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Wal-Mart Gets Organic with New Fair Trade Coffee

Watch your back, Whole Paycheck: Wal-Mart’s entered the organic arena with a line of fair trade certified coffee.

The world’s largest retailer will start selling six coffees, including Sam’s Choice Fair Trade certified coffee, Sam’s Choice Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, and Sam’s Choice USDA organic decaffeinated coffee, under the Sam’s Choice brand in all of its U.S. stores.

Wal-Mart says all its coffees are certified ‘carbon neutral’ because its Brazil-based coffee roaster has cut its net carbon emissions to zero.

Consumers have shown a willingness to pay a premium for coffee brands deemed sustainable - those with a low impact on the environment and providing a respectable standard of living for the farmers growing the beans. Chains like Starbucks Corp and Dunkin’ Donuts have started using “fair trade” beans to meet consumer demand.

Fair trade certification requires specified economic, social and environmental standards be met, and farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price for their coffee. Coffee purchased through the Rainforest Alliance program, as reported by Reuters, must also pass specific environmental, social and economic criteria that target long-term sustainability.

The Sam’s Choice coffee will be $5.88 for a 10- to 12-ounce bag - less than the competitors, but still a potential stretch for consumers clamping down on spending.