Fair trade coffee available now in Gwangju

In celebration of World Fair Trade Day 2008,
the Gwangju Fair Trade Movement is glad to announce
the discovery of two local brands of fair trade coffee in Gwangju
(and other cities around Korea),
another brand of coffee available online in Korea,
and then of course, there is always Starbucks' 'Estima'.


1.) The Beautiful Store's Beautiful Coffee has three varieties available:

'Nepal Coffee - A Gift from the Himalayas'

'Peru Coffee - A Gift from the Andes'

'Mountain Blend - Fair trade organic coffee'

















* Available in whole beans, in pre-ground form, or in convenient single-serve coffee bags
* Available from:
- all Beautiful Store shops (eg. to the immediate left of Gwangju Train Station)
- all HomePlus supermarkets, in the 'whole bean' section of the coffee aisle


2.) YMCA's own 'Peace Coffee' imported from East Timor

* Available in whole bean form,
or conveniently packaged into single serve coffee bags
in three boxes of 15 each
(ie. 45 cup servings in one attractive boxed set).


* Available from the YMCA, upstairs on the third floor,
up the stairs to the left of the Tourist Information Office,
just opposite GIC, on Kumnamno.


3.) The long-established French fair trade coffee company Cafes Lobodis,
which is available through the new Korean online store 'Fair Trade Store,'
or at their shop in Apgujung in Seoul.


















Lobodis is the Starbucks of fair trade coffees
in terms of its high profile which it enjoys in Europe
after celebrating its fifteenth year in business
but it is recognised for both quality of taste
and also ethical trading.


4.) Starbucks has one variety of fair trade coffee
which carries the official 'Fairtrade' logo, and is called Cafe Estima.
This is available in all Starbucks cafes in Gwangju and Korea
although only in packaged whole-bean form.
Company information on it is here and here.



It has this label on it:

Fair Trade Coffee Survey

At GIC on Saturday 10th May, World Fair Trade Day 2008
there will be a fair trade coffee taste test sampling session.

There will also be organic fair trade green tea and black tea to try (in tea-bag form),
and there will be at least six different types of fair trade coffee to sample, including two from Korea.

All drinks cost whatever silver coin donation you would like to make. Suggested donation prices are w500 for instant coffees, and a bit more for whole bean varieties.

You are welcome to bring your own favourite cup from home,
or buy a paper cup at GIC
(w10 or coin donation, to discourage use of paper cups)
and try any of the number of coffees available.

Your vote will be sought on which fair trade coffee is best for GIC to offer regularly in the future.

The featured coffee below is the second from a Korean company.

The fourth featured coffee is in two different forms:
























Brand: YMCA Korea, Peace Coffee Timor
Name: Peace Coffee - Coffee Bags; Peace Coffee - Whole Beans

This coffee comes in a unique and distinctive shade of egg-shell blue packaging, both appealing to the Korean sense of colour and reminiscent of the UN flag and peace-keeping force beret.

Despite bearing no official international labels certifying its organic or fair trade status, it does come to Korea via the national YMCA network. Though the colour of the packaging may be the first thing you notice, you will probably remember this single origin coffee for its pure full flavour. It has been taste tested by the GIC volunteer staff who happily endorsed the rich taste with a hint of cheeky bitter after-taste.

World Fair Trade Day 2008

World Fair Trade Day 2008

is Saturday 10th May.

GIC are celebrating by holding an afternoon of special events.

2.00 pm Fair trade coffee and chocolate taste test sampling session #1.
All fair trade coffees less than w1,000 suggested donation prices.

2.30 - 3.30 - GIC Saturday afternoon talk:

1.) What in the world is fair trade? (* including criticisms)
2.) Where is fair trade in Gwangju and Korea?
3.) On becoming a fair trade organisation.
4.) Q & A: audience participation.

3.30 - Fair trade coffee taste test sampling session #2.

3.45 - The World Fair Trade Day raffle draw.

3.50ish - Black Gold DVD screening.

Fair Trade Coffee Survey

At GIC on Saturday 10th May, World Fair Trade Day 2008
there will be a fair-trade coffee taste-test sampling-session.

You are welcome to bring your own favourite cup from home,
or buy a paper cup at GIC
(w10 or coin donation, to discourage use of paper cups)
and try any of the number of coffees available.

Your vote will be sought on which fair trade coffee is best for GIC to offer regularly in the future.

The fourth featured coffee is:
























Brand: Scarborough Fair
Name: Original Blend Fairtrade Organic Granulated Instant Coffee


This conveniently instant coffee carries the Fairtrade logo,






and displays the 'Certified Organic New Zealand Agriquality' stamp,






and has a mark stating it is 'IFOAM Accredited'
(The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements).



One cup, suggested price: w500.

Raffle now has second prize

The World Fair Trade Day 2008 fair trade raffle now has a second prize.

At the draw on Saturday 10th May at 3.45 pm at GIC,
a second ticket will be drawn out of the hat.

The second place prize pack will include fair trade chocolate, fair trade coffee and a fair trade soccer ball.

The second prize will be awarded to a ticket holder in the room at the time of the draw.

(If the first person drawn for the second prize is not present, another ticket will be drawn until such time as a winner for the second prize is found.)

Fair Trade Coffee Survey

At GIC on Saturday 10th May, World Fair Trade Day 2008
there will be a fair-trade coffee taste-test sampling-session.

You are welcome to bring your own favourite cup from home,
or buy a paper cup at GIC
(w10 or coin donation, to discourage use of paper cups)
and try any of the number of coffees available.

Your vote will be sought on which fair trade coffee is best for GIC to offer regularly in the future.

The third featured coffee is:
























Brand: Beautiful Coffee
Name: Nepal Coffee: A gift from the Himalayas, Fair Trade Coffee

One cup, suggested price: w500.

Fair Trade Coffee Survey

At GIC on Saturday 10th May, World Fair Trade Day 2008
there will be a fair-trade coffee taste-test sampling-session.

You are welcome to bring your own favourite cup from home,
or buy a paper cup at GIC
(w10 or coin donation, to discourage use of paper cups)
and try any of the number of coffees available.

Your vote will be sought on which fair trade coffee is best for GIC to offer regularly in the future.

The second featured coffee is:
























Brand: Cafe L'Affare (Italian: The Coffee Business)
Name: ORGANIC Honduras Fairtrade, Plunger or Filter Grind

An officially certified fair trade coffee,
this single-origin specialty label now carries
the Fairtrade logo.







One cup, suggested price: w700