The Perfect Cup heralds what some coffee experts have called "the romantic age of coffee." North Americans rediscovered what their Europeans counterparts have known all along: coffee is better when it's quality coffee, and the best place to drink it is in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the cafe. A quirky collection of entrepreneurs emerged from the '70s to create mega-chains like Starbucks and Second Cup in the '80s. Coffee became the first global industry to experiment with Fair Trade practices and a new breed of co-operative farmer was born in Central America. The new coffee consumers expected social justice in their morning cup. Consequently, marketing executives began to realize that "fair trade" is more than ethics, it is good business. Consumers felt better knowing that their coffee habit is contributing to sustainable agriculture practices and increased profit for small grower.

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