Starbucks Coffee Company Reaffirms its Commitment to Rwandan and East African Coffee Farmers
KIGALI, Rwanda, June 26, 2009 - As part of its ongoing commitment to east Africa, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced today that participating stores in the U.S. and Canada will offer for a limited time a selection of African coffees and other products from the region beginning next week. In addition, Starbucks executives started a four-day visit to Rwanda today and met with the local groups supplying the items for the Starbucks coffee and merchandise as well as recipients of contributions through its relationship with (PRODUCT)RED™.
Featured coffees for this summer include an East African coffee blend offered as part of Starbucks ongoing relationship with (PRODUCT)RED™. For every pound of the (STARBUCKS)RED Whole Bean Coffee sold in the U.S. and Canada, Starbucks will contribute US $1 to the Global Fund to help support AIDS programs in Africa. Stores in the U.S. and Canada will also feature a 100 percent Rwanda coffee, which is noted for its crisp and clean finish.
Included in today's visit was the TRAC (Treatment and Research AIDS Center) center and clinic. TRAC is Rwanda's national HIV and AIDS research center which houses the country's busiest/most demanding HIV clinic. Starbucks senior leadership team had the opportunity to visit the clinic and learn and witness in person how the availability of antiretroviral therapy, which (RED) helps finance has help make a difference in peoples' lives.
Also featured in Starbucks stores this summer will be merchandise created by Rwandan artisans – such as authentic African fabric tumblers and cotton canvas hand sewn totes – from Fair Winds Trading. Through our relationship with Fair Winds Trading, we are able to give our customers an opportunity to connect with a community of artisans who are working to create a better life for themselves and their families. These products are another way Starbucks is connecting our customers with the people and places that grow our coffee and investing in the success of Rwandan communities.
About Starbucks
Starbucks Coffee Company provides an uplifting experience that enriches people's lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time. To share in the experience, visit www.starbucks.com.
About (RED)TM and (PRODUCT)RED™
(RED)'s primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds for the Global Fund, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the (PRODUCT)RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to finance AIDS programs in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Dell, Windows and Starbucks. Since its launch in the Spring of 2006, more than $130 million has been generated by (RED) for the Global Fund. (RED) money is at work in Swaziland, Rwanda, Ghana and Lesotho. For more information, visit www.joinred.com.
About The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financer of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US $15 billion for programs in 140 countries. The Global Fund supports programs based on agreed performance targets and disburses money in response to proven results. At the end of 2008, programs supported by the Global Fund have averted more than 3.5 million deaths by providing AIDS treatment for 2 million people, TB treatment for 4.6 million people, and by the distribution of 70 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria worldwide. For more information visit www.theglobalfund.org. (RED)™ is the Global Fund's largest private sector contributor. For more information, please visit www.theglobalfund.org.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5996048&lang=en
Â
