Green Mountain Coffee Family of Brands Blog

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 31: Name one way to support Fair Trade?

Answer: You tell us.

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Now that you know what Fair Trade is all about, what can you do about supporting fair trade in your daily life? Yes, daily life: the time when Fair Trade blogs, quizzes, and month long celebrations are not running rampant on your computer screen.

You can start with food items, since that’s a habit that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Many fair trade foods available these days in your grocery store – just look for the Fair Trade Certified™ label. Coffee of course is at the top of the list as well as tea. For those with a sweet tooth (AKA me) there are quite a few fair trade options for chocolate bars and cocoa. In general, healthy food markets and Coop’s will have a wider range of Fair Trade food products including rice, sugar, and fruit in addition to coffee, tea and cocoa. Check out TransFair USA’s Where to Buy section to search out the closest Fair Trade food items in your area. There you can find listings for local grocery stores as well as large national retailers who carry fair trade items.

Then you can just to other, non-edible products that carry the Fair Trade label. Some are more readily available than others but you can find Fair Trade versions of apparel, accessories, furniture, bedding, toys, arts, and crafts at retailers and websites, like http://www.wftomarket.com/. With holiday gift giving season just around the corner it’s a great time to commit to purchasing Fair Trade products – think of it as doubling your giving: once to the recipient, and once to the farmer.  Use the opportunity of gift giving to educate family and friends about the benefits of Fair Trade.

For up-to-date information on Fair Trade standards visit: www.wfto.com/, www.transfairusa.org, and http://www.fairtradefederation.org/

Thanks for the Fair Trade memores!  Remember: Be Social. Be Fair.

-Jasna

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 30: Name a Fair Trade costume you can dress up as for Halloween.

Answer: You tell us.

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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It’s October 30. Tomorrow’s October 31 – the last day of Fair Trade Month.

Oh, and that little thing called Halloween, too.

There are quite a few things you can do to make your Halloween Fair Trade friendly – hand out Fair Trade chocolate, go Reverse Trick-or-Treating**, decorate with Fair Trade gourds, and burn Fair Trade candles.   

But how about making a Fair Trade themed costume? I know, I know: Most already have their costume ready. But I’m here for the procrastinators and indecisive few out there who need a quick, easy, and Fair answer to their costume quandary. So, let’s begin:

1. Be Fair Trade Certified… as a Label!

Who’s the Fair-est Trade of all? Amanda from our CSR Team as a Fair Trade Certified label, of course!

Didn’t think when we said Be Fair that we actually meant “Dress up like a Fair Trade certified label,” did you? This is a quick costume that only requires poster board, tape, black markers and/or paint, and you! Draw the Fair Trade Certified label on a piece of white poster board. Cut out a hole for your face to peer through. Cut poster board straps to tape to the back of the hole to hold your head in place while keeping your arms free.

2. Be Fair Trade Certified…as a Mug of Fair Trade Certified Coffee!

Jasna of our CSR Team feels brew-ti-ful in her Fair Trade Certified mug of coffee.

How could we not promote a coffee-themed Fair Trade costume? Find a circular plastic trash can that would fit around your body.  Cut out the bottom of the trash can, being careful of sharp edges. Make a handle for the mug out of poster board that matches the color of the trash can. Print out your favorite Fair Trade coffee logo (maybe Green Mountain Coffee) and a Fair Trade Certified label and tape them onto the front of the outfit. Adhere straps to the inside/top of the trash can to keep the costume on. Roll up a red tube of paper, indent in the middle, and tape to the inside of the mug, so it is visible on the outside – a coffee stir!

3. Be Fair Trade Certified…as a Fair Trade French Roast Coffee Bean!

Maureen from PR says, “Ooh la la!” about being a Fair Trade Certified French Roast coffee bean!

The previous ideas too complicated? Here’s a simple one: Fair Trade French Roast Coffee Bean. Find a big brown shirt, baret, red scarf and/or fabric. Using black paper, cut out a curved shape and tape it to the front of the shirt (for the coffee bean indent).  Print out the Fair Trade Certified label and tape it to the shirt, too. Cut out and color in a mustache; add double-sided tape to the back. Put on the shirt and stuff pillows to make a round shape. Put on the moustache, beret and scarf and voila!

Happy Halloween!

-Kristen

** Reverse Trick-or-Treating is an effort to promote Fair Trade by giving Fair Trade chocolate back to adults while Trick-or-Treating door-to-door on Halloween. If you were one time, you could have signed up to receive FREE – yes, FREE – kits that include Fair Trade chocolate with information about how buying Fair Trade certified chocolate provides helps farmers. But it's October 30 - so buy some Fair Trade chocolate and pass it out with gusto!

