USAID, Walmart, TransFair USA and SEBRAE-Minas Gerais Sponsor Brazil Coffee Cupping CompetitionMembers of Fair Trade Certified Coffee Associations put their Beans to the Test
The event was sponsored by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Walmart, TransFair USA and the Brazilian non-profit SEBRAE, as part of the Responsible Sourcing Partnership project to benefit farmers throughout Brazil. The project aims to expand and improve the quality of Fair Trade Certified coffee supply though investments in infrastructure, technical assistance with production and postharvest processing, as well as training in coffee quality management. “The 2009 Fair Trade Cupping Competition is an important milestone of the Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project,” said Lisa Kubiske, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i. for the U.S. Embassy in Brazil. “The competition recognizes and rewards premium quality coffee and demonstrates how the Brazilian producers are taking advantage of the economic, social and environmental benefits resulting from the adoption of Fair Trade practices.” USAID, Walmart, TransFair USA and SEBRAE have partnered together on a three-year, public-private responsible sourcing partnership program. From 2007 – 2010, program partners will commit $1.9 million in investments and technical support to help 5,000 famers from the Brazilian states of Sao Paolo, Minas Gerais and Espiritu Santo increase coffee quality, improve cooperative management and enhance marketing. “We want to congratulate the farmers that participated in the competition and appreciate them for their tireless efforts to bring our members the highest quality coffee,” said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president of Merchandising, Sam’s Club. “We are proud that through this partnership, we are giving these farmers the opportunity to continue to improve their operations, compete in the global market and provide a better life for their families and their communities.” Producers and their families benefit from increased employment opportunities, expanded access to new domestic and international markets, increased use of environmentallysound farming methods, better prices for their coffee beans and overall improvements in their quality of life. “These coffee farmers have spent the past two years tirelessly working to improve the quality of their crops. They have participated in training sessions, attended specialty coffee conferences, and for the first time, many of their cooperatives have skilled, inhouse cuppers,” said Paul Rice, president and CEO of TransFair USA. “Because of the Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project, some of the best specialty coffee in Brazil has been uncovered, and we are so proud to say that it is Fair Trade Certified.” In 2008, imports of Fair Trade Certified coffee into the United States grew more than 30 percent. Fair Trade Certification provides higher prices, support for sustainable agriculture and funds for democratically-elected development projects. The Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project is an innovative public-private union designed to amplify the benefits Brazilian farmers gain from Fair Trade, increasing their incomes and capacities going forward. About USAID/Brazil About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. About TransFair USA About SEBRAE # # # Ed. Note: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the legal trade name of the corporation. The name "Walmart," expressed as one word and without punctuation, is a trademark of the company and is used analogously to describe the company and its stores. Use the trade name when it is necessary to identify the legal entity, such as when reporting financial results, litigation or corporate governance. |
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BELO HORIZONTE, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Nov. 20, 2009 - Winners for this week’s Brazilian Fair Trade Certified coffee cupping competition have been announced. Sebastião Reguim of the producer association, Unipcafem, and Marcos Antônio Nali of the producer association, Pró-nova, won first place in the natural and semi-washed coffee categories. The competition, which is a specialized tasting process to assess quality, capped off several months of intensive quality training for farmers and was attended by high-ranking Brazilian and U.S. officials, representatives of the Brazilian coffee industry and international coffee buyers.
