dark roast, bring in a dark roasted FTO. If they like Breakfast Blend, bring in a FTO Breakfast Blend coffee. Give them what they already like, but with a Fair Trade Organic twist.
• Display your shelf-talkers where your customers can see them. Be prepared to talk to your customers who are interested about Fair-Trade Organic issues or about organizations like Café Feminino. This foundation serves to empower the women coffee producers who are now able to provide clothing and education to their children. This is the face of Fair-Trade Certified coffee; real men, real people and real lives.

Be educated about the kinds of coffees you’re offering and don’t be timid when it comes to telling your customers about it. If you’re asked a question that you don’t know the answer to, call us! (800-652-5282)

FTO coffee takes on a whole new meaning when your customers understand just what it is their dollars are supporting.

• Alert your local media. Call them up and let them know you’re now carrying Fair-Trade Organic coffees and be specific.
• Team up with a local woman’s group or foundation.
• If you’re carrying Café Feminino you should also alert the Café Feminino Foundation so they can link to your business from their website, as an authorized retailer.

Sample, Sample, Sample! If you give it to them for free, chances are they’ll at least try it. It’s the best way to get someone to understand just how good your product is!

The possibilities are endless. Get creative and think about what your customers want and how you’re going to provide that for them. Talk to local organizations about partnering with them.

www.fairtrade.net

www.transfairUSA.org

www.KMOcoffee.com
(fair trade page: http://www.kmocoffee.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=Fair+Trade+and+Organic+Coffee)

Cafe Femenino Foundation: http://www.coffeecan.org/

October is Fair-Trade month and is a perfect time to take a look at offering Fair-Trade Certified coffees to your customers. In the spirit of the month, we’re introducing a 3-part blog on Fair-Trade Certified coffees and how they matter to you and your business.

What’s this Fair-Trade stuff all about?

Talking about Fair-Trade Certified coffees can become very confusing, very quickly. What exactly is Fair-Trade Certified? What about Free Trade or Fairly Traded or even Direct Trade? What’s the difference, if they’re not all the same thing?

• Free Trade is an entirely different animal that you’d be hard-pressed to find any non-politically biased information on. In its most basic form, Free Trade is a trade policy that allows traders to act and trade without interference from the government. This means there are no certifying agencies and middleman regulated tariffs or taxes. There are no checks and balances, no one to watch where monies are going or how it is spent. There’s no standard on who decides or defines what “free trade” is.
• Direct Trade & Fairly Traded are very similar. The principles of Fair-Trade Certified are somewhat represented. Coffee roasters purchase direct from farmers without utilizing middlemen or any outside certification. The roasters create the standards and determine what is fair. However, most of the standards are not across the board and can differ from coffee region to coffee region. There is an overall, albeit flexible, approach to labor and environmental issues. The main concern tends to be for the economic sustainability of all parties involved. The biggest difference is the lack of a 3rd party organization, like TransFair USA. This means that the only people making sure the practices are Direct or Fair are the roasters themselves. The question that remains is whether or not consumers feel able to trust an individual business’ judgment, over an independent 3rd party organization, dedicated to assure criterias are met with an unbiased agenda.
• Fair-Trade Certified coffee is an organized social movement and economic-based approach that aspires to help producers in developing countries promote sustainability by paying close attention to the details in trade and cutting out the middle man.

  This means that:

  • The farmers are being paid fairly for their work
  • The living and working conditions are safer
  • The producers have direct access to international markets, thereby cutting out the middle man and extra costs
  • And there is an independent organization that is making sure these guidelines are met.

Fair-Trade Certified also has a very specific vision for the health and well-being of the farmers. Certification, which is received from independent 3rd party organizations, makes sure that working conditions are safe, that child labor is not happening and that money is being put back into these impoverished coffee producing communities to stimulate growth out of poverty.

In today’s society of social responsibility our cars are becoming gas sippers as opposed to gas guzzlers, our papers and plastics are becoming more recyclable and our homes are becoming greener. It’s fashionable to care about more than just what affects us and us alone. Fair-Trade Certified has been on the rise for the past decade or so and fits perfectly in with the idea to be more socially conscious and aware of the impact we have with our choices and money.

In addition to the social responsibility, there’s also the health aspect. With the world searching for ways to lead a healthy and long life, the organic market keeps growing and growing. Currently, according to TransFair USA, 60% of Fair-Trade Certified certified coffees in the U.S. are also certified organic.

100% of Kaffe Magnum Opus’s Fair-Trade Certified coffees are certified Organic.

Stay tuned for Vol. II — Am I made for Fair-Trade Certified?

Hot off the press! Sampling gourmet coffees and foods sell more products, both in the short and long run.  A new independent study proves for the first time that in-store sampling not only has dramatic sales impact on the day of the sampling event, but also increases sales of established products and line extensions, as well as products, for many weeks following.

Conducted by Knowledgenetworks,  the study showed the following:

• In-store sampling drives additional repeat purchase
• In-store sampling drives sales for existing products and line extensions
• In-store sampling delivers new buyers – to the sampled items and to the brand franchise
• In –store sampling impacts sales long after the day of the event, making it incredibly cost effective

To read the complete study: Groundbreaking Study Redefines In-Store Sampling Impact and Usage

Ideas that can be used specifically for specialty coffee retailers:

• Focus on creating a coffee of the week, month holiday or season.  An example would be celebrating the upcoming autumn season by featuring Pumpkin Spice for September, Cranberry Nut Cream in October and Vermont Maple Nut Crunch in November.
• Make sure to have related products at or near your sampling area.  If you are featuring Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee, promote a pumpkin spice flavored latte, pumpkin infused cheesecake, pumpkin cream cheese rolls, pumpkin nut muffins… you get the idea!
• Make the effort to use a slower time of the day or week to invite customers in to a seasonal or holiday sampling.  This is a great time to show off any new and exciting gift items you will be carrying for the upcoming time period.  Make sure to display at least three different size gift baskets that customers can order from you as well as any cookies or dessert trays that will be available.
• Get your whole staff involved with creating the buzz and helping out during the sampling.  Big smiles, pleasant greetings and lots of product knowledge will go a long way to stimulating sales now and in the future.
• Set up a designated area for different products and make sure you are ready to take early holiday orders.  Customers are thrilled to begin crossing people of their shopping lists.  Offer a generous discount for orders placed the day of the sampling event.
• Remember there is always a National Fun Food Holiday, changing of the season, Hallmark special occasion or nationally observed holiday to celebrate so you will never run out of ideas.