UPDATE 3/23/11: The wait is over: Cafe Escapes Chai Latte is back and ready to be enjoyed!

Café Escapes® has added yet another addition to the product line: Chai Latte K-Cups.  Chai is a traditional drink of Southern Asia with an exotic blend of cinnamon, cardamom, clove and black pepper. Latte is any hot beverage served with milk. Together, Café Escapes Chai Latte creates a balanced taste of sweet, spicy and smooth. With its rich and creamy body, this cup of luxury is a welcoming respite from the demands of your everyday lifestyle.

Café Escapes was created to bring coffee house drinks into the comforts of your home. With your Keurig brewer and Café Escapes, you can have an anytime indulgence®.  Shop the entire Café Escapes K-Cup line or make  your own escape today.  Let us know what you think by replying to this blog or posting your Cafe Escapes K-Cup review. Thanks and enjoy!

“Forgiveness is for you, not for the offender.”

It’s been a little over a week since Jean-Paul Samputu spoke these words at the Green Mountain Coffee visitor center’s Rwandan Storytelling, Song, & Dance: An Evening with Jean Paul Samputu & Friends.  And yet, Samputu’s sentiment and story still hangs in the air on campus – heartbreaking and uplifting all in one beautiful moment.

As singer, songwriter, musician, and genocide survivor from Rwanda, Samputu has established himself as one of the most prominent African artists on the world stage; winning the prestigious Kora Award (the "African Grammy") in 2003.  The fact that he has these accolades to his name is more than enough to draw in a crowd on a Friday night, but his words… they keep you there for the duration.

Of course, the night was filled with song, dance, and stories from Samputu, as well as students from the Rwanda Educational Partnerships at Harwood Union High School who ventured to Rwanda in 2008. The packed house gladly danced the night away, celebrating life and new beginnings.

To learn more about the Rwanda Educational Partnerships at Harwood Union High School, click here.

To hear more about Samputu’s campaign of forgiveness, see here.

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 29: True or False: All Newman’s Own Organics coffees are Fair Trade?

Answer: True

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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When we first started sourcing and roasting coffee for Newman’s Own Organics, we took Nell Newman down to Guatemala to meet some of the farmers who grow organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffee.

Nell is President of Newman’s Own Organics and the daughter of the late Paul Newman.  Like many people on their first trip to source, she was struck by how labor intensive coffee farming is.  Her trip to the La Voz Cooperative would make a lasting impression on her.

Nell Newman (left) and Lindsey Bolger (right) with Guatemalan girl [Photo: Bill Kinzie, 2much Media]

“I think it’ll really make me think a lot more about every single cup of coffee that I have,” she said.  “I don’t think about every little bean that goes into that cup of coffee that I drink, but it really gives you a very different perspective when you hike up to 5300 feet and see people carrying down your coffee.”

Nell was also impressed by the medical support, education, and better quality of life that farmers enjoyed because of Fair Trade.  See more about Nell’s trip and hear her thoughts in this brief video.

Green Mountain Coffee is proud to source and roast seven varieties of organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffee for Newman’s Own Organics.

-Laura

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 28: How many coffee roasters and importers are licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee in the US as of 2008?

Answer: 401-500 (460)

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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“Where there is coffee, may there be peace and prosperity.” —Traditional Ethiopian blessing

Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of coffee because botanical evidence suggests coffee first grew wild in Ethiopia’s fertile highlands. Perhaps this is why coffee is an integral part of Ethiopian daily life—more so than in any other coffee-producing country.

Ethiopians use an elaborate coffee ceremony to welcome guests and show friendship or respect. The ceremony, which can last a few hours, involves three cups for each guest. After the third cup is consumed, Ethiopians believe a blessing is bestowed and one’s spirit is transformed.

Beans for our Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe come from the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, the largest Fair Trade coffee producer in Ethiopia. In a country where most people live on a dollar a day, Fair Trade provides a steady source of income and hope for a better future. With the extra revenue generated by Fair Trade, farmers in this cooperative have been able to buy new washing stations and set up a repair fund. Investments like these allow the coop to continue producing an elegantly sweet coffee with orange blossom fragrance and vibrant lemony tones. Independent coffee critic Kenneth Davids gave our Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe high praise and an outstanding score of 93 points. Discover why Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is the choice of coffee connoisseurs around the world.

Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe “This coffee declares its essential Yirgacheffe character immediately: perfumy and pungently menthol-toned in the aroma, shimmering with floral and lemon notes.” Kenneth Davids, CoffeeReview.com, Score:93, March 2008

-Laura

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 27: By what percentage has demand for Fair Trade coffee grown in the US in 2008?

Answer: Over 30%

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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I gave a bag of coffee to a friend of mine as a housewarming gift. She took one look at it and said “Do you have anything that’s Fair Trade?”

I confess, before I started working for Green Mountain Coffee, I didn’t understand what Fair Trade (FT) meant exactly. Even when I settled on Fair Trade Organic Espresso as my coffee of choice, the fact that it’s Fair Trade had no impact on my decision whatsoever. But now that I know what it means and how it impacts the lives of those who grow our coffee beans, I get even more satisfaction out of my morning cup.

One category of coffee that’s exclusively Fair Trade is our Limited Edition Seasonal coffees. Four years ago, Green Mountain Coffee decided to make the seasonal coffees Fair Trade across the board. The idea was to grow awareness of Fair Trade to more coffee lovers like you so that we could expand our Fair Trade market and ultimately make a difference in more farmers’ lives. Why Seasonals? Well, I don’t know about you, but when I see “available for a limited time”, I’ve got to have it right now, and lots of it. What better way to introduce Fair Trade to as many people as possible who will not only anxiously await the next arrival, but will stock up? It’s true, even through our current economic situation, folks are ordering cases (yes, cases) of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice before it’s gone. Maybe they’re depending on the aroma of mom’s pumpkin pie to get them through the tough times. Either way, it means coffee farmers are getting a better life.

What I love about the Seasonals is that, no matter what your reason, there’s a seasonal coffee that you can call your own. My second favorite coffee would have to be FT Organic Joyful Season Blend (available mid-November) because a) it’s Fair Trade; b) it’s organic; and c) I love the holidays. So much so, in fact, my Christmas tree stayed up until August one year. Apparently I have a problem with letting go. So if you’re wondering if I replaced the housewarming gift with a Fair Trade coffee …you betcha. If it helps coffee farmers survive, and thrive, in light of their long-standing economic troubles, shouldn’t everyone get Fair Trade?

Is your favorite coffee among our Seasonals? If so, I’m curious. Was it because it was the socially responsible choice, or because you associate its aroma or name with a different time or place, or simply because you like the taste?

-Wendy

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 26: Name one of Green Mountain Coffee’s partnership Fair Trade coffees.

Answer: Heifer Hope Blend and National Wildlife Blend

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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The term partnership is defined as a relationship between two parties. Green Mountain Coffee takes great pride in its partnerships and does whatever it can to foster those relationships. The following are proverbs that support the initiative behind the partnerships GMCR has created.

Give a man a fish and he can eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. This old adage has generations of human footprints behind it. The saying lives on throughout time because it speaks the truth. Heifer International® is a non-profit organization that gives livestock to those in need and teaches them to use their livestock as a resource to sustain a way of life; and to take that one step further Heifer International encourages sharing these learning’s and livestock with neighbors. We partner with Heifer international to make a Fair Trade Certified coffee called Heifer Hope Blend.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings beings it has a song. What better sound to awaken to than that of a song bird? Lucky for us, Green Mountain Coffee partners with National Wildlife Federation® to produce a Fair Trade Certified National Wildlife Blend. This coffee is grown in environments rich in biodiversity, under canopies of shade that provide excellent winter habitat for migratory songbirds that summer in North American backyards.

Both of these coffees carry the Fair Trade Certified™ label, which guarantees farmers a fair price for their coffee harvest and enables them to reinvest in their communities. Fair Trade Certified fully utilizes the positive impact they have on the world, both at the beginning of their life and at the end. Fair Trade Partnership coffees are all about empowerment… empowerment to the one who grows the beans, empowerment to their namesake, and empowerment to the consumer.

-Alissa

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 25: Approximately how many farmers and workers benefit from Fair Trade worldwide?

Answer: 1.5 million

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is supporting a project developed and managed by CESMACH (Campesinos Ecologicos de la Sierra Madre de Chiapas) a cooperative located in Jaltenango, Chiapas, Mexico that supplies us with organic and Fair Trade coffee beans.

