| Press Releases
4/1/04
Caribou Coffee to Host Fair Trade Event
Minneapolis, MN (April 1, 2004) – Coinciding with the 16th annual
conference of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), scheduled
for Atlanta in late April, Caribou Coffee will host an in-store event
to educate press and consumers about Fair Trade Certified coffee.
The event will take place at 3261 Peachtree Road, NE, April 20, at 11:00
AM.
Coffee growers from Fair Trade Certified coffee cooperatives in
Ethiopia and Guatemala will be on hand from 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. to
distribute literature and talk about their coops and how buying Rainforest
Blend, Caribou’s Fair Trade Certified coffee, has benefited
farmers in their respective communities.
Representing the cooperative in Ethiopia will be Tadesse Meskela, general
manager of Oromia, which is comprised of 23,691 members. Premiums from
sales of Fair Trade Certified coffees have enabled the co-op to
provide educational workshops on coffee production and technical assistance,
equipment purchases and methods of cultivating food crops such as citrus
and bananas among coffee bushes.
On a smaller scale, Manos Campesinas, located in southwestern Guatemala,
is comprised of 1,073 members. Jeronimo Bollen, manager, Manos Campesinas,
is representing his cooperative, to talk about projects supported from
coffee sales. Women’s groups are active in many income-producing
projects, one of which is Munde Verde (Green World) coffee, sold to local
markets.
Caribou’s involvement with the coops is not just about buying coffee
beans. In fact, the company has implemented a program to set aside funds
for every pound of coffee bought. Commenting on this program, Michael
Coles, CEO, Caribou, said, “ the special fund supports clinics,
schools, reforestation efforts and water-cleaning initiatives in coffee
producing countries.” Furthermore, “These efforts are critical
to the survival of the communities upon which we rely for our coffee.”
Throughout April, Caribou will be promoting its Fair Trade Certified
coffee, Rainforest Blend, in all Caribou stores throughout the country.
Fair Trade Certified coffee guarantees farmers a minimum price.
Fair Trade Certified also means that men and women have received equal
wages and that no child labor was used.
About Caribou Coffee Company, Inc.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Caribou Coffee was founded
in 1992. Today, the company owns and operates the second largest non-franchised
coffee chain in the U.S., with more than 250 stores in nine states. The
company sells whole bean coffee and offers a wide variety of specialty
drinks and related supplies. Caribou also sells coffee online at www.cariboucoffee.com
About TransFair USA
TransFair USA, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, is the sole Fair Trade certification
organization in the U.S. Its rigorous audit system, which tracks products
from farm to market, verifies industry and farmer compliance with Fair
Trade criteria. TransFair authorizes companies to display the Fair Trade
Certified label on products that meet this high standard. TransFair USA
is part of a global certification network with a 15-year history of success
in over 60 countries. In addition to coffee, TransFair also certifies
Fair Trade tea, chocolate, bananas and other fresh fruit. To learn more,
visit www.transfairusa.org.
Contact:
Suzanne Brown
Brown Marketing Communications LLC
Tel: 404.252.7399
Email: brownsuz@bellsouth.net
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