Dear friends:

If you get the chance (and have the station) please watch Democracy Now tonight.  I am one of several people interviewed about the Ethiopian campaign to protect their regional names through trademarking, and Starbucks' relationship with the Ethiopians around this.

We will post the link on our What's Brewing section tomorrow.

We signed the agreement with Ethiopia last week, I got a call from Starbucks asking me why I changed my mind.  After a good talk, I urged them to sign as well.  They announced that they are going to sign (but haven't done it). So you and I played a part in this - be proud!

We have also signed the world's first long term fair trade agreement (5 years), with Oro Verde Coop in Peru. Besides price, quality and quantity, it deals with social and economic development, mutual branding and promotion, we are now full members of their cooperative and they have a seat on our Board of Directors.  Now that's taking fair trade to the next level!

Thanks for staying with us,

Dean