Helping East Timor Kids during Fairtrade Fortnight

Media Release
Thursday 1 May 2008

Esquires to Help East Timor Children during Fairtrade Fortnight

Esquires Coffee houses is celebrating Fairtrade fortnight by donating 10 cents from every coffee sold to ChildFund New Zealand's Project Graca and families in Suai, East Timor.

Esquires purchases the majority of its Fairtrade coffee directly from East Timor - one of the poorest countries in the world, where 41% of the population lives below the poverty line.

ChildFund New Zealand's Project Graca is working to reduce poverty and improve the lives of East Timorese children in Suai. The project has a strong New Zealand connection with 916 ChildFund New Zealand supporters committing $44 per month to sponsor an East Timorese child through Project Graca.

ChildFund New Zealand National Director Paul Brown says: "We're delighted that Esquires is doing even more to help improve the lives of children in East Timor - one of the poorest countries in the world. By choosing Esquires during Fairtrade Fortnight, New Zealanders will double up their good this year, helping both farmers by ensuring they get paid a fair price for their product and making a real difference to the lives of children in need. More than a fair trade for a cup of coffee in anyone's books."

Committing to using Fairtrade coffee products only in 2005, the Esquires chain is one of the largest users of Fairtrade coffee in the country.

Esquires Managing Director Stuart Deeks says by using Fairtrade products, customers can be satisfied in the knowledge they are helping to provide coffee farmers with a better future.

"By choosing to buy Fairtrade Coffee, consumers can use their purchasing power to ensure some of the benefits of trade reach the communities which harvest the coffee beans. For hundreds of thousands of people, Fairtrade means the difference between a hand-to-mouth existence and having a better quality of life.

"We are the only branded coffee house chain in New Zealand to serve beverages made with Fairtrade Organic coffee. Our tagline, 'Great Coffee Helps' reflects our commitment to not only providing the best coffee for customers, but importantly to supporting our growers."

New Zealanders can support ChildFund New Zealand's Project Graca during Fairtrade Fortnight (3-18 May 2008) by buying coffee from Esquires Coffee Houses around the country. For store locations visit: www.esquires.co.nz.

ENDS

About Esquires
Introduced to New Zealand in 2001 by Stuart and Lewis Deeks, the 100% New Zealand owned company started franchising here in 2004. There are now 40 Esquires Coffee houses between New Zealand and Fiji, with another 15 planned for opening before the end of this financial year.

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