McDonald's to Start Selling Organic Coffee
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 10.29.05
McDonald's will begin selling organic coffee at its New England restaurants next month. It's an arrangement that could spark huge growth for Green Mountain Coffee, the company that will be supplying Newman's Own Organics blend coffee. The coffee will be available in more than 650 McDonald´s restaurants in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and in the Albany, N.Y., region. Green Mountain Coffee earlier entered a separate deal to purchase beans, roast them and package them for Newman´s Own. The latest arrangement with McDonald´s expands the deal. :: Burlington Free Press
is there a certain sense of irony that McDonald's will have a fair trade supplier? I wonder how long before we get a fair trade Big Mac, where the staff are paid a living wage?
The article is unclear -- is the organic coffee the only coffee McDonald's will sell or just there for customers who specifically ask for it?
Alas, New England cuppa joes notwithstanding, the Golden Arches is far, far away from winning a golden star from tree huggers, I think.
Looks like all the coffee served will be organic: from Greenbiz story: "participating locations will be switching 100% of their coffee products over to Fair Trade certified organic coffee from Newman's Own Organics, roasted by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters."
That's great... but now can anyone tell me where the water that's being used to make the coffee at MickeyD's comes from?
I think we should line up behind this! McD's can change the landscape of the food industry just by demanding that their suppliers act a certain way, or they'll find someone who will.
They've already seen the popularity of the product, and they want some of the action.
When this comes to my area, I just might start drinking coffee.
Doesn't mean I'm going to start eating Big Macs though.. ..
na