There are plenty of coffee roasters and retailers doing “well” by selling coffee at a premium price with a Fair Trade USA label claiming that it is also doing good.

Fair Trade USA, led by Haas graduate Paul Rice, has recently broken off from FLO (the international Fair Trade Labeling Organization) in order to widen its ability to certify large scale farms and domestic buyers. Many see this move to capture greater market share at the expense of the cooperative based values of fair trade. The argument is that as soon as large players like Starbucks get exceptions to operate below the FLO standards, and large scale farms become certified, the true value of a Fair Trade label as proof of doing good is devalued and diluted.

Yet, it is still the label of choice of so many consumers willing to pay more for socially responsible coffee, has the Fair Trade label become a marketing ploy to do well without real social benefits to back it up?

http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2011/09/fair-trade-usa-muddies-the-waters/