NEWS: Starbucks Challenge 4.0 Update

By mid March, your local Starbucks may not have any fair trade coffee in stock. Again.

Yes, many local US Starbucks have already been consistently out of fair trade coffee. The difference is that, this time, Cindy of Starbucks has at least let us know beforehand that this fair trade shortcoming will be happening.

According to Cindy, who green LA girl ran into at the United Students for Fair Trade convergence in February, the sales of Starbucks' fair trade coffee — Cafe Estima — has been higher than expected (thanks challengers!), meaning Starbucks will be running out of its stock.

We're aware that Starbucks has been giving challengers a lotta excuses. That said, this is a new — and somewhat positive — one.

We are thus planning to push back Starbucks Challenge 4.0 until late-April (It was initially planned for mid-March). While we're not extremely happy about this, we do want to continue working with Starbucks to encourage the mermaid to live up to its fair trade promises. Starbucks, again, has said that it's facing unpredicted difficulties meeting its fair trade promises.

We're taking them at their word. We hope that you'll be patient with us, and that you'll take the challenge again in May.

Have a fair trade day :)

green LA girl and City Hippy

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