Well, after yesterday’s foray into the world of clueless baristas, I managed to get another impression of the Austrian Starbucks fair trade policy today. As I was meeting with a friend at the Millennium City in the 20th district, I decided to pay the Starbucks there a visit.
Contrary to what I had expected, the barista actually knew what I was talking about. She said that of course I could buy a pack of their licensed fair trade coffee, but when I explained that I’d actually be interested in having a cup of fair trade coffee at their fine establishment, she started that explanation which I think has been hammered as a standard diatribe into every barista, namely that they had some sort of brew rotation, and that this week they had this Sumatra blend on the menu. Which, as she slyly remarked, is of course no fair trade licensed coffee. I knew then that I’d never get that cup of fair trade coffee, even if I tried to explain to her the official policy of her employer. I left.
Which makes this Starbucks number two in Vienna where it’s impossible to get that cup of fair trade coffee. Well, that’s applied “social responsibility” right there.