Perceptions of Coffee at the Muhlenberg Campus

Perceptions of Coffee at the Muhlenberg Campus Key Findings Report, Analysis, and Recommendations February, 2007

Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion Dr. Christopher Borick, Director Steve Fischer, Graduate Intern Adrian Shanker, Intern

2 Key Findings:

58% of participants, who drink one or more cups of coffee per day, purchase their coffee at the Java Joe’s location.

40% of participants are unsure if the coffee they purchase on campus is fair trade or not fair trade.

32% of participants would be willing to spend more money for a cup of coffee if only fair trade coffee was sold. 22% would not be willing to pay extra money.

75% of participants correctly identified that fair trade coffee means “coffee produced with fair wages for workers and environmentally fair trade practices.”

32% of respondents believe that only fair trade coffee should be served on campus; Contrasted with 25% of respondents who believe that both fair trade and non-fair trade coffee should be served and 2% of respondents who believe that only non-fair trade coffee should served on campus. 44% had no preference.

53% of Participants consider it “very important” or “somewhat important” to expand the availability of fair trade coffee on campus.

54% of Participants consider it “very important” or “somewhat important” to make fair trade coffee available for catered events on campus.

Methodology:

The aforementioned key findings report summarizes data collected in a paper survey of 222 members of the Muhlenberg College community, including Faculty, Staff, Students, and Administrators. Institute of Public Opinion staff randomly solicited people in the lobby of the Seegers Student Union Building on Wednesday, Feb. 7th, 2007 from the hours of 8:00AM – 2:30PM. This number of completions results in a margin of error of +/- 6% at the 95% confidence interval. However the margin of errors for sub groups (i.e. staff, faculty, administrators) is larger due to smaller sample size. Percentages throughout the survey have been rounded to the nearest percentage, thus many totals in the report will not equal 100. The survey questionnaire was designed by Adrian Shanker, Intern at the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion under the direct supervision of Christopher Borick, PhD in consultation with staff at Sodexho Dining Services at Muhlenberg College. Analysis and report writing were completed by the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion Staff under the direction of Dr. Borick.

3 Analysis:

Location Matters: The preferred location of coffee consumption at Muhlenberg College is Java Joe’s for students (56%) and administrators (33%). The GQ is the second most popular coffee venue; it is most preferred among 40% of the staff and 14% of students who purchase coffee on campus. In addition 43% of the faculty who participated in this study prefer coffee in the GQ.

One or more A few cups A rare cup of coffee or Total cups a day a week none at all Which of the following describes your purchase of coffee at Muhlenberg I only Purchase Fair Trade 16% 7% 16% 14% Coffee on campus I purchase both fair and 49% 49% 21% 36% non fair trade coffee I only purchase non fair 4% 2% 7% 5% trade coffee on campus I’m not sure 26% 41% 46% 40%

Did not Answer 5% 2% 10% 7%

Is Coffee just Coffee? Given that 49% of coffee drinkers who consume one or more cup a day purchase both fair trade and non fair trade coffee, it could be inferred that the purchaser buys the coffee available without much thought involved. However, given that 65% of participants who drink at least a few cups of coffee per week believe that only fair trade coffee should be served on campus, we could argue that the purchaser buys the coffee that is available, but that there is an expressed strong preference at Muhlenberg College for Fair Trade Coffee.

The Cost Factor It should be recognized that 22% of the participants stated that they would not be willing to pay more for coffee that was fair trade. Criticism of fair trade coffee, most commonly comes from free market advocates such as the UK-based, Adam Smith Institute who claims that fair trade is a “prop-up pricing scheme.” It is possible that a portion of the 22% who would not be willing to pay more money for Fair Trade find credibility in the beliefs of the Adam Smith Institute, and others with similar mentalities, however it should also be noted, according to Fair Trade Coffee Certifier, Equal Exchange, Fair Trade Coffee costs approximately 65 additional cents to the consumer.

4 Recommendations:

I. Awareness Based on our findings that 40% of participants were unsure if the coffee they were consuming was fair trade or not, we encourage Sodexho Dining Services, and the Environmental Action Team to work together to make the campus more aware of the availability of fair trade coffee on campus.

