Fair trade coffee on the rise globally

  Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee now constitutes 4.5 per cent of the global market, according to figures released by the organisation. During 2012, 375,000 tonnes of coffee was grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, a 45 per cent increase over 2011. Fair Trade USA has also reported that imports of their certified coffee products are higher than ever. Some 74,000 tonnes were imported into the United States and Canada in 2012, representing an 18 percent increase over 2011. McDonald’s USA recently began sourcing 100 per cent of its espresso from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. McDonald’s was already using 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance certified coffee in its restaurants in Australia, New Zealand, and over half of the markets in Europe. In addition, all of the espresso served by McDonald’s Canada is from Rainforest Alliance. Other major coffee companies committed to the certification programme in North America include Caribou Coffee, Second Cup, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Nespresso. Fair Trade USA also brought on 60 new importers and roasters in 2012, and 50 new Fair Trade Certified coffee products were launched. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters recently converted some of its best-selling coffees, Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend, to Fair Trade Certified. Allegro Coffee also announced plans to convert its Ethiopian Blend to Fair Trade Certified in 2013.