Fair Nestle?
Nestle has launched N escafe Partners' Blend, a new coffee carrying the F airtrade mark. The "Partners Blend' soluble instant coffee is the first such Nestle product made from coffee grown by smallholders in El Salvador and Ethiopia.
This is a shift in Nestle's policy, which previously was against paying farmers above-market prices for coffee, saying it would encourage over-production and depress global market prices. The company doesn't just have farmers' interests at heart, but is aiming at Britain's organic foods sector, one of its fastest growing segments. The launch follows soon after Nestle's American rival Kraft linked up with non-governmental organisation Rainforest Alliance to introduce Kenco Sustainable Development coffee.