Shop Talk

Starbucks to sell exclusive Rwanda coffee in UK

Starbucks will start selling a high-grade variety of fair trade-certified Rwandan coffee in Britain and Ireland next year as part of its effort to source more fair trade beans across East Africa. 

The world’s biggest coffee chain has pledged to have all coffee sold in its 700 British and Irish outlets fair trade-certified, which would make it the largest purchaser of such coffee in the world. 

Coffee represents Rwanda’s biggest foreign-exchange export earner in an economy which has been rebuilt following the 1994 genocide of 800,000 people.

(Photo\Starbucks)

from Summit Notebook:

Using the recession to teach kids key life lessons

Nina Kampler said yes to a pair of sneakers, but no to a new prom dress.

Kampler, executive vice president of strategic retail and corporate solutions at Hilco, said she has cut back on some spending during the recession, but hasn't skimped on items that her four children really need or experiences that educate or enrich their lives.

While the other members of her family nixed the annual Spring vacation to a resort, they will be taking a trip to Africa this summer. "One is an educational and growing experience, the other is sitting in the sun. It's very different," Kampler said during the Reuters Global Retail Summit in New York.

When asked about ways she or her family have changed their spending habits during the recession, Kampler said she has bought less clothing and did not buy an extra car for her kids who were coming home from college.

Although they may be able to afford the extra car, Kampler said she felt it was important to teach her kids to understand they can't buy everything they want all the time.  Plus, they needed to learn to communicate with each other and coordinate who shares the existing cars. 

Areas where she hasn't cut back?

"Absolutely no cutbacks on food or entertaining in my house, absolutely no cutbacks on the education and enrichment of my children.  No cutbacks on books and music, I feel these things nourish the soul," Kampler said.