Secondly, noting that 46% of respondents stated that they would be willing to attend a “fair trade coffee taste testing” if one was offered on campus, we encourage Sodexho Dining Services and the Environmental Action Team to work together to set up said taste testing at a table in the student union on a given day.

II. Expansion Our findings show that 53% of the respondents feel it somewhat or very important to expand the availability of fair trade coffee on campus, and that 54% support fair trade coffee being made available at catered events. At the same time, 32% of respondents are not willing to pay more for fair trade coffee. We recommend balancing the two by not immediately moving to make the campus fair trade only, rather making those changes gradual, as not to create a large price increase all at once. As an important and practical first step, we recommend that fair trade coffee be listed as a menu item for catered events to allow departments and campus organizations who wish to support fair trade coffee to purchase it for their events.

III. Beyond the Bubble Given the nature of this issue as a truly global issue, we recommend that the 19% of students who consider it “very important” that fair trade coffee be expanded on campus, continue with their passion for fair trade by ensuring the same production requirements and certification of the coffee they buy elsewhere, particularly in the nearby area. We recommend that the aforementioned students, recognize the work that the campus Dining services has already done on this issue, and while not abandoning further pressure, focus a portion of that activism on local coffee retailers in the west end of Allentown.

Acknowledgements:

This research was funded by the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, directed by Dr. Christopher Borick. The Institute acknowledges the consultations with Sodexho management: John Pasquarello, Rhonda Henry, Sharon Venzani, and Tom Henry; Seegers Union director Glenn Gerchman; Environmental Action Team President, Steve Epting; and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion staff: Catherine Bell, Dave Tepper, David Liskov, Gregory Rose, Adrian Shanker, Sarah Schrader, Chelsea Meenan, Steven Fischer, Nicole Deutsch, and Marcus Matthieson.

5 Appendix: Fair Trade Coffee Survey Results

Student Faculty Administration Staff Other Total At which campus location do you purchase most of your coffee The GQ 14% 43% 17% 40% 0% 16% Java Joes 56% 29% 33% 20% 67% 54% The Garden Room 6% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% Powerhouse Café <1% 0% 0% 0% 0% <1% I do not purchase 23% 29% 50% 40% 33% 25% coffee on campus Which of the following describes your purchase of coffee at Muhlenberg I only Purchase Fair 13% 14% 17% 40% 0% 14% Trade Coffee on campus I purchase both fair 35% 29% 50% 60% 0% 37% and non fair trade coffee I only non fair trade 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% coffee on campus I’m not sure 41% 43% 0% 0% 100% 40% Did not answer 6% 14% 33% 0% 0% 7% Which of following best describes your views on the types of coffee that should be sold at Muhlenberg Both fair trade and 25% 0% 17% 40% 33% 25% non fair trade should be sold Only fair trade 31% 43% 50% 40% 33% 32% should be sold Only non fair trade 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% should be sold I do not have a 41% 57% 35% 20% 33% 41% preference Would you be Students Faculty Administration Staff Other Total willing to pay more for a cup of coffee on campus if only fair trade was sold Yes 31% 43% 67% 40% 0% 32% No 21% 29% 17% 60% 0% 22% Not Sure 27% 14% 0% 0% 67% 26% Not a coffee drinker 21% 14% 17% 0% 33% 20% Which of the following

6 statements do you think best defines fair trade coffee? Coffee produced 14% 0% 17% 0% 33% 14% based on US free trade agreements Coffee produced by 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% union workers in the US Coffee produced 74% 100% 83% 80% 67% 75% with fair wages for workers and environmentally sustainable practices (Correct answer) Coffee produced 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% inexpensively to reduce prices for the consumer Do not know 3% 0% 0% 20% 0% 3%

