Late last year, Corporate Express launched the first of its Fair Trade products – a range of organic coffees from República®.
Now Corporate Express offers even more choice, with the introduction of Australian Certified Organic Fair Trade coffees from Jasper Coffee.
“We’re offering our customers more choice in organic and Fair Trade products,” says National Merchandising Manager, Anthony Izzillo, “because the demand from our customers for ethically-sourced coffees has grown enormously over the past 12 months.
“Our customers appreciate the fact that under Fair Trade principles, the farmers and communities who grow coffee get a fair deal.
“Is Fair Trade coffee more expensive than regular coffee? Yes, of course, there’s a slight premium with anything that’s Fair Trade, because the buyer pays slightly more for the raw materials. But it’s about balancing cost with conscience. For just a few cents per cup more, our customers know they’re making a huge difference to farming communities in poorer regions.
“Twenty-five per cent of all coffee sold at Tesco’s in the UK is Fair Trade, and we’re slowly catching up here in Australia. And as the demand grows, so will the choice, as more products become available
“We’re delighted to introduce Jasper Coffee to our range. They’re Australia’s first and leading Fair Trade and organic roaster; they were the first to offer organic coffee (in 1989) and their plant is also Australian Certified organic.
“And as founding members of the Fair Trade Association of Australia & New Zealand, they’ve developed special partnerships with coffee growers around the world, based on sustainability, quality, fairness, respect and human dignity.”
The coffee market
Fifty per cent of coffee is grown by small family businesses, who have little market power. They sell to middle men who offer the lowest price at harvest time, when farmers are desperate to sell. Farmers often don’t know the real price of their goods, or have no way of transporting it.
Fair Trade is a commercial trading partnership which guarantees a fair wage and improved living conditions for producers in developing countries. Independently audited Fair Trade guarantees:
- That a fair price is paid directly to the producer and there are fair labour conditions for all people working on plantations.
- That environmental standards are used to restrict the use of agrochemicals and foster sustainability.
- A portion of the price you pay for your coffee (the Fair Trade Premium) goes into a community trust fund to make a real impact in areas such as education and health care.
Who is Jasper Coffee?
Jasper Coffee is an Australian-owned family business with deep roots in the art world. Their drive is to see people enjoy and appreciate quality coffee, the environment it grows in and the families and communities who nurture it.
The Jasper Roastery is Australian Certified Organic and they have recently completed a sustainability audit from Environment Victoria, Victoria's peak government body on environmental sustainability.
Corporate Express Jasper Coffee product range
- Organic East Timor Blend
- Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe World Vision Blend
- Organic Nicaraguan Blend
- Organic Peru Café Feminino Blend
- Organic Papua New Guinea Okapa Blend
- Jasper Specialty Blend #8 & Jasper Specialty Blend #10
- Jasper Colombian Fair Trade Organic Freeze Dried Instant Coffee 100g Jar, 500g Tin and 500g Bag.
More info: www.jaspercoffee.com
