Do you ever feel like some words are just used by companies to trick customers into paying more for a standard-quality product?
Take the word "artisanal," for example. For a long time, the name conjured up in my mind images of high-end, absolutely decadent ingredients, grown in some fabulous vineyard somewhere with expensive, organic and earth-conscious soil, and meticulously harvested and then prepared before arriving in pristine condition to my dinner plate.
In reality, though, McDonald's has an "artisan" grilled chicken sandwich on its menu that costs me less than $5.00, and I usually get a tummy ache after eating it.
Sometimes, however, the convenience chain gets it right -- 7-Eleven, for example, is now selling fair trade coffee from the Matagalpa region of Nicaragua, according to Fortune, and the best part is that the price of the brew is totally affordable.
"It’s a great tasting, premium cup of coffee without the premium price," Nancy Smith, 7-Eleven senior vice president of fresh food and proprietary beverage merchandising, said in a press statement.
While some might say that the convenience chain is only trying to cast its net wider to lure in hipsters, we say that 7-Eleven should be commended for demonstrating that socially conscious products should be not only more widely offered, but also affordable to consumers.
For example, how great is it that if you buy this coffee from 7-Eleven, you do so knowing that it has been sourced from both growers and farmers who have pledged to meet strict and environmentally friendly standards, which are actively working to make sure wildlife, local communities and our environment can thrive and live prosperously for as long as possible?
Pretty great. And, you get some premium-tasting caffeine to go along with it.