Coffee with a conscience Coffee with a conscience (February 27, 2004)

Downtown business owner takes on Starbucks

By Jon Wiener

Patsy Price says it never occurred to advertise her social conscience. When last year's layoffs spurred the 15-year veteran of the tech industry to switch careers and open a coffee shop last fall, she did not think twice about featuring fair-trade coffee and organic teas.

"I just thought it was something that you do," said Price, who owns Global Blends at 650 Castro St. "I wanted to feel better about the product I'm serving."

Apparently, so do a lot of her customers, who have been coming in droves for some socially responsible caffeine.

"Values," says Mountain View resident and regular customer Lisa McLain, when asked what draws her to the store. "I think it's important to support fair-trade (coffee), and it just feels healthier."

Mike Barrie, who works for a software company upstairs from the coffee shop, said he forced his friends and co-workers to come to Global Blends rather than the Starbucks up the street. "If I have a choice, I'll always buy fair-trade," he said.

Those who consciously drink fair-trade coffee do it to support peasant farmers in Third World countries who produce coffee, the United States' second largest import (oil is first). Fair-trade beans are grown on organic cooperatives rather than plantations, and growers are guaranteed a minimum price of $1.26 per pound, which can be more than double the market rate for coffee not certified as fair-trade.

Price said she came across the concept on her tour of hundreds of coffee shops throughout the West Coast and saw it on display at Uncommon Grounds in Berkeley. Her store now features at least one fair-trade option every day, all-organic teas and hormone-free milk. She also serves coffee purchased under long-term contracts with micro-roasters.

But Global Blends offers more than a clear conscience to its customers. Price said she offers "a different value proposition." Her menu is pricier than the Starbucks version less than 200 feet away, and she does not expect customers to pay more simply because it might be the right thing to do. Instead, she prides herself on serving coffee that tastes better.

Price said her coffee menu is like a wine list that offers the best wine from each winery. "Just because something's organic doesn't mean it's excellent," said Price. "I only want excellent-tasting organic coffee."

"If it didn't taste better (than non-organic coffee), I wouldn't pay as much," agreed McLain.

Price, a 47-year-old resident of San Jose, knows a thing or two about tasty coffee. She has been drinking coffee avidly for years, but not in the way that people flock to her bigger corporate neighbor. Instead, Price brewed many different varietals at home in her own espresso machines and French presses.

She said it was not until visiting some of the world's best coffee shops that she began to learn what she needed to know to open her own cafe. When she finally did, she felt a strong responsibility to the coffee supply chain as well as to the local community.

If the shop's proximity to the 800-pound gorilla of the coffee industry bothers Price, she is not letting on. "Fine restaurants are next to each other all the time," she says with the slightest hint of a grin.

Loyal customers use words like "independent" and "subversive" to describe what they like about the store. A few have created their own mocha recipes that have been added to a special section of the menu. Others take advantage of the free lollipops and dog treats available on the counter.

Price says she chose to open her shop in downtown Mountain View for its mix of residential and business neighborhoods, the city's plans for downtown and the diversity and sophistication of its residents.

"I thought they would appreciate what we could provide here," she said. All indications are that she has been right so far.

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