Rosevaldo Jose Pereira has never been to Wal-Mart. The name doesn't mean anything to the lifelong coffee farmer in this remote village in southeastern Brazil. But Wal-Mart Stores Inc. knows who he is. And the world's largest retailer is changing his life. . . . Pereira gets a premium for his harvest. His co-op is one of only seven in the country that is fair-trade certified, charging above-market price for beans because it meets certain social and environmental standards. (Washington Post, Monday)
In the end, the customer will decide.
FEE Timely Classic
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