美東行第二天Equal Exchange拜訪 Part 1 @ 勇敢去飛 Dream Big Be Brave

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Equal Exchange和馥聚已經來往十年了，這十年，我們沒有見過面，只有E-mail及不斷的時差。這一次來到美東，除了週末的食品展外，拜訪 Equal Exchange則是我們的重點站。昨天因為不在計劃中的Delay，所以到飯店已經是凌晨三點了；早上六點半鬧鐘醒，還是爬起來，為的就是趕赴八點半的第一場會議。

其實今天開始連續三天是Equal Exchange內部銷售部門主管會議，為的是腦力激盪新的銷售點子，為的是接下來四年的規劃。感謝Cara，負責我們的銷售經理，特地先撥二小時的時間和我們碰面並討論一連串我們相關的銷售問題。之後，一天下來，我們有了如何品茶／選茶／品咖啡及瞭解咖啡是如何從生豆到烘培，還有辦公室的參觀。

在今天一天的相處下來，深深覺得，只有認同一個組織／公司的目標和願景，才會有向心力。Equal Exchange在公平貿易這部份已經投入三十年的時間，它不是營利事業組織，而是一個合作社概念；每個員工都是組織的一部份，擁有投票權，有著相同的權利來發言；所以在這裡，最老的已經服務了二十七年還不想退休，還有許多是從實習生或是打工開始，然後在畢業後，就繼續留了下來。除此之外，Equal Exchange更是隨時注意自己在公平貿易這領域中是否做的足夠，是否一直在正確的道路上；所以即使有公平貿易的Logo比較有高辨識度，他們寧可把它拿掉，只因為現在有不少號稱公平貿易的產品，其實只是花錢去買Logo而已，為什麼？因為末端售價可以抬高！但，這就偏離了Equal Exchange的核心概念。

US East Coast Day 2 Visit Equal Exchange Part 1
We have been working with Equal Exchange almost a decade, but never met each other, only e-mails and different time zone. Therefore, visiting Equal Exchange becomes one of our biggest thing to be on this trip. Although we got into the hotel at 3:00am last night, still, woke up at 6:30am, for our 1st meeting at 8:45am.

In fact, from today for 3 days in the row are sales meeting for whole sales department to develop the strategy for next 4 years. However, Cara, our sales manager, who specially took 2 hours for us to meet first before went into her sales meeting. How sweet and be treasured. After sales meeting, our day was filled with tea cup testing, coffee cup testing, roasting and tour in office.

What we learned and felt today, only if everyone could agree and understand the mission and vision of organization, or they wouldn't work at the same organization for so long. At Equal Exchange, 30 years of business, the oldest person is working for 27 years. And more of them started at temp, then become permeant right after graduation.

How can Equal Exchange has so strong attraction to these people.
1. Equal Exchange is not a business type, but a Co-Op
2. People works at Equal Exchange are co-owners who have the same right to vote
3. Equal Exchange always stands for its mission and vision on Fair Trade,
4. Even it takes time to educate public about fair trade without fair trade logo on it, Equal Exchange insists not to put the logo back just because more and more big companies jump into fair trade logo. Not because they are really fair trade, but they can have high end profit.

和Cara (sales deparement), Sharyn (customer service)第一次的見面