Specialty Coffee Retailer is a publication for owners, managers and employees of retail outlets that sell specialty coffee. Its scope includes best sales practices, supplies, business trends and anything else to assist the small coffee retailer.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/29864
Fair Trade Certifi ed sales on the rise Mainstream consumers are driving market growth Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States, reported new data confirming that mainstream consumers are increasing their commitment to Fair Trade faster than ever. The 2010 data from SPINS, a company that offers Fair Trade sales data across natural, specialty and mainstream channels, shows sales of Fair Trade Certified products at mainstream channels grew faster (26 percent) than those of specialty grocers (22 percent) and natural grocers (16 percent). The growth rate is for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 25, 2010. “We are encouraged by the fact that in spite of the economic recession, consumers everywhere are embracing the idea that every purchase matters,” said Cate Baril, director of business development, grocery and ingredients. “We continue to see strong, double-digit growth in the natural and specialty channels. And we see even stronger growth in supermarkets where sales are up 26 percent, as more stores are adding a greater variety of Fair Trade Certified products and increasing selection for consumers.” Coffee, the flagship Fair Trade category, grew 33 percent, due to the increased variety of Fair Trade coffees available through a broader assortment of retail supermarkets. Ready to drink tea and coffee, fueled by new commitments from Honest Tea and healthy growth from Adina Coffee, were up 39 percent. Fair Trade supporters indulged in wholesome sweeteners among others, driving an increase of 17 percent. Fair Trade USA (previously TransFair USA), a nonprofit organization, is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. Fair Trade USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies and their international suppliers to guarantee the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment, and receive community development funds to empower and uplift their communities. The SPINS’ data includes all food, drug, mass merchandisers and natural food 6 | May 2011 • www.specialty-coffee.com stores, but excludes Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Markets, Walmart, cafes/restaurants and private labels. The majority of Fair Trade Certified product sales are not represented in these data, as most sales come from brewed coffee, private label products, and retailers that did not participate in SPINS’ program. Visit www.FairTradeUSA.org for more information. Ultimate Barista Challenge wows New York att endees Expert baristi crowned during International Restaurant and Foodservice Show From February 27–March 1, the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York hosted the Ultimate Barista Challenge, where Ultimate Baristi USA faced off with baristi in dueling coffee challenges. The challengers participated in Latte Art, Espresso Frappe, and Best of Brew- Chemex Challenges. UBC-certified tasting and technical judges awarded points based on technical expertise, performance and beverage taste. The barista who outperformed the rest in the qualifying rounds competed against an Ultimate Barista USA in a final test of expertise. Amanda Ventresca of Café Grumpy took top honors in the qualifying rounds of the Latte Art competition to advance to the championship round, where she faced off with current Ultimate Barista USA David Buehrer. In a thrilling upset Ventresca became the newest Ultimate Barista. In the Espresso Frappe Challenge, Ecky Prabanto of Greenway Coffee & Tea rose to the top, finally falling to Ultimate Barista USA Mike Love in the championship round. In the Best of Brew Chemex Challenge, Greenway Coffee & Tea’s Prabanto again advanced to the qualifying round, but lost to Ultimate Barista USA David Buehrer, who won top honors for the Best of Brew. For more information about the Ultimate Barista Challenge and its upcoming events, visit ultimatebaristachallenge.com/. Tea Championship reveals North America’s “Best of-the-Best” Nineteen companies shine in February competition The North American Tea Championship named 19 first-place winners in its annual Hot Tea Class/ Fall Tea evaluation Feb. 22–23 in Las Vegas. The event is North America’s Correction: The April Buyer’s Boutique writeup about Rishi Tea included incorrect pricing information. The teas, including Masala Chai, caffeine-free West Cape Chai, Chocolate Chai, Vanilla Mint Chai and Green Tea Chai, are priced at $9.99 per tin, not per case. Mark Your Calendar May 18-19 May Caffè Culture, Olympia Exhibition Centre, London, UK, www.caffeculture.com 21-24 National Restaurant Association Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, www.restaurant.org 3-5 Coffee Fest San Diego, San Diego Convention Center; www.coffeefest.com 22-24 SCAE World of Coffee, Maastricht, The Netherlands, http://scae.com/scae-world-of-coffee-maastricht.html 24-26 World Tea Expo, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, www.worldteaexpo.com 28-30 The Ultimate Barista Challenge, Southwest Foodservice Expo, Dallas, www.restaurantville.com 8-10 Coffee Fest Hawaii, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Waikoloa, Hawaii, www.coffeefest.com July June