Starbucks Screwing Coffee Growers - Fact or Fiction?

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the report
mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually ends up in the coffee
farmers pockets. Can this be true? This was a report about Central and
South American coffee growers.

(Bob F.) wrote in
:

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday ...

Offhand, I don't know what newsgroup your post belongs in, but this
one, "rec.travel.usa-canada", sure isn't it.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

In article ,
"Bob F." wrote:

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the report
mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually ends up in the coffee
farmers pockets. Can this be true? This was a report about Central and
South American coffee growers.

Not on topic here but it's true. In fact, i wager the coffee grower
gets less than 1 cent/customer dollar spent

(Not the Karl Orff) wrote in
:

In article ,
"Bob F." wrote:

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the
report mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical
Starbuck's customer spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents
actually ends up in the coffee farmers pockets. Can this be true?
This was a report about Central and South American coffee
growers.

Not on topic here but it's true. In fact, i wager the coffee
grower gets less than 1 cent/customer dollar spent

Since you've decided to hold the flood gate open ...

Just because the grower gets less than 1% of the gross doesn't mean
he's being ripped off. More likely it's the buyer who's being ripped
off (or is simply being foolish) paying what they do for run of the
mill (or worse) coffee.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

I think it depends on which coffee you buy. Starbucks does sell Fair Trade
Coffee, though only one variety. From this coffee considerably more money
goes to the grower and his community.

So buy that.

Julie

Bob F. wrote:
I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the report
mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually ends up in the coffee
farmers pockets. Can this be true? This was a report about Central and
South American coffee growers.



--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

"Bob F." wrote:

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the report
mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually ends up in the coffee
farmers pockets. Can this be true? This was a report about Central and
South American coffee growers.

How does that compare with the amount of money that ends up in the farmers'
pockets for the coffee purchased for home consumption or from other restaurants
and coffee shops. A pound of coffee lasts me approximately 3 weeks. I get 6
cups out of a pot of coffee, so that works out to about 4 cents per cup at the
retail level. Given that there is a wholesaler and a retailer and numerous
shippers between me and the farmer, it would look like the farmer is getting a
better deal from Starbucks, since they are also retailing, and they are
providing the labour and the other overhead expenses of providing a place to
drink their coffee.

out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually
ends up in the coffee farmers pockets

A similar price ratio is probably true for many foods. If you
go into a restaurant and order a side dish of mashed potatoes
for, say, $1.50, I'll bet the farmer in Idaho only got a few
pennies for those potatoes. A lot of what you're paying for
in a restaurant is the cost of doing business -- rent, salaries,
insurance, furnishings, advertising, utilities, etc.

James

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-

In article ,
OSPAM (JamesStep) wrote:

out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually
ends up in the coffee farmers pockets

A similar price ratio is probably true for many foods. If you
go into a restaurant and order a side dish of mashed potatoes
for, say, $1.50, I'll bet the farmer in Idaho only got a few
pennies for those potatoes. A lot of what you're paying for
in a restaurant is the cost of doing business -- rent, salaries,
insurance, furnishings, advertising, utilities, etc.

The difference being Starbucks and other coffee retail suppliers are
driivng up their prices while coffee bean prices, at least at producer
level, is at a very low point.

"Not the Karl Orff" wrote in message
...
In article ,
OSPAM (JamesStep) wrote:

out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually
ends up in the coffee farmers pockets

A similar price ratio is probably true for many foods. If you
go into a restaurant and order a side dish of mashed potatoes
for, say, $1.50, I'll bet the farmer in Idaho only got a few
pennies for those potatoes. A lot of what you're paying for
in a restaurant is the cost of doing business -- rent, salaries,
insurance, furnishings, advertising, utilities, etc.

The difference being Starbucks and other coffee retail suppliers are
driivng up their prices while coffee bean prices, at least at producer
level, is at a very low point.

Unfortunately, supply and demand. Huge crops from Vietnam have been driving
down world coffee prices for a number of years now.

For every dollar you spend on a new car,
less than a cent goes to the iron ore miner.

????

It's called "value added"

Jose, in Columbia
picks the beans.


STARBUCKS
inspects/grades/buys the beans
roasts the beans
distributes the finished product
advertises the Starbuck shops
opens shops,
designs/approves the layout and equipment
stocks them with supplementry products ( snacks )
contracts for delivery of sugar, cream supplies
hires employees to manage and run the shops
buys insurance, pays taxes
disposes of garbage
hires cleaning crews to clean the shops
etc. etc. etc.

Think about it......




On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 15:15:01 -0600, "Bob F." wrote:

I was watching Univision evening new yesterday (Spanish) and the report
mentioned that out of each dollar that the typical Starbuck's customer
spends on coffee, an average of 2 or 3 cents actually ends up in the coffee
farmers pockets. Can this be true? This was a report about Central and
South American coffee growers.


rj