2006 Conference Workshop EM1

[edit] Working with Food Service Providers

Lauren Smith & Paul Fogarty, 6\5\6

Lauren: Monash University Hooked. Experience campaigning, not much in formal approaches
Paul: started a group at ACU 2 years ago.

There were only 2 of us. Didn’t want to approach without knowledge, didn’t want to come across as rascals or brats.
(Started from a group “ACU Students for Awareness.” Had done Asylum Seeker stuff.)
Approached some staff who might be keen; approached 10 staff got 3 onside.
- got them to sign a letter
Also tried to get hierarchy onside. Many Uni's and schools have a mission statement: often have stuff about being ethical. We wrote to Vice-Chancellor; “you’re not in line with your mission statement…” Met up with VC, and she met up with the cafés, strongly urging them to go FT.
Hooked have great packs to give cafés, educating them about FT.
Café asked us to come back with price listings, where they can get it from, etc. Got Jaspers to provide all that, and then got Jaspers to meet with the cafés, and it went from there!
So we really never spoke to the cafés, we went through the power structures, and that was very effective! Within 8 months, we had FT coffee!
Cafés then said: OK, it’s a little more expensive; but will there be a market?
Got Jaspers to come, did coffee samples and at the same time ppl to sign petition for FT coffee.
Went back to café with the petition.
Lessons:
- work with other student groups. There may be other groups who will care if you just let them know of the issues.
- work with your staff; get staff onside; it really helps!

there was a huge boycott of the catering provider, and now they’re really afraid of students. Gives us a lot of power, they listen to any grievances we have.

Cafés are producing waste! This is also a big issue.
A secondary issue, for us at the moment. FT is something they can do, and it’s our primary focus at this stage. At ACU after having success getting the coffee to be FT at both cafés, asked VC to get rid of the café suppliers because they were part of an unethical corporation. Unfortunately, that broke the relationship. Take baby-steps.

one lady sells it because passionate; but isn’t making money on it.
The other guy has meetings with them, but really not interested, not interested in making it work for him.
They see it as the ‘hippie’ thing, and “we’re not into that”. That’s not for us. An image problem.
Being well-prepared REALLY makes an impression. Having a slide show presentation; being really nice to them, gave a wonderful impression; was fantastic grounds. You want to be friendly; positive; and helpful.
When Tim and Jacqui have ranted and raved about the issues and stuff, it’s pushed the cafés away. Turned them off.
- puts them on the defensive
- guilt not a good motivator

contact the roasters, and get them to negotiate with the café to supply them with FT coffee. Get the café the best deal, and get more business for the roaster. Win-win, using their negotiating power. (The roasters have a paid negotiator.)

If you go with a top-down approach, i.e. get the university to require the cafés coffe to be FT
- let them know the great publicity the uni will get with Oxfam, etc., etc.
Going into a negotiating meeting (with a café):
you’re bringing your market
we’re bringing our ability to market FT (and the café)
(ie offering them something they want)