Black Gold: A Coffee Film That Has Starbucks Scared

[Jcrowley]

Black Gold: A Coffee Film That Has Starbucks Scared

November 9, 2006 6:02 AM - Siel, Los Angeles

Treehuggers have probably heard about fair trade coffee, but many aren't familiar with it – and even more don't quite know what fair trade means, or why it's necessary. Despite the fact that a coffee crisis has been financially devastating coffee growers around the world, even as western corporations make a lot of money from coffee sales, the problem still doesn't get much coverage in the mainstream media.

Luckily, Black Gold's hit the theaters. This documentary puts the paradoxes of coffee trade under a glaring, illuminating light. The film juxtaposes how the coffee drinkers of the western world gladly pay $3-$5 for our high-priced espresso drinks, fattening the bottom lines of our corporations — while the crushingly poor farmers producing those yummy espresso beans barely make ends meet.

The hero of the film is Tadesse Meskela, an Ethiopean man who travels all over the world, trying to get the farmers he represents a better price for their coffee. We see him at trade shows, trying to find new buyers by giving out samples. We see him at the Ethiopian coffee auction, pointing out which big corporations are represented by who. And we see him talking to, getting opinions from, and participating in the decision-making for coffee co-ops in Ethiopia.

As you can imagine, Black Gold has Starbucks – which tries to sell itself as a conscientious company – very scared. After all, some of the starving Ethiopians shown in Black Gold are people who rely on the coffee trade – and live in the very region that Starbucks buys coffee from. Marc Francis and Nick Francis, the filmmakers, say that once the film hit Sundance, Starbucks people attended every screening in full damage control mode. Soon afterwards, Starbucks flew Tadesse out to Seattle for a showy weekend conference, during which Starbucks promised to up its purchases of African coffee.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/black_gold_a_co.php

See trailer:
http://www.blackgoldmovie.com/

US showings and locations:
http://www.blackgoldmovie.com/screenings.php

[hsher]

1. I am so gonna see this

I hate Starbucks. Yet another company pretending to be liberal and sweetly humming all the trendy new age words, while just as predatory and labor/trade-unfriendly as all the rest. I also don't care for them suing people over the word Starbucks, as though they owned it first -- which they didn't. The Wal-Mart/McDonald's of java consumption.

Go get 'em, Black Gold.

[Catherine Vincent]

7. But Patrick Fitzgerald loves Starbucks....

:)

[hsher]

12. I rescind what I just said :D

Go Starbucks!

(Can you imagine tasting the faint hint of cinnamon and slight sticky caramel syrup on those lips?)

Ahhh, Patrick :loveya:

[mike_c]

2. everyone should buy green fair trade beans and roast them themselves....

It's easy and the flavor is out of this world: http://www.sweetmarias.com/

[Mabus]

3. We've got some small, locally-owned coffee shops that only use fair trade beans

and I go there on the rare occasion that I go out for coffee. I buy FTB whenever I can.

I just never understood the whole Starbucks thing. I like coffee. I don't like the fancy stuff. I don't want cinnamon or nutmeg or foam, I just want a good cup of java. I also support locally-owned businesses. I think I've been in a Starbucks less than five times and none of the times were my idea.

[mike_c]

5. further, Starbucks coffee sucks-- it is horribly over-roasted...

...in most cases, so that any character the beans might or might not have had is utterly burned out. I have NEVER gotten a good cup of coffee at a Starbucks. Unfortunately, lots of other coffee sellers emulate the Starbucks style, which tends toward heavy, burnt beans.

[Mabus]

8. The few times I've been there, I wasn't impressed

With either the coffee or the atmosphere.

I guess I'm spoiled. When I was growing up coffee shops were social places where people sat, drank coffee and talked. The local coffee shops are homey. They're comfortable. The Starbucks I've seen always seem too sterile. People tend to sit by themselves and don't socialize. It's a weird vibe.

[karlrschneider]

17. I honestly can't recall ever even SEEING a starbucks!

I suppose there is probably one over in Tulsa but I don't know where it would be...and I get all over the country (and world) but usually don't get away or far from the airport...

[Mabus]

19. I live in a college town

We got one a few years ago.

[karlrschneider]

21. Lawrence?

:D

[Mabus]

22. You betcha!

Born here, raised in OKC and then back here about two days after HS graduation.

