Coca-Cola Opens First Cafe in Toronto
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.06
On fashionable Bloor Street in Toronto, there is one building that always stood out as an icon of modernism; it was home for Georg Jensen for years. We recently passed it and noticed that it was now a cafe, Far Coast, that looked good and fit right into the lovely structure. We now learn that it is the North American prototype for a new coffee house chain being developed by none other than Coca Cola. There is no indication of this in the store; instead you find bamboo floors, a fair trade coffee, cups with recycled content, biodegradable utensils and bamboo stir sticks. In the men's loo, they have waterless urinals. Do we dare to give them credit for making the right moves here, the company that makes Dasani bottled water, and of course, Coca-Cola, not exactly the healthiest thing around? Perhaps. ::Now Magazine doesn't think so.
Do we dare to give them credit for making the right moves here?
Yes. Judge the product, not the investor. I still won't be going to this shop, for non-ethical reasons, but if they're really walking the walk on this one, then give credit where credit is due. This cafe has no bearing on the ethical credentials of the soft drink, and the reverse is equally true.
Starbucks-come-lately with a modest green upgrade.
Let's also remember that there are plenty of locally owned coffeeshops that keep ourcommunity economy thriving. Supporting multinationals drains our local economy!
I'm surprised it took them this long to compete with Starbucks et al.
Yes, the local-economy argument is the most compelling not to go to any chain; problem is it's hard to find any real "local cafés" that aren't sort of chain-like anymore, outside of (in Montreal at least) Little Italy - even a lot of apparently indie cafés and restaurants are carefully designed one-offs by restaurant management groups. Not that there's anything wrong with that, maybe this constant search for 'authenticity' in our beverages is a bit misplaced. If the main Coca-Cola company decided to green its supply chains and ethicize its business practices (is that a word? it is now) then that would be great, in the meantime it's just another entry into a crowded marketplace with its own niche appeal. I worry that when we Treehuggers over-focus on visible consumer brands we lose sight of the big things that go on at the root levels of agriculture (Archer Daniels Midland, Monsanto, Cargill, ConAgra). I mean, the TVP in your average veggie burger is a patented ConAgra product -- did you know that?
I don't support Coca-Cola "the drink", but I think if a bad company is trying to make money off the "eco-movement" then way not.By doing what there doing it gets the mass-population to learn the terms "biodegradable" and so on.
If big organisations change their supply chains and use more eco friendly materials, then that has to be good for the environment. Which I assume is what we all want.
However this also looks like the thin edge of a greenwashing wedge to me.
Address??? I don't want to be shopping on Bloor St if I don't have to be. Too much $$$!
This story is bigger for another reason: it clearly demonstrates that global corporations are doing their homework when it comes to our global culture and will stop at nothing to capitalize on it: multi-cultural, eco & socially responsible. They are just building on the most recent consumer trends.
Aside from the marketing, look a the product. It is "coffee" from a machine- easily replicated by any of the push a bottom instant espresso machines on the market.
Brings you back to the days of vending machine coffee- press y3 for cafe au lait.
Today in Toronto, tomorow in Europe ( far europe coast) and soon, maybe, in Madagascar island.
www.farcost.eu