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Description: Cool
Beans Coffee Company (Re)Establishes Commitment to Fair Trade
Meta Tags: Cool Beans, Coffee, Fair Trade, Fair Trade Certification
Cool
Beans Coffee Company (Re)Establishes Commitment to Fair Trade
Local
Roots, Global Outreach. Cool
Beans Coffee Company was established in 1989 in Cappuccino, Maryland. Cool Beans is an extremely progressive-thinking
organization and established fair trade practices with coffee growers all over
the world, primarily in Ethiopia. While
the term “fair trade” may not be the first thing coffee drinkers consider when
reaching for a cup of caffeine during their morning routine, it is an important
concept on a global level and an important commitment made by Cool Beans Coffee
Company.
Fair Trade. Fair trade “means livable wages, community
development, health, and education” for coffee farmers and their families (Some Facts, 2014, para. 1). There are strict criteria that coffee
importers and retailers must adhere to in order to be considered a fair trade
organization. Those criteria are
determined at an international level to ensure realistic guidelines by native
countries as well as importing countries.
Fair trade is more than just a label—it is a commitment to the people
and communities who grow consumables and is a factor for coffee consumers. In fact, “the prominent appearance of the Fair
Trade Certified™ label increases sales among coffee-buying consumers” (Research Reveals, 2014, para. 1). As an established fair trade retailer, Cool
Beans elimates the concern over unethical practices. Coffee consumers are able to enjoy their
morning cup o’ joe knowing their purchase supports a retailer who cares about
bettering communities worldwide.
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| CEO Eric Folger |
Regaining Trust. Recently, there were allegations that Cool Beans Coffee
Company purchased
coffee beans from big
coffee suppliers known for their unethical practices. Since those allegations surfaced, Cool Beans
revisited purchasing protocols to eliminate any future breeches in policy. According to Cool Beans CEO Eric Folger, “we
deeply regret the breech in policy, are taking proactive steps to eliminate
future breeches, and moving towards our continued commitment to fair
trade.” Folger recently met with officials
in Ethiopia, re-establishing the fair trade commitment and working to regain
the trust of coffee growers as well as consumers.
Sources:
CEO Image.
(2014). Retrieved from
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=coffee%20ceo&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=coffee%20ceo&sc=8-10&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=C606CE08A9C0BF8624E7BE3727A3986DE1CDF66F&selectedIndex=19
Fair Trade Image. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/05/fair-trade-tough-be-ethical-consumer/
Research Reveals Increased Consumer Demand for Fair
Trade Certified Labeled Products.
(2014). Retrieved from CSR Wire:
http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/32081-Research-Reveals-Increased-Consumer-Demand-for-Fair-Trade-Certified-Labeled-Products
Some Facts About Fair Trade Coffee. (2014). Retrieved from The Fair Trade Coffee
Company: http://fairtradecoffee.org/some-facts-about-fair-trade-coffee.html



