Comments on: Ethiopian Coffee Farmers Fight Starbucks for more bucks

By: Tom Miller

Tom Miller — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:26:28 +0000

Starbucks is a multi-billion dollar company which has gained its status in large part from impoverished countries. It owes Ethiopia from exploiting them for years. What Starbucks is doing is insensitive and another example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

By: AubreyJohnston

AubreyJohnston — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:20:23 +0000

It’s interesting to see that such a successful company has such dirt behind it. It’s awful to hear that the poverty level remains the same in Ethiopia. How would the company be affected if everyone banned Starbucks products?

By: Keith Gotcliffe

Keith Gotcliffe — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:17:23 +0000

Does Ethiopia have no means of securing the rights to the three names?

Not to negate the angle of this report, but Starbucks is the biggest purchaser of Certified Fair Trade coffee beans from several regions. I feel like Starbucks must have some other reason for not wanting to cough up $88 mil, since it is already taking hits to profit with the CFT coffee it purchases.

By: Joshua Copeland

Joshua Copeland — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:48:21 +0000

Once again, we see how large companies and businesses take advantage of small time businesses and entrepeneuring. Sometime of compromise, strictly benefiting Ethiopian farmers, needs to come into play.

By: Cordell Little

Cordell Little — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:51:32 +0000

strategies like this for companies that have a big industry name wanting to take over smaller ones or countries supplies is something not out of the but its kind of messed up because their just being greedy and this country like this is very needy

By: amy Noyes

amy Noyes — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:32:38 +0000

it is not suprizig that a big bussiness/ company is try to take over a smaller one. can these big bussiness such as starbucks help ethiopia with their money problem, by jobs, and bring in more money to the area.

By: Krystal Velez

Krystal Velez — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:54:36 +0000

I dont agree with what Starbucks is doing. Instead of helping Ethiopia uplift themselves from poverty they are assisting in their distress. It is unbelieveable to me that a wealthy company such as Starbucks is unwilling to help the needy with obtaining a portion of the money from the coffee that is making Starbucks so successful.

By: Yaa Anokye

Yaa Anokye — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 06:50:56 +0000

This is an outrageous situation. As large of a corporation as Starbucks is, they should be doing something to help the continent, but this is just another clear case of exploitation. It is really sad that a company such as Starbucks could hold so much weight and shift the authority of the USPTO. How can the people of this Ethiopia, or any other country on the continent rid themselves of such control and manipulation that is inflicted upon them by countries like the US. Africa tries to take back what is rightfully theirs and are still not able to. The power imbalance is clear. Something need to be done about this.

By: Stacy Antwi

Stacy Antwi — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:34:43 +0000

I think that it is very unfortunate what Starbucks is doing to these Ethiopian coffee farmers. Starbucks is a very profitable company and should not have a problem giving these farmers what they deserve. When I hear things like this it makes me wonder if I should even drink Starbucks coffee anymore!

By: Matt Landau

Matt Landau — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:48:52 +0000

This it the problem with society. Big business believes they can do whatever they want, without regard to anyone else, inlcuding people. Incredible