OXFAM’S STARBUCKS CAMPAIGN
November 2006
Over the last few weeks, Oxfam has been campaigning internationally to encourage Starbucks to recognise Ethiopia’s rightful ownership of its coffee names – ownership which would increase Ethiopia’s bargaining power in the international coffee markets and ultimately increase the income for its coffee farmers by as much as NZ$132 million a year.
Public support for the campaign has been incredible – in the last two weeks over 70,000 people internationally have taken action to demand that Starbucks honours its commitment to coffee farmers! Oxfam would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has taken action so far.
But Starbucks are still refusing and we need your help to step up the pressure in the coming weeks.
The Issue
Ethiopia’s farmers produce some of the world’s most highly-prized coffees. But while these coffees fetch high prices in rich countries, the coffee farmers earn barely enough to cover their costs and support their families.
Over a year ago, Ethiopia embarked on an innovative strategy to try to increase its share of the profit from the coffee supply chain. Ethiopia has been filing trademark applications around the world for the names of its most prized coffees – Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe. These coffees have significant intangible value because their names, as brands, embody generations of tradition and quality. Legal ownership of its coffee names would allow Ethiopia to control the use of its coffee names, increase its bargaining power and ultimately increase the income for its coffee farmers by an estimated NZ$132 million a year. This would significantly improve living standards for the 15 million people who are dependent on coffee farming in Ethiopia.
Starbucks actively promotes its commitment to coffee farmers, but rather than support this groundbreaking initiative Starbucks prompted a protest from the National Coffee Association in the US which resulted in the US Patents and Trademarks Office denying Ethiopia’s trademark application for Sidamo and Harar.
Ethiopia has now asked Starbucks to sign a licensing agreement, asking Starbucks to voluntarily recognise Ethiopia’s legal ownership of the coffee names.
Despite repeated requests from the Ethiopian government and Oxfam in recent months, Starbucks has refused to sign the agreement.
Oxfam needs your help to put pressure on Starbucks to sign the agreement.
Take Action Now!
Visit the Oxfam website to take the actions listed below:
•Send an e-fax to the CEO of Starbucks, asking Starbucks to sign the voluntary licensing agreement.
•When you have sent the e-fax yourself, tell 10 friends to take the action too!
•Phone the Starbucks head office in New Zealand.
•Interested in getting more involved in the campaign? Oxfam is looking for people who would like to either coordinate or take part in regional campaigning activities in the next few weeks. Email campaigns@oxfam.org.nz for more information.
For more information, visit www.oxfam.org.nz or email campaigns@oxfam.org.nz.
