Sidamo. Harar. These types of coffee beans in Ethiopia speak to me more seductively than Champagne, Bordeaux, Pinot. Among coffee connieusseurs, these names are the pinnacle of all that's perfect about the bean. Naturally, Ethiopian coffee growers would like to have trademark protection for their most famous varieties.Not if Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has anything to do with it. The coffeeshop chain has, according to British social activist Oxfam, blocked Ethiopian farmers from trademarking their beans. If Sidamo and Harar were trademarked, Ethiopians would have more control over how the names were used, raising the price for their coffee and giving them more money -- $90-$100 million each year, says Oxfam.
Starbucks is a part of the National Coffee Association, which has filed to block the trademark application with the USPTO, and disputes that it was the company's idea. Starbucks doesn't appear to be disputing the block, however; which seems just as bad, to me. Oxfam suggests that Starbucks enter into voluntary licensing agreements with Ethiopia (and they may, indeed, do so -- Starbucks has historically made efforts to treat coffee growers fairly). I'd like to see more proaction on the part of Starbucks than "but it wasn't our idea!" and I'm disappointed with the NCA -- really, give the poor farmers their IP already!
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