Events
Here are announcements concerning upcoming events, fairs, conferences, and meetings that are happening in the world of fair trade and coffee.
Market Challenges (and Solutions) in Nicaragua
As part of the ongoing CRS project "CAFE Livelihoods," three representatives from Coop Coffees -- Bill Harris, Tripp Pomeroy of Cafe Campesino, and Chris Treter of Higher Grounds -- spent a week in Nicaragua facilitating and participating in workshops on market management and commercialization in the coffee industry. They worked alongside 5 different cooperatives which included CC producer partners. Below is a trip report by Chris Treter, roaster-member and participant in the CRS Project.
Coop Sol opens its doors to the Green Team
In a short but productive weekend, Coop Coffees' Green Committee met in the new office space and site of the coop's future quality control lab to discuss pressing green bean issues and evaluate the next steps in getting the internal lab established.
World Fair Trade Day reaches thousands!
Every year, Fair Traders all over the world join forces for "World Fair Trade Day." This year, May 9 was the special day and the Fair Trade Resource Network worked very hard to organize and promote the largest FT Coffee Break in North America. They surpassed their lofty goal of 55,000 participants and successfully reached thousands of consumers all over the continent! Congratulations FTRN and keep up the good work!
SCAA and Party in Americus!
There's one more SCAA under our belt! This year, the event happened in Atlanta and brought together the usual suspects: everyone and anyone involved in the specialty coffee world. Following SCAA mayhem, Coop Coffees members, partners, and friends rode 3 hours, caravan-style, to Americus, Georgia for day of productive meetings, useful exchanges, and a fabulously fun soiree! A true celebration for all!
FTF Conference Highlights
The annual Fair Trade Federation conference offers an excellent opportunity for members of the North American FT movement and their international partners/allies to exchange useful experiences and information. This year's conference was particularly special as FTF launches into its 15th year anniversary in 2009! CoopSol's intern, Sophie Verdon was able to get the scoop in an interview with Carmen Iezzi, Exec. Dir of FTF.
Cooperative Coffees joins hands with the Art Miles Mural Project
In March, roaster-member Amavida participated in an international, 9-years-running peace project called the Art Miles Mural Project in which communities -- and children in particular -- are encouraged to create peace through art, namely through mural-painting. This year, the organization that runs the project chose the Seaside community, home to Amavida, to host the event. After a trip to Chiapas, Amavida delivered several murals produced by producer partner Maya Vinic's children. Read Dan Bailey's summary of the event below!
World Fair Trade Day
Coop Coffees is a proud sponsor of World Fair Trade Day (WFTD), an international celebration of Fair Trade. This year’s events will be taking place in over 80 countries worldwide and in North America, Fair Traders plan on breaking the record number of participants (50,000!) in the Fair Trade Coffee Break! The theme of this year’s World Fair Trade Day is Everything is better when it’s fair.
BALLE 2009 Conference
The 7th annual BALLE conference is the place for independent business owners, social entrepreneurs, and all those interested in building strong local economies to discover and discuss how local, independent businesses will shape and influence the new economy. The 2009 BALLE conference will showcase the many ways that local networks of independent businesses are already building the next North American economy; one that is local, green, and fair.
CLAC 2008 Assembly
More than 300 producer delegates and observers from 25 countries celebrated together the Third Bi-Annual CLAC Assembly – held this year in Antigua, Guatemala October 28 - 29, 2008. CLAC – the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Small-Scale Fair Trade Producers – is an association of 300 farmer associations representing some 250,000 men and women working to promote sustainable development through Fair Trade in 20 Latin American countries.
CoopCoffees' AGM 2008
Roaster members and staff of Cooperative Coffees gathered at Higher Grounds’ recently inaugerated café and roastery in the beautiful lakeside town of Traverse City, Michigan from Oct 2 - 5 for the Annual General Meeting of Members. The three-day weekend was action-packed with coffee cupping, discussion and debate around the internal politics of pricing and positions within Fair Trade, as well as clarifying the functions and responsabilities of staff and member alike.
USFT 2008 International Convergence
The Convergence is an opportunity for students, producers, educators, vendors, and other players in the fair trade movement to come together and share knowledge, experiences, and ideas. This year’s Convergence will have a strong focus on taking the Fair Trade movement forward—both the movement as a whole and the student movement in particular. The concept behind “taking it forward” is to inspire student activists to challenge the Fair Trade movement to continue evolving by creating new goals and new interpretations of what Fair Trade is and should be.
SCAA 2008 conference
Information is up about the annual SCAA conference, which this year will be taking place in Minneapolis.
2008 BALLE conference
Business Alliance for Local Living Economies will be hosting their annual conference in Boston from June 5th to 7th.
Midwest Heartland USFT Convergence
There will be another USFT regional gathering, this take taking place in Indiannapolis, IN February 1st to 3rd, 2008.
MidAtlantic Northeast USFT Conference
The details concerning the upcoming USFT conference, taking place in Washington D.C. January 25th-27th, 2008.
First Europeen Fair Trade Fair
Equi’Sol and its European and French partners invite you to the first European Fair Trade fair, on the 1, 2 and 3 of february, 2008 in Lyon