[karlrschneider]

31. I've only seen it from the air headed for the airport.

There was a guy who owned an optical lab there who I'd fly in to pick up occasionally. :-)

[Mabus]

39. If you ever get a chance to spend a few hours

let us know and we'll come out to the airport to meet you. We're a couple of miles south of the city airport. Lawrence isn't that big of a city.

[Diane R]

23. Wow. I can't even imagine. In Wash. State, there are three in every mall.

I'm not exaggerating. You can't turn down a street without finding a Starbucks. I thought the whole country was like that.

[gordontron]

32. hahahahah

you're joking right? they are everywhere. but then again I'm in the NW

[NMDemDist2]

26. and VERY stale. Starbuck's coffee is the worst n/t

[mom cat]

24. I am lucky to have fair trade coffee readilly available and just love

it. I will not even consider going to Starbucks or drink any slaveholder coffee.

[ClintonTyree]

47. The first time I was ever at a Starbucks.....

and the ONLY time, was in the Orlando International Airport. All I wanted was a simple cup of coffee. I searched all over their wall menu and didn't see any, just 'double mocha cream, single pump, extra foam with hazelnut sprinkles' and crap like that. :eyes: I had to order a cup of plain coffee 'special', nothing else in it. It wasn't on their menu. :banghead: On top of that, the server, or as they're called "baristas" now, or some horseshit name like that, looked at me like I was from another planet.

Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks. There's a little coffee-shop in my town that gives free bumper stickers stating that. Guess what? There's one on my car. When did a cup of coffee become a status symbol? :shrug:

[Mabus]

48. That's it

If I go to a coffee house, I want coffee. I like coffee like I like my man: hot, straight and strong. I don't want to put crap in it. If I wanted almonds, I would eat almonds. If I want chocolate, I'll get a candy bar. If I want a warm, foamy drink I'll make hot chocolate. I just hate going to coffee joint where they treat you like dirt for wanting coffee. :grrr:

I remember back in the early '80's when my live-in love got me started on gourmet coffees. Even then, all I wanted was pure Kona or Jamacian Blue Mountain. He liked the flavored ones. I didn't see the point of flavoring coffee then and I haven't changed.

I like the bumpersticker.

[Kingshakabobo]

52. I sometimes frequent the local shop in my neighborhood......

.......and their coffee is MORE EXPENSIVE than Starbucks - by about 10 cents...and guess what - I betcha they don't offer benefits and a somewhat decent wage.

If you didn't see regular coffee on the menu than you didn't look hard enough. Why would you need to see "plain coffee" on the menu in a coffee shop anyway??? What's wrong with ordering a plain coffee in a coffee shop?

Sometimes I get tired of the Starbucks hyperbole. Not everything they sell cost $4 dollars. Their regular coffee drinks are only slightly more expensive than that chain of dirty restaurants called Dunkin Donuts AND they pay benefits. Furthermore, their personnel are, for the most part, friendly.

[seaglass]

54. The venti coffee is 2.15, I don't think that's a lot. The starting

pay is 8.00/hr plus tips. For a starting job that's not too bad.

I do like some of the flavored drinks as a treat and I like the idea that they customize so you can get exactly what you want.

We only had DD's before Starbucks came to town and DD's sucks. We didn't get independent coffee shops UNTIL Starbucks moved in.

[Barking Spider]

50. Where in Lawrence?

Mabus-
Where in town (Lawrence) do they serve fair trade? I know many places sell it by the pound, but as far as I know the coffee that is actually served is not FT.

Peace!

PS. FYI: The Roasterie out of KC has really good (IMO) organic fair trade beans. It runs about 8$ a pound at HyVee. The Sumatra is Yum.

[hsher]

4. Thanks for the tip! Favorited!

[Nickster]

10. Thanks much for the info. Gonna give it a whirl. n/t

[NMDemDist2]

25. OMG!

I've created a monster!


:rofl:

[mike_c]

29. yep-- I am a born again coffee roaster....

LOL

[berni_mccoy]

6. I Noticed Dunkin Donuts is displaying a Fair Trade Logo in their shops

I know most here won't buy from DD because of the RW orientation, but they are using Fair Trade coffee. Anyone else see that?

[warrens]

9. Not to mention the nutritional content

Starbucks doesn't sell coffee. It sells 700 calorie desserts disguised as a cup of coffee.

