11/13/06 Starbucks and Ethiopian Farmers

The next time you stand in line for a latte consider the fact that maybe Starbucks is getting too big for their britches. The purchasing clout of Starbucks is sobering, especially in light of a new report from the non-profit group Oxfam, who protect the rights of third world farmers. Oxfam is calling on Starbucks to stop bullying Ethiopian coffee farmers and allow them to trademark three of their most famous coffee names. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and the worlds finest coffee beans are harvested from a nation considered one the poorest. 95 percent of this coveted Ethiopian coffee is produced by small farms so it would seem natural that Starbucks'emmence buying clout should have improved their lot. It hasn't . The Ethiopian government has filed to secure the rights to three coffee names, believing that trade marking would enable poor farmers to receive a larger share of the retail price, an estimated $88 million more a year. Starbucks refuses to negotiate so Oxfarm is fighting back through an aggressive print campaign in major newspapers. The caffeine jolt from that $3.50 lattee would do well to wake us up.