Comment from Fairtrade's biggest coffee retailer in New Zealand

With Fairtrade Fortnight (5-20 May) now in full swing, Wild Bean Cafe – New Zealand’s biggest retailer of Fairtrade coffee – is pleased to celebrate the growing popularity of Fairtrade in New Zealand.

Since 2008, Wild Bean Cafe has served 100 per cent Fairtrade-Certified barista-made coffee across its network of 80 stores and now accounts for 20 per cent of the Fairtrade coffee market in New Zealand.

Frank van Hattum, General Manager Retail for BP, is available to talk about Wild Bean Cafe’s Fairtrade activity and other “green” business practices, such as its eight million coffee cups and lids being New Zealand-made and its use of recyclable packaging.

Wild Bean Cafe Fairtrade facts

• Wild Bean Cafe is the largest retailer of Fairtrade-Certified coffee in New Zealand accounting for 20 per cent of New Zealand’s Fairtrade coffee market
• Wild Bean Cafe serves 100 per cent Fairtrade-Certified coffee, hot chocolate, takeaway sugar sticks and take-home coffee packs
• It was the first national retailer to introduce Fairtrade sugar sticks across its network in September 2010
• Wild Bean Cafe’s coffee comes from Costa Rica, Mexico and Brazil, and its cocoa beans come from Ghana
• The farming cooperative CoopeAgri in Costa Rica supplies Wild Bean Cafe with 25% of its coffee and all of its sugar. Since switching to Fairtrade coffee in June 2008, Wild Bean Cafe’s Fairtrade premiums (funds) have helped CoopeAgri alone plant 195,000 new coffee plants, providing an ongoing, secure supply of coffee beans for the future. The community has also been able to fund other social projects such as building 60 new houses for families in need in the community.
• For New Zealand’s Fairtrade Fortnight, Wild Bean Cafe will give away a Fairtrade Certified, barista-made premium coffee every day for a year to one lucky winner. The draw closes on 20 May, 2012.*

“We support the goal of Fairtrade, which is to help third world producers to get a fair deal. And we’re pleased to see more New Zealanders and New Zealand businesses doing the same,” says Frank van Hattum.

“We’ve been on the ground and we’ve seen the difference Fairtrade makes. And every time a New Zealand consumer chooses a Fairtrade product, they’re choosing to support a fair deal for producers and their communities,” he said.

“Green” business facts

• Wild Bean Cafe’s nearly eight million coffee cups and lids are made in Auckland
• Wild Bean Cafe’s new travel cups are designed and made in New Zealand
• Wild Bean Cafe’s used coffee grounds are available at selected sites for customers for composting
• Where possible Wild Bean Cafe sources packaging locally, with all sandwich packaging manufactured in Christchurch and made with 80% recycled carton board
• Wild Bean Cafe uses recyclable paper bags, serviettes and degradable sugar stick packaging
• To promote food safety and good personal hygiene free hand sanitizers are available next to food cabinets

“Wherever possible we support New Zealand-made and undertake to employ sustainable, ‘green’ business practices. Over the last several years Wild Bean Cafe has introduced a number of new initiatives that promote these principals and have been welcomed by our customers,” says Frank van Hattum, General Manager Retail, BP.

Editor’s notes:

The Madriz Calderons are a coffee farming family in San Isidro, Costa Rica. They are members of CoopeAgri, the cooperative that supplies Wild Bean Cafe with 25 per cent of its coffee.

*To enter Wild Bean Cafe’s Fairtrade Fortnight draw, customers purchase any Wild Bean Cafe drink until 20 May 2012, swipe their registered key tag and are automatically entered into the draw. Winners will be drawn on 24 May 2012.