'Fair-trade' coffee may be just a start
By Michael Hill
Associated Press
GUILDERLAND, N.Y. — Mark Van Wormer is a fair-trade coffee guy.
He drinks it at home. He persuaded the private school where he teaches to make the switch. And he always requests a fair-trade blend at Starbucks.
"I was very attracted to the notion of buying a product that could actually put a little bit more money in the pockets of the smaller farmers," said Van Wormer.
Socially conscious consumers such as Van Wormer have made fair-trade brews a rapidly growing niche of the coffee market. The beans can now be found on supermarket shelves next to the Folgers and in the espresso at Dunkin' Donuts.
The term "fair trade" describes organized efforts to give small growers in other countries — often in Central and South America — a price for their products that gives them a decent living. Not-for-profit organizations, including TransFair USA in this country, certify which products can carry a fair-trade label.
The growth in sales of fair-trade coffee has been so strong that fair traders are increasing their marketing efforts beyond coffee. Get ready for a fair-trade push on sugar, chocolate, fruit juice, bananas and more.
"There's a trend across the food industry of people getting into their food more and more," explained Rodney North of Equal Exchange, a fair-trade business. "There's a whole interest in authenticity."
TransFair USA president and CEO Paul Rice expects about 30 million pounds of fair-trade coffee to be imported this year, up from 18.7 million pounds in 2003.
Rice concedes that would still amount to about 1 percent of a market that continues to be dominated by the likes of Folgers and Maxwell House. But with a speedy growth rate, fair-trade coffee has spilled into the mainstream.
"It's still a very small percentage of the market, but something that people are starting to pay more attention to and roasters are starting to view as a market niche worthy of servicing," said Joseph DeRupo of the National Coffee Association.
Rice cites the broader trend of consumers paying more attention to what they eat. In an era when food is scrutinized for everything from carb content to growth hormones, it's not a stretch to check its political pedigree.
He also mentions the "feel-good" factor — the belief held by consumers such as Van Wormer that they're making the world just a little bit better with their daily cup of coffee.
Coffee was a logical fair-trade beachhead since drinkers of such high-toned brews as mocha java were already used to paying a bit more per cup. It's not yet known if fair trade can expand significantly beyond the coffee cup.
Still, some in the industry are optimistic.
"We see it as a category that will grow," said Denise Shoukas, spokeswoman for the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. "It's just like organic was a few years ago where a certain kind of consumer was buying it, and now organic is expected in your produce section."
