Press Releases

SAM’S CLUB LAUNCHES BRAZILIAN FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED™ GOURMET COFFEE NATIONWIDE

Marques de Paiva Brand Gourmet French Roast Will Hit Warehouse Clubs
in Time for “Fair Trade Month” in October

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (September 6, 2005) – Building on the success of the Marques de Paiva™ brand Gourmet Organic coffee offering, SAM’S CLUB and Café Bom Dia today announced plans to launch Marques de Paiva Fair Trade Certified™, Gourmet French Roast coffee to the more than 47 million SAM’S CLUB members nationwide.  

SAM'S CLUB, the nation's largest members-only warehouse, will introduce Marques de Paiva Fair Trade Certified™ Gourmet coffee to coincide with October’s National Fair Trade Month. The whole bean coffee will be available in 40 oz. bags at all 555 SAM’S CLUB locations nationwide.

“SAM’S CLUB is committed to providing our Members with high-quality products that meet their needs and fit their lifestyles,” said Matt Kistler, vice president, private brands, SAM’S CLUB.  “The Marques de Paiva coffee is a high-quality, gourmet product that helps us exceed our Members’ expectations.”

“Fair Trade Certified” is currently the only consumer guarantee that farmers in developing nations are being paid a fair price for their crops. Due in part to growing consumer interest in fair trade, the amount of coffee certified as Fair Trade has tripled in the past three years, making it the fastest-growing segment of the $9 billion U.S. specialty coffee market.

Produced by Brazil’s Café Bom Dia Ltda., Marques de Paiva Fair Trade Certified™ coffee is a French Roast, Gourmet blend of 100% Arabica beans grown in the richest coffee farmlands of Brazil.

Café Bom Dia was the first company to be licensed by TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization that audits transactions between U.S. companies and their international suppliers, to sell Fair Trade Certified™ coffee roasted at its origin. 

“The Marques de Paiva family has a rich coffee heritage that dates back more than 100 years,” says Michael Heinztmann, senior vice president, general merchandise manager of SAM’S CLUB. “The company works closely with hundreds of small coffee farmers in southern Brazil, and we’re pleased to know that those farmers will benefit from sales of its Fair Trade Certified™ coffee to SAM’S CLUB Members.”

The philosophy behind developing Fair Trade Certified™ coffee is to deliver more than just a great cup of coffee, says Joe Alcantara, president of Café Bom Dia’s North American operations. “If you could make a real difference in the lives of farming families just by buying a bag of coffee, why wouldn’t you?” asks Alcantara. “That’s the question we hope coffee-buying consumers will ask themselves, and one of the reasons why we’re so excited to be expanding our partnership with SAM’S CLUB.”

“The introduction of Marques de Paiva Fair Trade Certified™ coffee to the huge number of SAM’S CLUB shoppers is a great way to introduce Fair Trade Certified™ products to a new set of consumers,” says Paul Rice, CEO and founder of TransFair USA.

Marques de Paiva Gourmet Organic™ whole bean coffee is also sold at SAM’S CLUB and recently beat several popular national brands in a blind tasting conducted by the ABC News magazine show “20/20.”

About Café Bom Dia
Café Bom Dia traces its roots to a small coffee company founded in 1895 in southern Brazil by the Marques de Paiva family. With farms and production facilities in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and North American headquarters in Coral Gables, Fla., Café Bom Dia is a leading producer of organic and Fair Trade CertifiedTM Brazilian coffees. Using a unique tree-to-shelf production process, Café Bom Dia cultivates its own land and partners with hundreds of small farmers in southern Brazil to grow and harvest the highest-quality Arabica beans, which it then roasts, blends and packages at a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly plant. Marques de Paiva Gourmet OrganicTM and Marques de Paiva Fair Trade CertifiedTM coffee are available in 40 oz. bags at SAM’S CLUB stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.marquesdepaiva.com.

About SAM’S CLUB
SAM'S CLUB (samsclub.com ), a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation's largest warehouse chain in the United States serving small business owners and operators. The purchasing agent of choice, SAM'S CLUB provides everyday low costs to more than 46 million entrepreneurs and consumers.

About TransFair
TransFair USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is one of nineteen members of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. It audits transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified™ products and the international suppliers from whom they source, in order to guarantee that the farmers and farm workers behind Fair Trade Certified goods were paid a fair, above-market price. In addition, annual inspections conducted by FLO ensure that strict socioeconomic development criteria are being met using increased Fair Trade revenues. To learn more, visit: www.transfairusa.org.

Gregg Goldsholl
CKPR
212.251.1223
ggoldsholl@ckpr.biz

Jolanda Stewart
SAM’S CLUB
479.277.8223
Jolanda.Stewart@samsclub.com

Nicole Chettero
Public Relations Associate
TransFair USA
(510) 663-5260 x357
nchettero@transfairusa.org