[Dialogue] Starbucks CEO Meets with Ethiopia Over Ownership of Coffee Names; Oxfam Calls On Starbucks to Move Forward On Trademark Issue

[Marge Philbrook]

This person, Tadesse Meskela, mentioned in this article has stayed at the
conference center twice on his trips to the U.S. to work on fair trade
issues.  We regret ICA/EI no longer have a conference center that can host
people like this.
Marge Philbrook

On 12/2/06, Harry Wainwright <h-wainwright at charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
> NOVEMBER 29, 2006
> 12:12 PM
>
> *CONTACT:  Oxfam America
> *Helen DaSilva 617-728-2409 or 617-331-2984, or Laura Rusu 202-496-3620 or
> 202-459-3739
>
>
>
> *Starbucks CEO Meets with Ethiopia Over Ownership of Coffee Names; Oxfam
> Calls On Starbucks to Move Forward On Trademark Issue*
>
>
>
> WASHINGTON - November 29 - International aid agency Oxfam welcomed
> Tuesday's meeting between Starbucks CEO Jim Donald and Prime Minister Meles
> Zenawi, but urged the international coffee giant to stop dragging its feet
> before the holidays, and instead recognize Ethiopia's ownership of its
> coffee names and the enormous benefits that ownership could bring to the 15
> million poor Ethiopians who depend on coffee for their livelihood.
>
> "It's significant that after a year of trying to engage Starbucks on
> trademarks, the company finally sat down to discuss the issue directly with
> Ethiopia," said Seth Petchers, Oxfam International's Make Trade Fair
> campaign coffee lead. "Starbucks must now follow up with immediate action to
> recognize Ethiopia's rights to own the names of its coffees to ensure that
> coffee farmers get a fairer share of the value of their crop."
>
> Ethiopia's farmers produce some of the finest and most sought after
> coffees in the world-including coffees that have been sold under Starbucks'
> Black Apron Exclusives line for up to $26 a pound-but receive only 5 to 10
> percent of the retail price, in a country where millions live on just a
> dollar a day. Ethiopia is working to gain greater benefits for its coffee
> growers by seeking control of its coffee names, a move that would give
> Ethiopian coffee farmers a fairer share of the profits in the global coffee
> trade.
>
> "Small-scale coffee farmers are economically vulnerable, in part because
> large foreign buyers, such as Starbucks, are dictating trading conditions
> with their extraordinary market power," continued Petchers. "If poor
> countries are able to obtain trademarks for unique, locally grown products
> like coffee, they can capture more of the value of their products for the
> benefit of the people who produce them. This initiative is a significant and
> innovative approach to alleviating poverty."
>
> For over a year, Ethiopia has sought a dialogue with Starbucks about
> supporting the country's efforts to return more of the price of its coffees
> in world markets to the farmers who produce them by seeking trademark rights
> for Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe coffees. Despite its much-publicized
> commitment to farming communities, however, Starbucks has continually
> rejected Ethiopia's requests to resolve the trademark issue. Absent that
> step, no agreement was reached at Tuesday's meeting.
>
> "This is a rights issue and we deserve to have our rights recognized. We
> strongly believe that trademarking is the way to go," said Prime Minister
> Meles Zenawi. "The right to own our coffee names is the only way that we can
> preserve our rich coffee heritage; Ethiopia has an obligation to coffee
> consumers worldwide to protect and preserve our unique coffees."
>
> Legal and intellectual property experts have supported Ethiopia in its
> approach, expressing the opinion that the trademark and licensing project is
> a viable solution to the poverty that plagues Ethiopian farmers. Trademark
> rights for Ethiopia's coffees have also been recognized in several European
> countries, as well as Canada and Japan.
>
> "Our coffees are some of the best in the world and although they often
> sell for two and three times the cost of other coffees, we are getting a
> tiny fraction of this price," said Tadesse Meskela, manager of Oromia Coffee
> Farmers Cooperative Union who is featured in the new documentary Black Gold.
> "Our objective here is to return more money to the coffee growers' pocket."
>
> Last month, Oxfam launched an international public campaign to encourage
> Starbucks to engage with Ethiopia directly on the issue.
>
> "Over 85,000 people around the world have joined Oxfam in calling on
> Starbucks to do right by Ethiopia's coffee farmers and sign the licensing
> agreement," continued Petchers. "Oxfam and its supporters will continue to
> work with the Ethiopian government, coffee growers, and exporters to
> encourage Starbucks to come to a mutually beneficial solution that could
> make a world of difference for millions of poor people."
>
> ###
>
>
>
>
>
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