[Fierce]

11. I hope all those fair-trade coffee baristas are making a living wage, too!

But somehow, I don't think so.

[Jcrowley]

13. Spilling the beans

Coffee, After 20 years of Fair trade coffee farmers are still looking for justice in the global market.
Whilst producing the 'Cost of coffee' teaching pack RISC researcher Dave Richards compiled this collection of the best links and articles from the project, exploring the burning issues in the global coffee industry.

From Charity to Justice, 20 years of Fairtraid.

Whilst producing the 'Cost of coffee' teaching pack RISC researcher Dave Richards compiled this collection of the best links and articles from the project, exploring the burning issues of the global coffee industry .

"Coffee is the second most valuable traded commodity globally -- after oil, yet we producer countries are amongst the world's poorest, Fair Trade? for us this is so much more than being an issue of charity -- its one of justice!"
Tanzanian coffee producer

Selected Acticles
Links below are to downloadable PDF documents, Max size 1 mb

http://www.risc.org.uk/readingroom/coffee.html

[Fierce]

14. Lotsa links there.

Was there one outlining fair trade for coffee servers?

[Jcrowley]

27. Of course there are problems

and Fair Trade is different between different distributors. Deans Beans is pretty thorough in checking out where the beans come from and I think Equal Exchange is, or used to be.

There are some links within that take you to pdf files, if you wish I can put portions up for you but if you're really interested you might consider snoopin' around and printing some of the articles for further reading and action. Of course in all of this is the unspoken truth that we simply drink too much of the stuff and it takes alot of energy to truck it around and alot of land to grow the stuff. Our desires are insatiable. And the coffee is good.

‘Fair’ coffee workers paid below minimum wage
By Hal Weitzman in Lima
Published: September 8 2006 21:01 | Last updated: September 8 2006 21:01

“Ethical” coffee is being produced in Peru, the world’s top exporter of Fairtrade coffee, by labourers paid less than the legal minimum wage. Industry insiders have also told the FT of non-certified coffee being marked and exported as Fairtrade, and of certified coffee being illegally planted in protected rainforest.

This casts doubt on the certification process used by Fairtrade and similar marks that require producers to pay the minimum wage.

It also raises questions about the assurances certifiers give consumers about how premium-priced fair trade coffee is produced

<snip>

The FT has also been told of Fairtrade coffee being planted in protected national forest land in the northern Peruvian jungle. Using global satellite mapping, a Canadian NGO found that about one-fifth of all coffee production in one Fairtrade-certified association was illegally planted in protected virgin rainforest.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/46cd2578-3f5a-11db-a37c-0000779e2340.html

[Fierce]

42. I'll spell it out.

It pisses me off when the "fair-trade" coffee is being served in Anytown, USA, by someone not making a living wage.

[Neecy]

15. Starbucks does *not* have clean hands

True Fair Trade coffee is purchased directly from the grower, thus ensuring a living wage for the farmer and his family.

In most of Central America, the coffee distribution system is run by a series of brokers, called "coyotes", who buy coffee at dirt-cheap prices from thousands of farmers and then sell to Starbucks and other American multinationals at "fair trade" prices. The farmer still receives pennies while Starbucks trumpets its fake "fair trade" coffee. Starbucks has done little to break up the mafia-like hold of the coyotes and in fact continues to buy from them. It's a complete farce.

[Lisa]

16. it's good -- they broadcast it in Canada

The same people did a history of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, called "The Cola Conquest". Very informative and thought-provoking.

[Radio_Lady]

18. Thanks for the link, but the movie played here in Portland on Oct. 12, 2006...

in the NW Film Center Amnesty International Festival.

I was in Florida and didn't hear anything about it.

[Lisa]

33. check your video store? It's out on DVD

I was surprised to see 3 copies on the shelves, at the quasi-Blockbuster store down the street.

[Lisa0825]

20. I did a paper on Fair Trade coffee and Zapatista alternative economy

last year. I will definitely be seeing this movie!

A true pioneer of fair trade coffee gave me a telephone interview for my paper:

http://www.caferebelion.com/

[Phrogman]

28. We produce shade-grown, fair trade coffee here in the mountains of Negros Island

Want a good deal on great coffee?

[Neecy]

34. hmmmm

Is this Canlusong organic? I've heard it's pretty good.

[mcg]

35. I buy shade-grown, fair trade coffee from an organic food store,

organic, various kinds, best coffee I've ever had.