In 2008, GMCR agreed to support this project which is focused on eliminating seasonal food insecurity associated with “los meses flacos” (the thin months) in CESMACH communities by providing training, fruit trees (seen right), and other products to help families diversify their diet and their sources of income.  If successful, these efforts will reduce these families’ dependence on coffee as their only source of income and will insure that they can maintain their normal diet throughout the entire year. Equal Exchange and Heifer International are also supporting this CESMACH project.

We use CESMACH coffee beans in many of our products, including National Wildlife Blend and Fair Trade organic Mexican Select.

-Rick

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 24: How many Americans are aware of Fair Trade?

Answer: Around 1/4

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Alfredo Rayo Granados of Finca Mil Flores

In January, 2007, I went on a “source trip” to Nicaragua with Green Mountain Coffee.  Over 18% of our employees have traveled to coffee-producing countries to learn about the hard work that goes into growing and harvesting high-quality coffee.

One of the most valuable parts of the trip is the chance to talk directly with farmers and representatives from coops about how Fair Trade has affected their communities.

For example, we visited Finca Mil Flores, a coffee farm in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.  Alfredo Rayo Granados gave us an impeccably presented tour of the farm, which is owned by his father.  Through Fair Trade, Alfredo received a scholarship that enabled him to attend a university – the first step in his dream to become a history professor.

Mercedes at Solcafe

At Solcafe, a dry mill in Matagalpa, we learned that Fair Trade benefits producers and their families by providing better medical attention and improved working conditions.  Mercedes, Solcafe’s 23-year old pro-cupper, praised Fair Trade and says it helps to support Solcafe’s emphasis on quality coffee.

Sandy (on left) with Guadeloupe Castillo from Finca Apaguis-Miraflor

In Esteli, Nicaragua, we inched up rough mountain roads to the farm of Guadeloupe Castillo.  Guadeloupe explained the benefits of Fair Trade in his community:  “There’s a social benefit.  One of the things Fair Trade provides is scholarships…People are paid fairly for labor which is important.  We have also been able to renovate some of the fincas, which provides work to people in the community and invests back into the finca.”

Through our travels, Fair Trade became more than just an abstract concept after hearing farmers speak about its benefits and seeing them with our own eyes.  We returned with a greater understanding of the meaning of Fair Trade and with many memorable first-hand experiences to share with our co-workers back home.

-Sandy

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 23: How much of Green Mountain Coffee’s in-kind coffee donations are Fair Trade?

Answer: 100%, unless otherwise requested

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Did you know all of our coffee donations are Fair Trade Certified™ organic coffee? In 2006 we made a commitment to donate only Fair Trade Certified™ organic coffee through our product donations program.

In the past three years Green Mountain Coffee has donated close to 120,000 lbs of coffee to non-profit partners in communities where we work, live, and conduct business.

Fair Trade Organic Sampler, found here at GreenMountainCoffee.com

We realized that we have a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the Fair Trade model in domestic communities by donating fair trade coffee through our product donations program. The organizations we work with use our coffee donations for fundraisers, events, or for operational support. In this way they help us tell the Fair Trade story and more people have the opportunity to taste the difference of Fair Trade organic coffee.

Visit Brewing a Better World to learn more about our product donation program.

-Jasna

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 22: What is Max Havelaar?

Answer: The name of the first Fair Trade certification initiative and a fictional Dutch character who opposed the exploitation of coffee pickers in Dutch colonies.

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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While there’s no way to really know, we’d like to think that Max Havelaar would approve of our Fair Trade efforts at Green Mountain Coffee. Or, at least that he’d enjoy one of our most popular seasonal Fair Trade coffees, Pumpkin Spice.

Pumpkin Mocha Supreme

People tell us they can’t wait for fall…and then they stock up on Pumpkin Spice like little squirrels. The cinnamon and nutmeg flavors are even better when you add a touch of hot chocolate.  Try this yummy Fair Trade recipe:

Pumpkin Mocha Supreme

• Brew a pot of Fair Trade Certified™ Pumpkin Spice or get a K-Cup of Pumpkin Spice


• Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg in the bottom of the coffee cup


• Fill the cup halfway with hot coffee (either from your pot or your Keurig machine)


• Fill the remainder of the cup with hot chocolate.  (We carry Fair Trade Organic Hot Cocoa from Lake Champlain Chocolates in our catalog and on our web site.)


• Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon and/or shaved chocolate

-Ken

Let me just say, “WOW!”

As someone who just joined GMCR's Specialty Coffee Business Unit team this summer, I’m ecstatic to hear that GMCR made Forbes’ list of America’s Best Small Companies of 2009, placing in the Top 10 at number 5!  This is our third consecutive year on the list, jumping from #55 in 2008, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

So, I’m going to say it again: “WOW!”  Take this quote from Forbes, for example:

“[GMCR’s] gourmet java, sold through coffee shops and grocers, still pours in a recession.”

