Our tribute to coffee history. Artistically-designed logos of different types of Ethiopian Fine Coffee Rural producers outside the Sidamo region could grow Sidamo coffee, as it would not need to have a characteristic that is unique to the Sidamo region. (You might see it available in baskets before then). Distribution is also a problem, as it is predominately done informally by hauling bags of coffee on foot for many kilometers. Coffee makes us severe, and grave and philosophical “Jonathan Swift, 1722” Possibly the cradle of mankind, now called Ethiopia, is the birthplace of coffee. Farmers would be required to pay a surcharge for government oversight, and this would only be an additional burden on them, many of who are already living below the subsistence level. “Rather than focusing on short term gain, this way we can enlist the big companies to do what we don’t have the skills or financial means for – that is, building recognition of our brands in international markets and so increasing long term demand for them.”. A Brief History of Coffee: Goats, Roosevelt, and Starbucks Hundreds of years ago, an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi became notorious for his trip of goats. It is to be noted that, Ethiopia is the seventh largest producer of coffee in the world and is the top coffee producer in Africa. Want to learn more about the Starbucks Card? Starbucks and Ethiopian coffee. Producers of primary goods in many developing countries often receive only marginal returns. The Initiative secured financial support from the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, technical advice from a Washington-based non-governmental organization (NGO), Light Years IP, and legal assistance from an American law firm, Arnold and Porter. Today our master roasters have created an entirely new way to experience these treasured beans. The adopted strategy offered royalty-free license agreements and required the licensee to sell the specialty coffees using the registered trademarks (free of charge) on any product that consists wholly of Ethiopian specialty coffees and to promote Ethiopian fine coffee by educating their customers. If each Ethiopian specialty coffee were registered as a GI it would have to be produced in a specific area of the country under specific circumstances. The designations, they argued, referred not to geographical locations but to distinctive coffee types. If you go to the website of Starbucks, the international coffee chain, this is what you will read: Starbucks strongly believes in the importance of building mutually-beneficial relationships with coffee farmers and coffee communities with which we work. Our mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. Against the average final retail price ranging from US$ 20 to 28 per kilogram, the farmers were receiving as little as US$ 1 per kilogram. Ethiopia has undergone many changes in their government. (Photo: WIPO/EM), The EIPO took the leadership of the Initiative and began working on identifying a mechanism which would lead to a greater share for the country’s coffee growers. However, there are many unique circumstances surrounding specialty coffee production in Ethiopia that actually make GI registrations less suitable than other forms of intellectual property (IP) protection. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept hi… These coffees have a unique flavor and aroma that distinguish them from coffees of other countries or even from other coffees of Ethiopia. Although Ethiopian coffees such as Sidamo and Harrar are named after specific regions, all of it is not produced in the same region under the same circumstances. View fullsize. The Ethiopian government had to make a decision on how to best use IPRs to obtain exclusive ownership of Ethiopian coffee names, achieve wider international recognition and maximize returns. “Yes,” acknowledges Mr. Mengistie, “designation is used here as a broader term than trademark, to encompass some of the trademarks that are still pending registration. Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington.As the world's largest coffeehouse chain, Starbucks is seen to be the main representation of the United States' second wave of coffee culture. A Single-Origin Coffee Unlike Anything in Starbucks 42-Year History, Ethiopia is Masterfully Roasted for an Exquisite Taste Experience. Using trademark registrations, the government of Ethiopia could then produce greater quantities of specialty coffees from all over the country. This was overcome by support from law firms which agreed to provide their services pro bono. They were said to almost be dancing on their hind legs. He gathered several berries, took them to his wife, and sh… I had the chance to try this today (September 9, 2013), with the blend’s creator at the Starbucks headquarters here in Seattle: Coffee