| September 20, 2001 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Windsor, Ontario -
Attention: Coffee Drinkers
The Citizens Environment Alliance and Far Flung Foods vendor Greg Williams are encouraging local coffee connoisseurs to consider a “fair trade” alternative to their regular cup of joe.
Williams, whose Far Flung Foods is located in the Windsor Market, has been selling fairly-traded, organic, “bird-friendly” coffee for over a year. Now, he wants Windsorites to know he’s serious about promoting the environmental benefits of organic coffee. He’s going to donate a portion of the proceeds of his Viridian Organic Blend to the Citizens Environment Alliance (CEA) to assist ongoing CEA campaigns for our local environment.
“When folks choose this coffee, they’ll be helping the environment here and in Central and South America as well,” said Williams.
These practices are better for the coffee producers, better for the soil, better for regional birds and wildlife and better for our global environment. The CEA Viridian Blend is all three: organic, bird-friendly and fairly traded!
The conventional method of coffee distribution means that the coffee farmer is at the mercy of commodity traders, who rely on price fluctuations to make their money. Fair Trade Coffee provides guaranteed minimum prices for farmers, pre-financing by the importer and long term contracts. All of this allows investment in social and ecological development projects while allowing families to inter-plant fruit trees and vegetables in addition to coffee. Furthermore, the coffee is purchased directly from farmers or their cooperatives
“After oil, coffee is the most heavily traded commodity in the world,” commented CEA President Shawn Hupka. “We’re trying to help change the way coffee is traded.” Before Williams opened Far Flung Foods, the CEA sold bags of fair trade coffee from their office in downtown Windsor. “We’re certainly pleased that Greg is selling shade-grown, organic, fair trade coffee and we’re delighted that he’s interested in helping us out as well,” commented Hupka.
The CEA Viridian Blend will be available for tasting (and purchase) on the CEA Tour of the Detroit River, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2001.
For more information contact:
Shawn Hupka
President, Citizens Environment Alliance
(519) 973-1116
Greg Williams
Far Flung Foods Proprietor
(519) 253-4466