Sustainability certification group Fair Trade USA recently named private label industry veteran Clay Dockery as head of coffee.
The appointment comes amidst a transitional period for the Oakland-based nonprofit, whose founder Paul Rice recently resigned as CEO. Current COO Felipe Arango is acting as interim COO.
The organization is also in the process of restructuring its model for the certification of green coffee, which remains one of Fair Trade USA’s leading product categories by volume and market value.
“Clay’s extensive experience in Fair Trade’s important coffee sector enhances our ability to achieve sustainable growth and expansion,” Arango said in an announcement of Dockery’s appointment. “His extensive experience within the coffee sector makes for a strong fit to fulfill Fair Trade’s long-term mission.”
Dockery has been a prominent volunteer figure in the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) over the past decade. He comes to Fair Trade USA from Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, where he served as vice president, corporate brands (private label). Dockery also spent years leading sales of private label development on behalf of ingredients company Kerry.
“He will focus on industry and producer buy-in and work to advance and innovate the organization’s coffee program,” Fair Trade USA said in an announcement of the appointment. “He will activate Fair Trade USA’s global growth goals while identifying opportunities for expansion and evolution.”
Earlier this year, Fair Trade USA announced it was extending its price freeze for certified coffees through at least 2025. The group has faced pressure to raise its minimum price premiums tied to certified coffee since at least 2023, when Fairtrade International, a separate agency, made the historic decision to raise prices due to widespread poverty in the coffee sector.
The organization renewed the price freeze as part of what it called its “coffee market stabilization strategy.”
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine.
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