Nowt Hipper than Clipper (Clipper Organic Freeze Dried Instant Coffee)

Member Name: delawney

Product:	Clipper Organic Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
Date:	17/10/02 (353 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Organic, Fair Trade, Yum

Disadvantages: Expensive, Doesn't have commercials with Tony Head

OK, I know my title is appalling, but I'm no good at these pun things and "hipper" was an improvement on "flipper". I am not a dolphin.

Now, delawney is a girl who loves her coffee. A little too much. Well, everyone has to have their vices, and coffee is mine. (It's my only one, honest!).

Now truthfully any devout coffee drinker knows that instant coffees are just not as good as the real thing. It's just not a patch on the caffeine fix that is the freshly brewed black loveliness of the fresh coffee. But real coffee is time consuming, and you've got to have a nice instant on standby to see you through the day. Don't want to be getting those caffeine withdrawal headaches now do we?

So my instant coffee of choice is Clipper Organic. I'm a rather big organic fan, so always give the organic varieties a go where I am able. Clipper is doubly good, as it's also fab and groovily a fair trade product. Not like that evil Nescafe, who remain evil even though they did have Anthony Head in their commercials for years.


*** The Product ***

Clipper Instant is 100% organic freeze dried Arabica coffee, certified organic by the Soil Association. Indeed, it was winner of the Organic Food Awards 1998. It is not one of those horrible powdery instants that always taste more of chicory than coffee.


*** The Packaging ***

They have a stab at being funky, putting in in a "square" jar. Can't say I'm that impressed but personally I'm far more interested in the taste.

It's a glass jar, so nice and easy to recycle. You will recycle it. (Said in best Jedi tone of voice).

The label and the lid are navy blue, and the label has a gold trim. I think it's supposed to look classy.


*** The Ethics ***

Quick (and EXTREMELY simplified) History Lesson: The Coffee and Tea trades have been renowned for yea

rs for being deeply unethical. As cash crops, the trade in tea and coffee exacerbate the problems of third world debt, as much land is turned over to cash crops instead of being used to farm for local people, and then the crops are sold at a pittance, offering no real benefit to the local economy.

In recent years there has been an upsurge in ethical tea and coffee products such as Cafe Direct, who pay reasonable prices for the crops and work to improve the lives of local people. Clipper is in their league.

On their website, Clipper tell us: "Clipper Organic Coffee helps to improve the quality of life for people of the coffee producing regions of the world, by working in partnership with funding programmes for agricultural research for sustainable farming AND by funding community development projects."

"This ensures commitment to sustainable agriculture and enables these small scale farmers to invest in the future of their families and their community."


*** The Taste ***

OK, so this is the important bit. It doesn't matter how fab and groovy and fair trade a product is, if my coffee tastes like chicory I'm not having it!

Fortunately, Clipper satisfies both my ethical and my taste requirements. As an instant coffee, I find it really very acceptable. It has a moderately strong taste without being too overpowering.

It was also winner of the Great Taste Awards 2001, so I'm sure I'm not alone in recommending it.


*** The Price ***

Organic does not come cheap. Fair Trade does not come cheap. Put the two together, and you definitely do not get cheap-cheap. Not being able to remember what we usually pay for it at Tesco, I checked the Clipper website where it seems to retail for £3.59, making it more expensive than other fair trade coffees like Cafe Direct, but for me it has the added bonus of being organic.


*** Availability *
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Clipper coffees are available in all leading supermarkets, health food stores, CWS, and E.H. Booths, as well as direct from the Clipper website (see below).


*** Other Varieties ***

For those weird people out there who drink decaffeinated coffee (what's the point?) you will be pleased to know Clipper do a decaffeinated instant variety. They also do a selection of ground coffees - which taste far superior I have to confess!

They also do loads of different types of teas.


*** The Website ***

Is full of information about their huge range of products, as well as addressing the background fair trade and organic issues. Visit it at:

www.clipper-teas.com.


*** The Verdict ***

It's delawney's instant of choice, and delawney is a coffee-fiend, so she should know ;)

This is a pleasant, bog-standard instant coffee. Of course it's not a patch on the real thing, but as instants go it's not bad. Personally, I enjoy it as much, if not more, as some of the "posh" instant coffees.

Although my personal feeling is that it is a five star product, I am only going to award it four because it is rather expensive (although I don't begrudge paying more for a fair-trade product), and because although most people I know who have tried it love it, I do know a couple that don't rate it so highly. They are in the minority though!

So go on, give it a go ;)

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