If there was Students Faculty Administration Staff Other Total programming on Fair Trade on campus, which of the following would you be interested in attending Fair Trade coffee 44% 14% 0% 0% 67% 46% taste testing Documentary films 10% 0% 0% 20% 0% 9% on Fair Trade products Public lectures on 2% 14% 17% 20% 0% 10% Fair Trade practices Lunch and Learn 8% 29% 33% 20% 0% 10% discussions on Fair Trade practices All of the above 9% 0% 0% 0% 33% 8% None of the above 8% 43% 33% 0% 0% 9% How important is it Students Faculty Administration Staff Other Total to you that the availability of Fair Trade coffee at campus locations be expanded Very important 19% 14% 17% 60% 33% 20% Somewhat important 32% 29% 67% 40% 33% 33% Not too important 19% 0% 0% 0% 0% 17% Not important at all 11% 29% 0% 0% 0% 11% Not Sure 16% 14% 17% 0% 33% 16% No response 2% 14% 0% 0% 0% 2% How important is it to you that Fair Trade coffee be

7 made available at catered events on campus Very important 22% 14% 50% 40% 33% 23% Somewhat important 29% 29% 50% 40% 67% 31% Not too important 19% 0% 0% 20% 0% 18% Not important at all 14% 29% 0% 0% 0% 14% Not Sure 13% 14% 0% 0% 0% 13% No response 2% 14% 0% 0% 0% 2%

Appendix II: Student Coffee Survey by cups of coffee consumed

One or more A few cups A rare cup of coffee Total cups a day a week or none at all At which campus location do you purchase most of your coffee The GQ 25% 14% 12% 16% Java Joes 58% 70% 43% 54% The Garden Room 5% 10% 3% 5% Powerhouse Café 2% 0% 0% <1% I do not purchase coffee 11% 7% 42% 24% on campus Which of the following describes your purchase of coffee at Muhlenberg I only Purchase Fair 16% 7% 16% 14% Trade Coffee on campus I purchase both fair and 49% 49% 21% 36% non fair trade coffee I only purchase non fair 4% 2% 7% 5% trade coffee on campus I’m not sure 26% 41% 46% 40% Did not Answer 5% 2% 10% 7% Which of following One or more A few cups A rare cup of coffee Total best describes your cups a day a week or none at all views on the types of coffee that should be sold at Muhlenberg Both fair trade and non 21% 34% 22% 25%

8 fair trade should be sold Only fair trade should 40% 25% 31% 32% be sold Only non fair trade 0% 0% 4% 2% should be sold I do not have a 39% 41% 42% 41% preference Would you be willing to pay more for a cup of coffee on campus if only fair trade was sold Yes 46% 37% 23% 32% No 26% 20% 20% 22% Not Sure 28% 41% 16% 26% Not a coffee drinker 0% 2% 42% 20% Which of the following statements do you think best defines fair trade coffee? Coffee produced based 14% 10% 16% 14% on US free trade agreements Coffee produced by 0% 3% 5% 3% union workers in the US Coffee produced with 79% 76% 73% 75% fair wages for workers and environmentally sustainable practices (Correct answer) Coffee produced 2% 7% 5% 5% inexpensively to reduce prices for the consumer Do not know 5% 3% 2% 3% If there was One or more A few cups A rare cup of coffee Total programming on Fair cups a day a week or none at all Trade on campus, which of the following would you be interested in attending Fair Trade coffee taste 49% 53% 41% 46%

9 testing Documentary films on 0% 7% 15% 9% Fair Trade products Public lectures on Fair 4% 2% 4% 3% Trade practices Lunch and Learn 9% 7% 11% 10% discussions on Fair Trade practices All of the above 12% 5% 8% 8% None 9% 5% 11% 9% How important is it to One or more A few cups A rare cup of coffee Total you that the cups a day a week or none at all availability of Fair Trade coffee at campus locations be expanded Very important 26% 22% 15% 20% Somewhat important 40% 36% 28% 33% Not too important 14% 15% 20% 17% Not important at all 9% 9% 14% 11% Not Sure 7% 17% 21% 16% No response 4% 2% 2% 2% How important is it to you that Fair Trade coffee be made available at catered events on campus Very important 33% 23% 17% 23% Somewhat important 28% 37% 28% 31% Not too important 19% 15% 19% 18% Not important at all 9% 14% 16% 14% Not Sure 7% 9% 18% 13% No response 4% 2% 2% 2%