VOA常速英语2007年-Starbucks, Ethiopia Join Forces After Settling

By Peter Heinlein
Addis Ababa
02 December 2007

The giant American coffee shop chain Starbucks is opening a center in Ethiopia to help coffee farmers improve productivity and profitability. VOA's Peter Heinlein in Addis Ababa reports establishment of the center follows a dispute in which Ethiopia had accused Starbucks of blocking it from trade-marking the names of distinctive¹ Ethiopian coffees.

Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz traveled to the birthplace of coffee to announce the opening of a center that will work with Ethiopian farmers and exporters to boost the quality of their product. He was joined in a news conference by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, signaling that their public argument about trademarks² that had gained international headlines is history.

Last year, Starbucks refused Ethiopia's request for a licensing³ agreement giving the African country rights to the names of three Ethiopian regional coffees, even in countries were they are not trademarked. Starbucks' position was widely portrayed⁴ as denying royalties⁵ to impoverished⁶ Ethiopian farmers.

The dispute was resolved earlier this year. Details were not disclosed, but Starbucks has agreed to recognize Ethiopia's ownership of the three names, and not to block Ethiopian attempts to win trademarks for them.

Shultz said the issue was never about royalties.

"Much has been written about the concern that existed between the government's position and Starbucks' position," said Howard Schultz. "But candidly⁷, I think a lot of that was misunderstood, and I am thankful to say it is behind us."

He says Starbucks will continue to use the three names in marketing⁸ Ethiopian coffee in its more than 15,000 stores worldwide.

Prime Minister Meles praised the agreement as a win for Ethiopia's coffee farmers. He says the last year's campaign against Starbucks was only aimed at helping⁹ producers earn a greater share of the profits.

"Let me say that when we launched the campaign, we did not do it on behalf of the government," said Meles Zenawi. "We did not do it to get royalties for the government. We did it to make sure that our farmers get better prices."

Starbucks Chairman Schultz says the support center being built in Addis will not attempt to teach Ethiopian farmers how to grow better coffee. Ethiopia already produces some of the world's finest coffee beans, and local reporters were skeptical¹⁰ that Starbucks would have anything to teach about coffee growing.

But Prime Minister Meles explained that the center would offer modern production and marketing techniques that will make these superior coffees more competitive on increasingly complex and sophisticated world markets.

"We have been growing coffee since time immemorial, but not in the front ranks of scientific research," he said.

Neither the prime minister nor the Starbucks chairman would reveal how much coffee the company is buying from Ethiopia. But Schultz said during the past four years, Starbucks increased its purchases of Ethiopian coffee by 400 percent, and would double that amount during the current two-year period.

Starbucks buys 300 million pounds of coffee a year at prices higher than what farmers get on the open market. Most of it comes from Latin America.

1 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

2 trademarks   

n.（注册）商标( trademark的名词复数 )；（人的行为或衣着的）特征，标记

参考例句：

• Motrin and Nuprin are trademarks of brands of ibuprofen tablets. Nuprin和Motrin均是布洛芬的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many goods in China have the trademarks of a panda. 中国的许多商品都带有熊猫的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 licensing   

v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A large part of state regulation consists of occupational licensing. 大部分州的管理涉及行业的特许批准。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• That licensing procedures for projects would move faster. 这样的工程批准程序一定会加快。 来自辞典例句

4 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

6 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

8 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。