Far more than a fair price

says Andrew Allmark, Head of Catering Services, Liverpool Hope University

Published: 10 July, 2008

With our Christian foundation, Liverpool Hope University is uniquely placed to spearhead the introduction of Fairtrade products across Higher Education. In conjunction with the Students' Union, we are committed to supporting and promoting ethical trade and together we have worked hard to secure Fairtrade status, which we received in 2007. Now, we are in a position to offer our students, staff and guests a significant range of Fairtrade food and beverage products.

However, it's no good offering a product if your customers don't like it! Whilst the majority of students have a social conscience, they are a discerning bunch when it comes to food and drink - so we have to ensure the products we introduce are right.

Vending is a good example and we knew it was one area where we could make a significant impact. Although we do not have a huge vending operation on campus - around eight machines in total - it was important to get the right balance between the convenience of vending and the quality of the product. We have worked with Northwest Vending for a number of years, who alongside supplying all our vending machines, provide us with maintenance support and work closely with our employees to ensure our vending offer is right. As such, they know our market inside out and the opportunities on site, so when they recommended the taste and quality of Nescafé Partners' Blend, we decided to give it a go!

Made from 100 per cent Arabica beans from two of the world's renowned coffee bean growing countries, El Salvador and Ethiopia, Partners' Blend is a soluble coffee with a rich, smooth taste. We agreed to host two branded vending machines through Northwest Vending, one by the library and one in the student services building.

Nearly a year down the line, students have really embraced the coffee and word has spread fast that the vended Fairtrade certified Partners' Blend coffee not only tastes great but delivers a minimum price for farmers and goes a step further by ensuring that the sources of income of farmers in the developing world are protected and developed for future generations. As an added bonus, since the introduction of Partners' Blend, our sales of vended coffee has increased by about 10 per cent.

Introducing a quality, fair-trade vended coffee was extremely important to us and crucial to our success in achieving fair-trade status, enabling the University to meet its ethical and financial goals.

http://www.nestlefoodservices.co.uk/

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