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My favorite coffee brand is fair trade. It seems to be everywhere in Canada (except for Tim Hortans, which I think tastes like ass), I didn't know it was different in the States

I have bought Trader Joe's fair trade beans for espresso and thought it was grand.

I suggest: (Fair Trade) (Shade Grown) (Organic).

Shade Grown should also get much more attention.

The Fair Trade label is only available to a small subset of growers, those in co-ops, and is not available to larger land owners, no matter how much they pay their workers, so it does nothing to encourage a better living for the vast majority of farm workers. The conditions on organic farms tend to be better than average, and the Rainforest Alliance does a great job of vetting the growers who get their label.

Our coffee does not have the "Fair Trade" label but it is roasted by a small, local company that works with farmers to provide, in their words, "100% Sustainable Shade-Grown Coffee."

When I see "Freshly Roasted on 9/5/08" sitting on the shelf at Starbucks at the end of October - they're BEHIND the curve.

Oh wait, that wasn't the question.

Fair Trade, Organic. Always. And roasted for me no less than a week before I brew it.

As the daughter of a Roaster, I'm a little spoiled.


http://embritadesign.blogspot.com

I go to Red Hook (Brooklyn)'s Fairway and get Fairtrade Organic. They have three flavors!

I always buy it for home brewing, but when I am just buying a cup on the street, I get what I get.

I second digger21- shade grown is underrated. It's a win/win/win situation and it's not priced a huge amount more than other gourmet coffees.

For me the real dilemma is getting sugar to put in the coffee. I get to pick between fair trade and organic, not both. Ehh.