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ICON DECODER

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Note: Ratings are based on company record, including parent companies. They are not a comment on the product itself.
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Coffee

The Guide > Food & Drink > Drinks > Coffee 

    Industry Alert: Worker exploitation

Fairtrade Coffee

Coffee is the most traded commodity in the world after oil and illegal drugs. However during the past decade, prices paid to coffee farmers fell to a 30-year low with as little as 3 cents from a $3 cup of coffee reaching the farmers who grew the beans. Worldwide, 25 million small-scale farmers and their families have been affected. This is to be contrasted with continuing profits in the billions, for companies such as Nestle, Kraft and Sara Lee. In 2010, Nestle, the worlds biggest food company, recorded a net profit of 34.2 billion francs (AUD $34.8 billion), three times the 10.4 billion francs it earned in 2009.
  • Look for products with the certified Fairtrade symbol. Buying Fairtrade coffee ensures farmers get a fair deal: 'a minimum price of AUD $3.80 per kilo compared to the local price of about AUD 65 cents'.  [Fairtrade ANZ]
  • Some Coles and Woolworths supermarkets stock fairtrade coffee brands such as Oxfam, Global Cafe Direct & Republica.  [World Vision's Good Coffee Guide]

Organics

Organic systems recognise that our health is directly connected to the health of the food we eat and ultimately, to the health of the soil. Organic farmers aim to produce good food from a balanced living soil. They severely restrict the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers. Animals are reared without the routine use of drugs including synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics and wormers, which are commonly used in intensive livestock farming.
  • Choose products that are certified organic or biodynamic under one of the following labels: BFA, ACO, NAASA, Demeter.  [Destination Organic]
  • Find out which fruits and veggies expose you to the most and least pesticides so you'll know which ones to buy organic, and which conventionally grown ones are okay when organic isn't available. See the Environmental Working Group's 'Pesticides in produce' guide.  [EWG's 'Shopper's Guide Pesticides in Produce' ]

Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. It is highly addictive and causes unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (headaches being the most common) if you stop drinking it suddenly. Most people get their caffeine fixes from coffee and tea, but it is also present in cola drinks, energy drinks and chocolate (the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it contains). Caffeine is a strong diuretic and can cause insomnia, tremors and reduced fertility in men. It's bad news for pregnant women too.   [more]
  • Typical caffeine quantities: Red Bull (250ml can) - 80mg; Mother (500ml can) - 160mg; Coca-Cola can - 40mg; Coffee - 80-100mg typically; Tea - about half that of coffee (varies greatly); A chocolate bar - up to 10mg
  • Find out how much caffeine you consume each day using Choice's Caffeine calculator.  [Caffeine calculator]