Master Anthony Carroll. It was well known that his goats jumped higher and ran faster than any other goats. However, the volume is the second highest in Ethiopian history, only beaten by last year's export level. The media coverage had the effect of greatly increasing public knowledge of, and interest in, Ethiopia’s coffees. In 2006 Starbucks purchased fewer than 10 million pounds of coffee from those regions, the equivalent of 2 to 3 percent of the company’s worldwide coffee purchases and a relatively small percentage of Ethiopia’s total coffee exports. For example, a GI for Sidamo coffee would require every bag of Sidamo to be produced, processed or prepared in the Sidamo region and have a special quality that is directly dependent on the unique properties of the region. The US retailer will market, distribute and, in some cases, license Ethiopia's range of high-quality coffee brands. It’s not a predictable or forgiving bean, and the roasting process needs constant monitoring. We’re inspiring partners (employees) and customers to get involved in their communities. By Rosemary Ekosso . Indeed, coffee is closely tied to the culture and society of Ethiopia and an estimated 15 million people are directly or indirectly involved in the Ethiopian coffee industry. Getachew Mengistie outlines Ethiopia’s Fine Coffee Trademarking and Licensing Initiative at WIPO’s 2007 GI Symposium. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had approved the application to register Yirgacheffe. It’s a fine balancing act. The coffee is produced mainly in Harar, Sidamo, Yirgacheffe and Limu. A Brief History of Coffee: Goats, Roosevelt, and Starbucks. Trademarking was more appropriate to our needs. Starbucks is a global coffee giant, which was founded in 1971 as a local coffee bean retailer.Headquartered in Seattle, the company is now the world’s biggest coffeehouse chain, comprising of approximately 20,891 stores in 62 countries. Of course, not everyone believes that coffee berries were first found in Ethiopia, since there is no historical record of it. Ethiopia. After all, the coffees are made in Ethiopia and named after the regions that made them famous. It was well known that his goats jumped higher and ran faster than any other goats. The licensing strategy is expected to boost consumer recognition of Ethiopian coffee trademarks and facilitate the growth of the demand for Ethiopian fine coffees. (Photo: courtesy EIPO). Some of the world’s finest coffees, such as Harrar®, Sidamo® and Yirgacheffee®, originate in Ethiopia. But the National Coffee Association (NCA), representing coffee roasters of the United States, objected to the EIPO’s applications to trademark first Harrar, then Sidamo. Add this limited edition Starbucks Card to your collection! Therefore the very nature of coffee production in Ethiopia makes GI certification difficult and impractical. The EIPO filed rebuttals against the USPTO decisions with supporting evidence to demonstrate that the terms Harrar and Sidamo had acquired distinctiveness. However, this is not a practical solution for Ethiopia. Starbucks Reserve also offers another Ethiopian coffee called Ethiopia Kayon Mountain Farm. Today our master roasters have created an entirely new way to experience these treasured beans. It’s about coffee. Setting up a certification system would have been impracticable and too expensive. Some of their premium coffee is Ethiopian, featuring beans from the Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe regions. The History of Ethiopian Coffee. Situated at the conjunction of the African and Arab worlds known as the Horn of Africa, the mountainous country has a biblical quality. 1354 words (5 pages) Essay. This would lead to a greater share of the high retail price Ethiopian coffees demand going straight to rural producers. The Ethiopian economy is heavily dependent on the trade of its primary products. There is an increasing demand for Ethiopian fine coffee in the world market. Ethiopia has undergone many changes in their government. The first coffee plants came from Ethiopia. “You have to understand the situation in Ethiopia,” Mr. Mengistie of EIPO explained. As Mr. Mengistie explained, “setting up a certification system would have been impracticable and too expensive.”. Of all the coffee-producing countries, Ethiopia is the only one that has a higher domestic consumption rate than export rate. Among the country’s limited tradable goods, coffee alone generates about 60 percent of Ethiopia’s total export earnings. Body: Medium SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today introduces a new single-origin coffee from the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia. “ Partly because of this recognition, we have in store Mr. Mengistie brand for Ethiopian coffee farmers earning! 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