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Starbucks donates (only) $100,000 to tsunami victims?

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Donailin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 01:51 AM
Original message
Starbucks donates (only) $100,000 to tsunami victims?
This corporation makes billions on the backs of poor coffee farmers around the globe and they pat themselves on the back for this? And then further say that if you buy a pound of sumatra, they'll give 2 dollars to the relief agencies? (IOW, buy more starbux$$$)

Boycott, I say! Be sure and email the company to let them know the ought to give ALL the proceeds of Sumatra coffee to the victims, and they ought to have Fair Trade coffee EVERYDAY .


Contact Information:
Audrey Lincoff
Starbucks Coffee Company
(206) 318-5013
alincoff@starbucks.com






http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=467
SEATTLE;December 29, 2004
Starbucks Donates $100,000 to Southeast Asia Relief Efforts
In addition, Company Will Enhance Contribution by Donating $2 From Sales of Select Southeast Asian Whole Bean Coffees During January

In response to the unprecedented natural disaster in Southeast Asia, Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) has made an initial contribution of $100,000 to two international relief organizations – CARE and Oxfam UK. Both international relief organizations have been actively involved in the rescue efforts in the countries that were badly impacted by the earthquake and tsunamis.

In addition to the immediate cash donation to these relief agencies, during January 2005 Starbucks will also donate $2 for every pound of Sumatra, Decaf Sumatra and Aged Sumatra whole bean coffee purchased in its Company-operated stores in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, while supplies last.

“We are deeply saddened by the tremendous devastation and rising death toll in Southeast Asia, and extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the bereaved families and those impacted by this tragic event,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman. “Starbucks has a long tradition of striving to contribute positively to communities in which we do business. Our prayers and thoughts are with all the families who have lost their loved ones.”

To further enhance the Company’s initial cash contribution to the designated relief organizations, Starbucks Company-operated stores in these markets will donate $2, or local currency equivalent, for every pound of whole bean Sumatra and Decaf Sumatra coffee sold in January 2005. The donation will also apply to Aged Sumatra, the next Starbucks® Black Apron Exclusives™ coffee, when it arrives in stores on January 5.

CARE will receive the donation from the sale of these coffees in the U.S. and Canada and Oxfam UK will be the recipient of the donation from coffee sales in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany.

Starbucks partners (employees) around the world are also supporting the relief efforts in a number of ways. For example, stores in Thailand proclaimed December 29 “Day of Giving,” during which 100 percent of the day’s store profits were designated for relief. The store partners from the remaining Phuket, Thailand Starbucks store spent several thousand baht (local currency) of their own money in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami to buy food, water, and cloth to wrap bodies for victims in the community.

“I am humbled by the response demonstrated by the world community,” continued Schultz. “We know in our hearts that giving back to the communities of Southeast Asia, which have been part of the Starbucks family for more than 20 years, will help towards recovery and rebuilding efforts. As the days go by and the relief needs change, the Company and our partners will continue to look for ways to provide support to the impacted communities.”


For more information, visit CARE or Oxfam online.


About Starbucks Coffee Company
Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 8,700 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino® coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot™ coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company’s brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo Tea’s line of innovative premium teas and Hear Music’s exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle’s Best Coffee® and Torrefazione Italia® Coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.




###




Contact Information:
Audrey Lincoff
Starbucks Coffee Company
(206) 318-5013
alincoff@starbucks.com




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Tacos al Carbon Donating Member (326 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:01 AM
Response to Original message
1. I'm sorry, but this is asinine
Starbucks is a company that is supposed to make money for its shareholders. It's not the UN or the Red Cross or a government. It is under no obligation whatsoever to give to any cause. The fact that it is contributing is laudable and hardly a cause for boycott. They've done more than 99.99% of companies worldwide. You think they should give more? You don't like how they do business? Sell your Starbucks stock. You don't have any Starbucks stock? Then please help yourself to a nice, hot, venti cup of STFD and STFU. You get no say in how they do business. How much has your company given?
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FellowAmerican Donating Member (151 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:03 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. That makes two of us n/t
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Donailin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:06 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. Sumatra farmers
would probably disagree with you, maybe they could sell their stock.

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Donailin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:14 AM
Response to Reply #3
5. "You get no say in how they do business."
Hit send too soon. . . but sure I do, last time I looked, this is a free country and I am free to boycott their product if I believe they exploit coffee farmers and practice in a selfish and greedy fashion. But please continue to defend the corporation, your interest in their welfare is obvious. <g>
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Merlot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:23 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. Yes, you can boycott Starbucks
but there are many corporations that do far worse that starbucks. From what I understand, they treat their employees very well. Yes, they should have fair-trade coffee, and maybe someday with consumer pressure they will. But boycott? I'm to busy boycotting Walmart, Target, any gas station but Shell.
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:02 PM
Response to Reply #7
19. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
JVS Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:30 PM
Response to Reply #5
22. Who do you think you're kidding? I bet you already boycotted them for...
their predatory business practices. You can't double boycott
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meisje Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:28 AM
Response to Reply #1
9. Thank You
I'm getting really sick of all the crying about shit on this board. The U.S. did not give enough, then when they did, it still was not enough for some people. Sheeesh Wah Wah Wah
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:41 AM
Response to Reply #1
11. Fuck the shareholders, what about the interests of their CUSTOMERS?
CUSTOMERS are why businesses exist. Not shareholders. Not the CEO's ever increasing need to have more money. But CUSTOMERS.

