1. The Case of Coffee

2. FT & Coffee History Demand for ethical consumption FT
As flagship FT commodity
Draws attention to FT cause
NGO pressure on MNCs
FTUSA and FLO differ
MNCs/NGOs develop code of conduct
Rise of Starbucks
Niche market to mainstream

3. Coffee Plantation

4. Coffee Plantation

5. Coffee Plantation

6. Concentrated Coffee Roasting Industry
How does the highly-concentrated coffee roasting industry give MNCs an advantage over producers even in a FT model? (DQ 1)
Roasters (like Nestlé, Kraft) & Retailers (like Starbucks, McDonald’s)
FTOs- like CaféDirect
Your objective
Hurdles in your way
Ways to try to overcome these hurdles

7. Commodity Fetishism & FT (DQ 2)
Undermines CF
↑ in FT purchases
↑ Awareness
Challenges conventional capitalist practices
Combat effects of race to the bottom

8. Commodity Fetishism & FT (cont.)
Reinforce CF
Buy FT for approval
Halo effect, peers
FT often unexplained
Setting
Fair price
Still involves buying (more) stuff
Political action via consumerism
Economic activism v. political activism

9. Recap Coffee as key FT product Producers at whim of market prices
FT pays livable, constant wages
Shorter supply chain
MNCs benefit most in NEM
Use FT, labeling for profit
Manipulate rules, dilute standards
Commodity fetishism perpetuates NEM
How to use market against itself