Starbucks and World Domination

Great article in yesterday's Guardian about Starbucks and their phenomenal growth since inception in 1971;

"India, Russia, Brazil and Egypt are to be targeted this year. There are 530 branches in the UK and, with profits soaring, the company has said it aims to add 50 per year, about half of them in the south east of England. Anyone can now calculate their 'Starbucks density' using a locator on the company website: a person in Regent Street in London is within five miles of 166 branches."

At this point I should make a confession. I do visit Starbucks and I'm not the only person in the world of fair trade who does so. Truth be told, in terms of development I don't think they're as nasty as campaigns like 'I Hate Starbucks' would have you believe: they are the biggest buyers of fair trade coffee in north-America and the treatment of their producer groups is relatively  good. Where they have recently let themselves down is on the issue of licensing of Ethiopian Coffee.

I've mentioned this before but as Tony Blair is meeting an East-African coffee farmer today and many MPs are spending the afternoon watching Black Gold, I thought I might mention it again (more details available in this article in today's Guardian). If you want to get involved in the campaign, next time you go to Starbucks take a printed copy of this leaflet, ask for a Cafe Estima (Starbucks certified Fairtrade coffee) and with your money hand over your complaint.

Comments

[Brother Tadhg]

Hi
You can't beat a grande skinny wet latte and a cheese and marmite pannini! Yum
GBY
Bro. T