Larry Blanford

In an open letter and ad campaign, Equal Exchange, an importer of coffee and other commodities, is asking Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to leave Fair Trade USA, a certification organization. Equal Exchange, a Massachusetts-based importer of "fair trade" coffee, cocoa and other commodities, has taken out two full-page ads in Vermont's largest daily newspaper, the Burlington Free Press, taking local hero Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to the woodshed. At issue is what constitutes "fair trade."

Green Mountain said it will make Dunkin' Donuts coffee available for use in its Keurig single-cup coffee brewers. The partnership escalates the battle between Green Mountain, Starbucks and others for the single-cup coffee market.