Has fair trade coffee become the new "gourmet" coffee?

When I read this article at fool.com, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry...or think.

Here's an excerpt:

Consumer Reports recently compared coffees and came up with an interesting result. According to its tasters, Starbucks' (Nasdaq: SBUX) coffee was outdone by McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) premium coffee offering. Should Starbucks -- and its shareholders -- be experiencing more than caffeine jitters?

Led by a professional tester and some employees of Consumer Reports' food testing unit, the team sampled medium plain coffees (with no sugar and cream, mind you), from two stores each of Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, and Burger King (NYSE: BKC). The team of taste testers deemed McDonald's premium coffee the best-tasting and the best value, at $1.40 a cup. It might surprise some people that the priciest cup of that size regular coffee actually came from Dunkin' Donuts, at $1.65.

I started thinking about this news, simply because, unless this was some cupper's aberration, it signifies a significant shift in the gourmet coffee business.

Not so long ago one could buy what was considered gourmet coffee at Starbucks and other quality coffee shops, or junk coffee anywhere else. You know, diner coffee.

But if McDonald's coffee really is as good as Starbucks coffee, then we have hit a taste plateau.

And if coffee shops can no longer differentiate their brew as being "gourmet", then how can they set themselves apart from McDonalds, Dunkin' Donuts and others?

(Not with wi-fi. McDonalds is getting that too.)

Can they do it by selling fair trade coffee? McDonald's UK is already on top of that one.

But perhaps we'll see more coffee roasters and coffee shops selling not just a generic fair trade coffee, but fair trade coffee beans with a story.

Small companies can tell an honest, human story about their relationship with specific cooperatives in particular regions.

Big companies can't do that. They have to buy too much coffee. And nobody believes a huge corporation when it shows a photo of one of its employees giving a paternalistic hug to a coffee grower.

In other words, large companies and small can both sell fair trade coffee...the "new" gourmet coffee. But only small companies can tell an honest, engaging story. That is, if they choose to become genuinely involved with individual cooperatives, or small groups of cooperatives.

This is one of the great things about fair trade coffee. Doing the right thing benefits everyone, from the bean to the cup.

Comments

[alicia]

For those of you who are interested in the issue of Fair trade, there is a powerful documentary out called “Black Gold,” that documents the lives of Ethiopian coffee farmers and clearly demonstrates why all of us should be asking for Fair Trade coffee. “Black Gold” was recently released in the theater but is now available to the public on DVD via California Newsreel. You can read more about the documentary or pick up a copy of it here at http://newsreel.org/

[Elizabeth]

I'm sad to say that I only just recently purchased my first cup of fair trade coffee. However, now I am excited to say that I will continue to purchase fair trade coffee on a daily basis as my drink of choice! The benefits of fair trade coffee are limitless - it is the same price as other cups of coffee and the taste is supreme so why not purchase it?! Further, the benefits of one purchase have direct effects on the coffee growers in developing countries. I have recently watched the documentary, "Black Gold," and you can hear commentaries directly from coffee growers, and how they should really be receiving more money for the coffee beans they grow. I think more steps need to be taken to promote fair trade coffee consumption, specifically related to the sale of fair trade coffee in grocery stores. If every shopper took a minute to seek out fair trade coffee in the grocery store, and ask for it from a manager if they do not sell it, we can individually work to help improve the livelihoods of the coffee growers and make their businesses more sustainable.

[Sara]

I agree. If every shopper looks out for fair trade goods which includes coffee and Tea it would significantly improve the lives of small farmers. I have recently started brewing my own fair trade organic coffee. I must admit it is a great cup !