Love it.  I even love the pun.  It’s brew-ti-ful, if I may be so (extra) bold (K-Cup).

For a look at the full list, check it out here.  And do say, “Hello,” when scrolling past ranking number 5…

-Kristen

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 21: With which coffee co-op does GMCR have the longest ongoing relationship?

Answer: Huatusco (Mexico)

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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We have been working with members of the Unión Regional de Pequeños Productores de Café cooperative in Huatusco, Mexico since 1996.

Rogelio Jacome participates in a "cupping" with Patty Vincent, Coffee Product Manager, at our lab in Waterbury, Vermont.

Throughout the years, we’ve been able to create a common language to talk about quality.  We’ve exchanged visits several times to discuss the particular taste characteristics we are seeking, and spent hours together in “cupping” sessions. Huatusco producers are now so attuned to our quality needs, they have a specific “Green Mountain Prep” they use on the beans they sell to us.

We’ve also supported the co-op’s efforts to become organic-certified, helped pay for improvements to their wet-mill, and provided credit to help them through the harvest season. The increased revenue that Fair Trade and organic coffee provides has enabled the farmers to establish education facilities in rural areas, and build regional healthcare centers for several villages.

Miguel Garcia Suarez with a bag of his coffee

“Our work with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has been fruitful and profitable,” said co-op manager Rogelio Jacome. “They’ve helped us with health programs and student scholarships. The cupper’s training has been a big help, especially in terms of quality control. We truly believe that this relationship keeps getting stronger.”

-Laura

How does a nice sea urchin cappuccino sound?  Or pork tenderloin and coffee-sunchoke gravy?  Attendees at celebrity chef cook-off  “Eat, Drink and Be Fair” will be the first to find out as these and other delicacies are debuted as part of a push to make Boston one of the largest Fair Trade Towns in the U.S.

Hosted by Green Mountain Coffee, “Eat, Drink and Be Fair” will pit some of the area’s most inventive culinary wizards head-to-head as part of a series of events celebrating Fair Trade Month.  The event aims to educate guests on the importance of Fair Trade and the impact it can have on people and the planet.

Meet the Chefs

Each chef will be challenged to create a unique dish featuring Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients, such as honey, sugar, cocoa, coffee, bananas and more. They’ll be combining creativity, sustainability and seldom-paired flavors.  Competing chefs include:

• Chef Richard Garcia, Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro (Foxboro at Patriot Place)

• Chef Jay Silva, Bambara (Cambridge)


• Chef Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar (Cambridge)

• Chef Peter McCarthy, EVOO (Cambridge)

Take the Fair Trade Pledge

This October, Green Mountain Coffee is calling on Bostonians to take the BE FAIR pledge, a promise to choose Fair Trade Certified™ products whenever possible. Fair Trade provides a fair price for farmers which leads to higher living standards, healthier communities, more sustainable farming practices, and higher quality products.

Green Mountain Coffee is hoping 5,000 people in Massachusetts, and others across the country, will pledge during October’s Fair Trade Month.  Individuals can take the pledge by visiting www.eatdrinkandbefair.com.

BOSTON—THE NEXT  FAIR TRADE TOWN

Boston is on track to become the largest East Coast Fair Trade city in the United States.  In order to become a Fair Trade city, Fair Trade products must be widely used in local schools, workplaces and businesses, and the city must pass a resolution supporting Fair Trade.  For a full guide on Boston’s quest and how you can help, visit www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/fair_trade_towns.php.

“Eat, Drink & Be Fair” will take place on Wednesday, October 21 from 6:30-9:30 p.m., at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter, Boston’s first LEED-certified building.  The event, which is by invitation only, will support TransFair USA and the Boston Faith & Justice Network in their efforts to make Boston a Fair Trade Town in 2010.

-Kristen

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 20: How many metric tons of Fair Trade coffee were sold in 2008 worldwide?

Answer: 66,000

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Being immersed as we are in the Fair Trade movement, it’s all too easy to take some of the successes of Fair Trade for granted… at least until we back up a bit and take a look at the larger landscape. Then some of the numbers are a little bit startling.

Here’s a few of the facts that make us sit up and take notice that what we’re up to isn’t just a market, but a movement:

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  • More than 50% of the world’s coffee is grown on small, family-run farms.
  