Alternatives beyond the mainstream

ecoCaffe  [more info]
Features: Biodegradable coffee capsules
The ecoCaffe Company is a 100% Australian owned company that exclusively distributes the Ethical Coffee Company espresso's in biodegradable coffee capsules for Australian consumers. Their range includes Fairtrade and organic options.
Manufacturer: ecoCaffe
Pablo & Rusty's  [more info]
Features: B Corporation, carbon neutral, Australian owned
Pablo & Rusty's is a Sydney based coffee roaster, certified B Corporation and a Certified Carbon Neutral Organisation. They also run their factory on solar, and invest in tree planting and rebuilding biodiversity hotspots.
Manufacturer: Pablo & Rusty's
Tradewinds  [more info]
Features: Organic, Fairtrade
Your one stop shop for fair trade and organic tea and coffee. Online sales. Tradewinds is a volunteer based not-for-profit company, with profits funding targeted projects that open new opportunities for producer communities.
Manufacturer: Tradewinds
WithOneBean  [more info]
Features: Organic, Fairtrade, Social enterprise
WithOneBean coffee is ethically, socially and environmentally sourced from a cooperative of subsistance farmers in Timor Leste. 100% of the profits from coffee sales goes to environmental and educational projects in Timor Leste.
Manufacturer: WithOneBean
About these listings
Find farmers' markets, food coops, farm gate products at Local Harvest
BRAND COMPANY OWNED RATING
Jasper certified Fairtrade organic certified Fairtrade organic Jasper Coffee   Australian Owned  Praises, no criticism1
Republica certified Fairtrade certified organic certified Fairtrade certified organic Republica Coffee   Australian Owned  Praises, no criticism1
Nature's Cuppa certified organic certified organic EatRite Australasia   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Brasilia  Nievole Distributors   (San Remo) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Monjava  Nievole Distributors   (San Remo) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Aurora  Vittoria Food & Beverage   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Chicco D'oro  Vittoria Food & Beverage   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Vittoria  Vittoria Food & Beverage   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Clipper some products certified organic- some products Fairtrade some products certified organic- some products Fairtrade Clipper Teas   (PAI Partners)
Distributor: Kadac  
FRA  Some praise, no criticism2
Carte Noire  Lavazza Australia   (Lavazza) ITA  Some praise, no criticism2
Lavazza  Lavazza Australia   (Lavazza) ITA  Some praise, no criticism2
Mocopan  Mocopan Coffee   (UCC Group) JPN  Some praise, no criticism2
Eureka Coffee  Eureka Coffee   Australian Owned  No rating3
Bushells  FreshFood   Australian Owned  No rating3
Europa  FreshFood   Australian Owned  No rating3
Faggs  FreshFood   Australian Owned  No rating3
Picco  FreshFood   Australian Owned  No rating3
Robert Timms  FreshFood   Australian Owned  No rating3
Negrita  Negrita Coffee   Australian Owned  No rating3
Griffiths  Oasis Griffiths   Australian Owned  No rating3
Oasis  Oasis Griffiths   Australian Owned  No rating3
Primo Caffe  Primo Products   Australian Owned  No rating3
Avalanche  Avalanche Coffee   NZL  No rating3
Organic East Timor Coffee  CCT   TLS  No rating3
Coffex  Coffex Coffee   (Massimo Zanetti) ITA  No rating3
Global Cafe Direct certified Fairtrade organic certified Fairtrade organic Coffex Coffee   (Massimo Zanetti) ITA  No rating3
Illy  Illy Australia   (Illy) ITA  No rating3
Melitta  Melitta Group   GER  No rating3
Segafredo  Segafredo Zanetti Australia   (Massimo Zanetti) ITA  No rating3
bean ground & drunk certified Fairtrade certified organic certified Fairtrade certified organic The Bean Alliance   (Massimo Zanetti) ITA  No rating3
Alcafe  Aldi Australia   (Aldi South) GER  Praises, some criticism4
Expressi some products certified Fairtrade some products certified Fairtrade Aldi Australia   (Aldi South) GER  Praises, some criticism4
Lazzio  Aldi Australia   (Aldi South) GER  Praises, some criticism4
AllPress  Asahi Beverages   (Asahi Group) JPN  Praises, some criticism4
Fix Rainforest Alliance certified Rainforest Alliance certified Grinders   (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) UK  Praises, some criticism4
Giancarlo  Grinders   (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) UK  Praises, some criticism4
Grinders some products certified organic some products certified Fairtrade some products certified organic some products certified Fairtrade Grinders   (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) UK  Praises, some criticism4
Romanza  Grinders   (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) UK  Praises, some criticism4
Cafe Palazzo some products Rainforest Alliance certified some products Rainforest Alliance certified Di Bella Coffee   (Retail Food Group) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Di Bella  Di Bella Coffee   (Retail Food Group) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Gloria Jeans some products Rainforest Alliance certified some products Rainforest Alliance certified Gloria Jean's   (Retail Food Group) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Campos  Campos Coffee   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Sacred Grounds certified organic certified organic Campos Coffee   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Douwe Egberts some products UTZ Certified some products UTZ Certified Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Harris some products UTZ Certified some products UTZ Certified Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
L'OR some products UTZ Certified some products UTZ Certified Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Moccona some products UTZ Certified some products UTZ Certified Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Piazza Doro some products UTZ Certified some products UTZ Certified Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Two Seasons  Jacobs Douwe Egberts Australia   (Acorn Holdings) NLD  Criticisms6
Andronicus  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Dolce Gusto  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
International Roast  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Nescafe  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Nescafe Gold Organic certified organic certified organic Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Nespresso  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Starbucks  Nestle Australia   (Nestle)
Brand Owner: Starbucks  
SWI  Criticisms6
Mr Barista  Tata Consumer Products Australia   (Tata Group) IND  Criticisms6
Jarrah  Twinings & Co   (Garfield Weston Foundation) UK  Criticisms6



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