[LZelig]

37. Phrogman...

Do you have a website? Not sure if you're allowed to post it here, if not, maybe you can help me google it. (A small order for personal use.)

[Phrogman]

41. Are we talking coffee here, or...ahem

No website yet. But I'm sure thinking about it. How much do you figure I'd be able to fetch per kilo on direct mail orders?

What does shade grown, fair trade coffee cost per kilo in the US nowadays?

[and-justice-for-all]

30. I would love to see this...

...But its not showing anywhere close at the moment.

I stopped drinking Starbucks over a year ago because it hurt my stomach; but I must have been aware of other issues with Starbucks, at least in the back of my mind.

I did care much for the corperate after taste either.

[Hailtothechimp]

36. I'm going to bat for Starbucks here.

Full disclosure: I do own some stock in Starbucks, and that does color my opinions about the company. But there are a few points to be made on their behalf.

1. They do provide a large market for coffee beans in general, which helps all coffee farmers sell more of their product. Did you see how they sold specialty beans from Rwanda in their stores earlier this year? Rwanda has seen lots of horrible things, so giving them a chance to sell a product and make a name for themselves for something OTHER than horrific genocide is a good thing. And if it wasn't "Fair Trade," it still brought in money and visibility to people who can use them both. How is that a bad thing?

2. They don't have unions, but they do offer healthcare to their people. Which is more than they need to do, and more than just about any other company in their industry does. And they take out full page ads in newspapers to try to encourage other companies to do the same. So to suggest they're heartless in some way isn't quite fair.

3. They have 12,000 stores around the world right now, and plan to expand to 40,000 stores someday. If you think the coffee sucks, don't buy it. But the millions and millions of people who visit these stores regularly (myself included) would disagree with you.

4. Did "Super Size Me" shut down McDonalds? How about "fast Food Nation"? I love Robert Greenwald's work, but Wal-Mart is still in business. I just don't think movies have the power to shut down these behemoth corporations. Shining a light on some excessive business practices is fine, and I'm not trying to suggest nothing will come of this. But I have read that some movie called "How Starbucks saved my life" will be made, with Tom Hanks in the starring role. That will get picked up by a big studio, and will do far more to promote Starbucks than a film like "Black Gold" will do to hurt it. And whether it's fair or not is beside the point.

5. Buying fair trade coffee is a personal choice that people can make or not make. Buy it if it makes you feel better. But don't hold it against people who don't feel that it solves any of the world's problems.

Flame away if you feel the need.

[beachmom]

44. Good response. With Starbucks, it's not all black and white.

As I said downthread, constructive engagement with the company would be the better route. I think they'd be willing to listen.

[Greyhound]

51. I used to feel like you, then in '97 (I think) they adopted the same corporate model

that they all use and began buying out their competition just to eliminate them. From the purchase of Seattle's Best to kill it, to their practice of "roadblocking" independent coffee shops simply to drive them out of business.

[pamela]

38. Try SojoBlend

Jim Wallis' group, Sojourners, has a free trade coffee they sell on their site.

http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=resources.sojoblend

[Skittles]

40. get your Fairtrade coffee at BuzzFlash

yes INDEEED

[beachmom]

43. Starbucks provides health insurance for all of their employees

I'm not going against what you're saying in the OP, but it's not just out of thin air that Starbucks has been labelled conscientious. I think they should be engaged in making sure coffee growers and workers are treated right. Everybody knows they have a LOT of liberal customers. Organize, and I bet you they'll change their ways on this.

[Marrah_G]

45. I hate starbucks coffee

Thank goodness I live in southeastern New England where you can find a Dunkies every mile or so!

(not kidding....when I lived in woonsocket RI in the 90's I had 4 withing a 1.5 mile radius of my house, including one at each end of my street)

[LongTomH]

46. A local KC company, The Roasterie, sells fair trade organic coffee

It's only a couple of blends so far. Look for the Fair Trade symbol on the bag or hopper.

[terip64]

49. OK I get my kirkland signature coffee at costco and it is 'roasted' by starbucks...

and it says that it is Fair Trade Certified.

What is the real deal?

[tbyg52]

53. For the prices they charge

Starbucks ought to sell nothing but fair trade *organic*! Can you imagine what their profit margin must be??

[goforit]

55. People will start boycotting.