Interesting change in our own perception....

Even though our group was researching the perception others have of our two chosen coffee shops (Starbucks and Caffe Driade), our perceptions changed-ironically. After speaking to the managers and staff of the two different coffee shops, we learned more about fair trade and the coffee industry. Though some of us had known about fair trade, we hadn't related it to the coffee industry before hearing about it first hand from an employee at Caffe Driade. The intent of fair trade, as stated in it's wikipedia article, is "to deliberately work with marginalised producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency." Yes....it is from wikipedia....but it seemed like a good summary of the concept. After realizing this concept, how Starbucks gets their coffee has alter our own perception of Starbucks as compared to Caffe Driade. Let's just say we may be spending more of our time at Caffe Driade and other non-corporate coffee shops that believe in fair trade rather than Starbucks and the like.