Forget about the customers and they leave. End of story.
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demwing Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 06:59 PM
Response to Reply #11
16. So leave
Never buy from Starbucks.

Thats how YOU deal with this.

I say Bravo, Starbucks, Bravo.

Think I'll go myself a Double Latte.
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moderatesoutherndem Donating Member (23 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:01 PM
Response to Reply #11
18. businesses exist to earn a return for their owners/investors.
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Cobalt Violet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 10:34 PM
Response to Reply #18
25. MY BUSINESS DOESN'T
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:01 PM
Response to Reply #1
17. A-fucking-men
If you're going to start boycotting companies you consider cheap for donating less than 100,001 dollars, you'd better bring a good fucking supply of pens because your list is going to run for miles.

Give us a fucking break :eyes:
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moderatesoutherndem Donating Member (23 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:04 PM
Response to Reply #1
20. give up a latte each week, and donate the money, you'll feel better
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frankly_fedup2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:13 AM
Response to Original message
4. I thought Magic Johnson started Starbucks? Nothing to do
with this conversation. However, doesn't he own it all????
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seabeyond Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:15 AM
Response to Original message
6. or pat starbucks on the back and challenge all corporations
starbucks size and larger to donate the same. think how much could be raised
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nine23 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:24 AM
Response to Original message
8. Asinine?
Starbuck's fucking MADE IT...

A. Off the backs of peasants in coffee producing nations during the 1980's, before anybody took notice...then fended "responsible" when it was pointed out to them...

B. Introduced "the cafe" as a concept to AmeriKa; a concept that was hundreds of years old and had nothing to do with them, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT AMERICANS SUCKED IT UP LIKE A NEW CORN DOG.

It doesn't get any worse the Starbuck's.

All I can say is: watch your "pet corporation" as they navigate through 2005.
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:43 AM
Response to Reply #8
13. I'm with you.
Americans suck it up, want lower price, the corporate in control squeeze as much 'productivity' out of their worke machines as much as they can.

It's depraved.
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AliciaKeyedUp Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 11:04 PM
Response to Reply #8
28. "It doesn't get any worse the Starbuck's."
God I hope that's sarcasm. Otherwise, it's the stupidist thing I've ever seen posted.
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demwing Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:35 AM
Response to Original message
10. Bravo Starbucks
Whatever your past sins, thanks for doing something for the world on this day. May you continue your generosity and grow in the spirit of giving.

Happy New Year!
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 02:42 AM
Response to Reply #10
12. They give $100k as you might give $0.05. Stop shoveling it, please.
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demwing Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 06:57 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. Fuck Me, I thought it was the thought
Edited on Sat Jan-01-05 06:57 PM by demwing
not the amount.

If anyone ever gave me this hard of a time for donating a nickel to charity I would tell them, in tems so simple that there would be no mistaking my intent, where they could get the hell off.

Stop shoveling it? I don't report to you, but if such attitude pisses you of, I have only one thing to say...

Bravo, Starbucks. Bravo.
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AliciaKeyedUp Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 11:05 PM
Response to Reply #12
29. They don't have to give anything
They gave $100k. If every company did that, there would be a hell of a lot of cash for relief.
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moderatesoutherndem Donating Member (23 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 06:59 PM
Response to Original message
15. yeah, but they'll throw in a biscotti in your survival package!
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tuvor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 07:26 PM
Response to Original message
21. How much would they have to give to make you happy?
Obviously a hundred grand isn't enough. What amount is satisfactory to you?
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Fiona Donating Member (993 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 10:25 PM
Response to Original message
23. Good for starbucks
I'll go there tomorrow for a coffee and scone.
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Cobalt Violet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 10:28 PM
Response to Original message
24. They probably don't make enough profit on a $5.00 cup of coffee.
They just don't have it to give. </sarcasm>
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Neecy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 10:39 PM
Response to Original message
26. hmmmm...interesting
Edited on Sat Jan-01-05 10:47 PM by Neecy
Oxfam has been extremely vocal regarding American multinationals driving down world coffee prices through their predatory business practices, leaving the growers and coffee workers impoverished.

I know that Starbucks isn't nearly as cut-throat as General Foods and Kraft (in fact, they're doing a lot with growing cooperatives now), but the $100,000 to Oxfam is interesting, given that they had a large multitude of organizations to donate to.

By the way, their Sumatra roast blows - they char the flavor entirely out of it. And to give you an idea of how much they're making from it, you can buy it unroasted wholesale, already warehoused in the United States, for about $1.25 a pound. Starbucks charges you over ten bucks a pound to roast it - and the roast they put on it is entirely inappropriate for the bean. So, giving up two dollars on that huge profit is nice, but hardly impressive.
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Undercover Owl Donating Member (621 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-01-05 10:40 PM
Response to Original message
27. uh
you are "barking up the wrong tree" so to speak.

Yes, Starbucks and other major coffee companies should donate to the tsunami fund, definitely.

I have a feeling you hate Starbucks because they donated money solely to Democrats in 2004 election.
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