Bridgehead Coffee
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1981 in Toronto by two United Church http://www.united-church.ca ministers and two lay people, Bridgehead is a small fair trade
coffeehouse
chain which now has twelve outlets in Ottawa
, Canada. In addition to coffee and organic teas, it sells snacks as well as soups and salads made in its own kitchen. In November 2006, Bridgehead was again voted Ottawa’s “Best Coffee/Tea House” by readers of Ottawa XPress
, a widely-read lifestyle weekly. Bridgehead also sells coffee by mail through its website.
claimed that Oxfam Canada's Bridgehead ultimately failed in the mid-1990s due in part a “lack of sound business practices." Tracey Clark bought the Bridgehead Trading Company in 2000, including its trademarks and customer lists for $30,000. Clark originally relied on financing from family and friends, but by 2002, Bridgehead was owned by 30 investors.
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
chain which now has twelve outlets in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada. In addition to coffee and organic teas, it sells snacks as well as soups and salads made in its own kitchen. In November 2006, Bridgehead was again voted Ottawa’s “Best Coffee/Tea House” by readers of Ottawa XPress
Ottawa XPress
The Ottawa XPress, currently spelled press on its cover, is an alternative weekly newspaper in Ottawa, Ontario.The paper was initially launched in April 1993 by Jim Creskey, who also founded The Hill Times. In March 2001, the paper was sold to Voirs president and founder, Pierre Paquet...
, a widely-read lifestyle weekly. Bridgehead also sells coffee by mail through its website.
Bridgehead, fair trade, and corporate social responsibility
Bridgehead’s steady expansion from one outlet in 2000 to nine in 2008 came after the original Bridgehead closed. A profile of Bridgehead’s post-Oxfam management in the Ottawa CitizenOttawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
claimed that Oxfam Canada's Bridgehead ultimately failed in the mid-1990s due in part a “lack of sound business practices." Tracey Clark bought the Bridgehead Trading Company in 2000, including its trademarks and customer lists for $30,000. Clark originally relied on financing from family and friends, but by 2002, Bridgehead was owned by 30 investors.