A Fair Trade Focus
 |
| Charles Trace, Chief Operating Officer of the Coffee Point Group |
The Coffee Point Group has announced its intentions to provide customers across the North East with a new “Fair Trade only” offer.
Coffee Point is a privately-owned vending company operating over 15,000 machines nationwide. In January 2003, they launched their full range of Fair Trade products at the London Mayor’s offices at City Hall. In addition to the 200 invited guests, were two farmers who flew up from Africa to attend the event and who spoke passionately about the effect that Fair Trade had on their lives and their communities. The new offer is in direct response to customer demand, say the company, whose customers report that they are looking to improve the quality of both tea, coffee and chocolate drinks, but also want support farmers, growers and local communities with a fair deal.
Coffee Point’s Fair Trade range includes instant, fresh brew, ground and coffee beans, fresh brew tea and hot chocolate as well as a wide range of bottled drinks, snacks and confectionery products, all supplied through one simple contract. Cliff Phillips, northern general manager at Coffee Point, comments: “When we talk to people about Fair Trade in more detail, they are incredibly enthusiastic. When they realise just how committed we are to guaranteeing a fairer deal for producers, particularly in developing countries, they understand why we’re so passionate. It’s important for us to be able to give a lot more clarity on just how much difference going Fair Trade makes to local communities. Coffee Point doesn’t just buy and sell Fair Trade products but actively gets involved by going to the actual farms and supporting in many other ways.”
Chief operating officer, Charles Trace (pictured) has recently returned from Rwanda and Kenya, where he visited the tea estates, tea factories and the local communities where Coffee Point’s tea comes from. In addition to buying the tea, they are supporting the local orphanages with additional funds. Their teams have also visited Sumatra where they source their Fair Trade and organic coffee beans (these stories can be seen in further detail by visiting www.coffeepoint.co.uk).