Starbucks is Pirating the Trademarks of Indigenous Coffees

Church of Stop Shopping | RevBilly.com

Here is a video of Rev. Billy, preaching and exorcising Starbucks to let Ethiopian coffee farmers trademark coffee names to help make a living wage.

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More than a year ago, the country of Ethiopia approached Starbucks and asked the company to lead the coffee industry by example and sign an agreement recognizing Ethiopia’s legal ownership of its fine coffee names, such as Sidamo, Harar, and Yirgacheffe—ancient names that have been part of Ethiopia’s culture for centuries.

If companies like Starbucks signed such agreements, Ethiopia would occupy a stronger negotiating position with foreign buyers, capture a larger share of the market associated with its coffee names, and better protect its brands. And the country’s millions of coffee-producing families could rely on a decent income, as coffee has accounted for 40 to 50 percent of the country’s total export earnings and has provided jobs for an estimated 15 million people. Coffee families are experiencing hunger and malnutrition now – with high child mortality rates.

But Starbucks Said No!

In 2004, as the Ethiopian government prepared to submit its applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office to register its coffee names, it learned that Starbucks had already submitted an application to register “Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidamo” as a trademark for a limited edition coffee sold by Starbucks for $26 per pound.

After learning of Starbucks’ trademark application, the Ethiopian ambassador to the US sent a letter to Starbucks explaining that the company’s application to register Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidamo would conflict with Ethiopia’s own attempt to register its Sidamo mark and would therefore block Ethiopia’s application. The Ambassador proposed a discussion to resolve the situation amicably and requested that Starbucks withdraw its application and discuss signing a licensing agreement that would allow the company to continue using the term Sidamo on its products. The ambassador’s request was denied.

PLEASE JOIN US IN ASKING STARBUCKS TO sign a nonexclusive, royalty-free licensing agreement with Ethiopia. The agreement acknowledges Ethiopia’s rights in its trademarks to identify coffee and grants licensees non-exclusive rights to use the marks on products and in their promotion.

What to do? Boycott these $4 lattes. Call your friend in the press who might write a story. Come to our actions at the future, info at ReverendBilly.Org