  
  • More than 800,000 farmers and their families sell their coffee through the Fair Trade register.
  
  
  • Through the Fair Trade market, family farmers in Fair Trade cooperatives can earn three to five times more than farmers selling conventionally (depending on the market price of coffee, or the “C”.)
  
  
  • Fair Trade Certified® coffee is the fastest growing segment of the $11 billion US specialty coffee trade.
  
  
  • According to the journal Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, 63 million Americans base their purchase decisions on how the products they consume affect the world.
  
  
  • Imports of Fair Trade Certified green coffee have grown about 75% a year since 1999.
  
  
  • More than 400 US college campuses serve Fair Trade coffee.
  
  
  • For every daily coffee drinker in the United States there is a worker in the world who depends on coffee for his or her livelihood.
  
  
  
  

-Doug

What are we talking about? Green Mountain Coffee’s NEW Donut House Collection™.  Everyone knows someone who is wrapped up in life’s hustle and bustle that they forget to remember the simple things in life: like a cup of coffee.  Donut House™ coffees are good, straightforward coffees that remind you of the days when you could just order a "regular" cup of joe and never be disappointed.   These coffees offer rich, bold flavors and a little kick to get you going.

Simplify your friend’s day by Dropping a Donut House on them and get $1.00 off any box of Donut House™ K-Cup coffee you buy.

Fresh off the press, our Holiday Catalog should be arriving in your mailbox any moment now. This season's catalog has everything you need to stay toasty warm this winter. Our new Donut House K-Cup Coffee Collection features a classic Donut House Coffee, which is also available in decaf, Cinnamon Roll™, and decadent Chocolate Glazed Donut™. On top of all that, there is a wide selection of delightful mugs that are just perfect for the Holiday Season.

My favorite item from this catalog is the colorful Cioccolato Mug Set by Rosanna. The set includes 4 unique mugs, each designed to make you feel as though you are at a quaint bistro in Paris or a busy cafe in a Roman piazza. As a bonus, they come inside a stylish ‘hat’ box, which can be used for storage once these mugs are tucked safely in your kitchen cabinet.

Don't get a catalog? Sign-up to recieve one here.

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 19: What country purchases the most Fair Trade coffee overall?

Answer: The United States

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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When we enjoy a cup of coffee, we may have many things on our mind.  We might be easing into to the start of a new day, generating plans with co-workers around a conference room, or relaxing with friends after a wonderful meal.  Coffee is often an integral part of our day.

Coffee is also an integral part of each day for the farmers who supply green coffee beans to Green Mountain Coffee to roast, market and sell.  It is their livelihood.  Those of us who have visited these cooperatives have seen first hand how many steps it takes to produce quality coffees and the amazing care that goes into each step.  A video called Heart of the Cup was put together by the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Foundation so that people could learn about the process of getting coffee from tree to cup.  It is narrated by Lindsey Bolger, our Director of Coffee Sourcing and Relationships, along with Don Holly, our Director of Corporate Quality and Materials.

Take a look and see where your Fair Trade dollars are going.

-Maureen

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 18: Name a Fair Trade Town in the United States.

Answer: Media, PA, Brattleboro, VT, and Milwaukee, WI

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet?  Well, why not?  The answer’s right there!  If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees.  Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

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Hi, my name is Kristen and I am a (FTO)².

Never heard of it? That’s not surprising. We’re a reclusive bunch, us Fair Trade Organic First Time Offenders. It only takes one bite, sip, crunch, or slurp to become one of us.

I remember what it was like before: Waltzing through the grocery store, buying things willy-nilly. I knew about organic products and I had a basic understanding of Fair Trade, but that didn’t impact my shopping. I looked at the price, the brand, and nothing else. But since that day when I took a sip of that Fair Trade Organic hot cocoa from Lake Champlain Chocolates – I’m now aware of the existence of two little labels:

That is what makes a FTO² – the purchase and use of a product with both labels. You could become one without knowing it, it’s so simple – after all, I did. But it’s not a tiresome title to hold. It just makes you think, “Given the choice, I’d go for Fair Trade Certified Organic.” I mean, it’s great to be certified organic; it’s great to be Fair Trade Certified. But to be Fair Trade Certified and organic? The thought sends shivers down my spine.

Give a bag of coffee, make it FTO. Give a jar of chocolate sauce, make it FTO. Give a container of tea, make it FTO.

No need to take my advice. But, then again, I am a FTO².

And that gets me back to the point of this little treatise: My name is Kristen and I am a FTO².

Want to be a FTO², too?

-Kristen