Coffee Accessories

If you’ve ever spent a February in Vermont, the answer to “Are you available to work at event in Miami Beach this month?” is always a resounding “Yes!” Nothing against Vermont, mind you. After all, I’ve called it home for 13 years and counting, but yikes it can get mighty cold up here sometimes!

So with high hopes the Barista Prima Coffeehouse® team and I prepared for several days of sampling at The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Upon arrival, we were thrilled – and somewhat taken aback – by the setting and scope of the event. Against a backdrop of cosmopolitan sheen, art deco elegance, and miles of white sand and blue water, the SOBE WFF (as it’s so called) is in a class by itself. Under huge white tents, right on the beach, dozens of vendors prepared themselves for 3 days of sharing samples of fine wine, mouthwatering food, innovative accessories, and in our case, amazing European coffee house-inspired Barista Prima® K-Cup® packs. 

When the gates opened on Friday, our preparation was put to the test, as a rush of attendees kept us engaged and busy while we doled out cup after cup of complimentary Barista Prima samples. During the equally busy sampling days on Saturday and Sunday, we met quite a few loyal customers (people who already have a love-love relationship with Barista Prima), and we made some new friends as well. The pace was fast and furious, but our team tackled the challenge with energy and enthusiasm.  With stylish fedoras like ours, how could we not?

Between the setting, the atmosphere, the throngs of interested attendees, the celebrity sightings (foodie royalty like Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Andrew Zimmern, Anne Burrell, Gail Simmons, and many others), the stellar support staff, and the non-Vermont temperatures, this south Florida “event of the year” was a great showcase for Barista Prima’s elegant cup of coffee. 

Are you a South Beach Barista Prima fan? 

As a smartphone owner myself, I must admit that I really enjoy the convenience of being able to shop all of my favorite products no matter where I am. With the smartphone market continuing to grow with no sign of slowing down, it is important that we give coffee lovers the opportunity to shop on the go. With endless days of seemingly endless christmas shopping right around the corner, Green Mountain Coffee has made shopping for the coffee fanatic in your life easier than ever. Green Mountain Coffee fans can now shop their favorite Keurig® beverages, brewers and accessories from the convenience of their smartphones with our new mobile website. Check it out today at www.greenmountaincoffee.com/mobile. Happy Shopping!

There has never been a better time to save on a new Keurig® brewer. Through October 28^th, anyone who purchases a Keurig Vue® or K-Cup® brewer on GreenMountainCoffee.com will get up to $50 off with a mail in rebate. This rebate can also be downloaded by customers who have recently purchased a brewer (online or in a retail store). Add Keurig Brewed® packs and accessories to your order for additional savings. (Café Express® 15% savings and benefits are eligible for purchase.)

I’ve always believed that a penny saved is a penny earned. But, if you’re like me, you know the only reason people save money is so they can eventually spend it. The money that Café Express® members save yearly on their favorite Vue™ Pack and K-Cup® coffees, bagged coffee, Keurig® Single Cup Brewers  and coffee accessories allows them to buy the things they really want in life.  Here’s a list of our top 5 ways some of our members want to spend the money saved with the Café Express® Savings Club.

5. A Trip to the Spa

Everybody deserves to be pampered once in a while. The spa is a great way to rejuvenate your body and mind for a relatively low price.

4. Ski Lift Tickets

We may be biased living here in Vermont but we think the best way to enjoy the fruits of our labor is to go skiing down a snow covered slope at top speed. If winter is your season too, then this may be the perfect way to spend your Café Express savings.  And then enjoy a piping hot cup of Double Black Diamond® in the lodge.

3. Outdoor Gear

It’s time to do away with your thirty year old (AKA stinky) outdoor recreation gear and get new stuff. New gear will help keep you on your game in the great outdoors while enjoying Mother Nature in style.

2. Theme Park Tickets

Nothing brings back childhood memories more than screaming like a little girl on your local park’s roller coaster. For the non-thrill seekers there is always the Ferris wheel and plenty of fried dough. Theme parks are always a great way to put some excitement in your summer.

1. The New Keurig® Vue™ Brewer

The Keurig Vue Brewing System gives all Keurig® fanatics more beverage and brewing options than ever before. I personally love the new Café Beverages like Vanilla Latte and Sweetened Cappuccino. This new brewer will be on the top of everyone’s list!

I often get asked by my family and friends, “Where can I get K-Cup® coupons?” or “How can I save money on my K-Cup® packs?” I drink a lot of coffee, so I found out awhile back that one of the best ways to save on K-Cup® packs is through our Café Express® Savings Club.  As a club member, every time you shop at Green Mountain Coffee® you’ll get great savings (15% off!)on Keurig® K-Cup® and Vue™ packs, bagged coffee, gifts, coffee makers & coffee accessories.

I shared this with the family and they were thrilled, especially Uncle Morty!  I’ll admit: To stop the “Where can I get K-Cup® coupons,” question, I’ve given Café Express® Savings Club memberships to my family and friends during the holidays.  It’s a special way to treat every coffee lover on my list throughout the year (and get major brownie points).

If you just want to purchase a few K-Cup® packs and save money with a coffee coupon, take a look at the Coffee Coupon Page or the Deal of the Week Page.  There are new deals every week, so check back often!

Plenty of us coffee fans are celebrating Fair Trade Month to the fullest and the last thing we want to happen is to (dare we say it?) run out of our favorite Fair Trade Green Mountain Coffees.  Thankfully, that won't be happening anytime soon if you're a member of our coffee program.

If you haven't heard of our Café EXPRESS® coffee program, consider this a crash-course!  Café EXPRESS is a flexible coffee program that gives you better prices on all your favorite coffees, delivered Fresh from the Roaster™.  Whether it’s K-Cup® portion packs or bags, we deliver your coffee on an adjustable schedule that works for you. By enrolling in Café EXPRESS, you’ll save on every bag or K-Cup® box, which allows you (our members) to indulge a little more often.

You’ll also get discounts on non-coffee items including everyone's favorite coffee maker, the Keurig® Single-Cup brewer, coffee accessories, food items, and gift baskets.  Need a little more information?  Be sure to check out our new video highlighting all the great benefits this program has to offer!

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

We began offering Caribou K-Cups in February, so you may already be familar with their brand.  If you're a Caribou fan, here's a sure way to keep you coffee fix "fixing":  Introducing the new economy size  Caribou Blend 80 count K-Cup package.  Caribou Blend is a signature blend, balancing big body, syrupy taste and a snappy finish. It's delightful any time of day or night.

With 80 K-Cups, that’s almost 3.5 times more coffee than a regular 24 count K-Cup box. And more coffee means more savings per K-Cup.  If you do the math, you’ll pay $.55 cents per K-Cup compared to $.58 per K-Cup when you buy a 24 count box. You’ll also get free shipping with every order of the 80 count package.

The box will fit easily in your pantry or on your counter for easy access. Or store a few K-Cups in one of our three storage accessories like the K-Cup Carousel.

Do you ever have one of those mornings when you reach for a K-Cup and realize you're out?! Most coffee drinkers would agree, it's definitely not the way to start your day. Green Mountain Coffee now offers Newman's Own Organic Special Blend in an 80 count K-Cup package. With this much coffee on hand, your supply is sure to last longer and keep your coffee habit satisfied.

With 80 K-Cups, that’s almost 3.5 times more coffee than a regular 24 count K-Cup box. And more coffee means more savings per K-Cup. If you do the math, you’ll pay $.55 cents per K-Cup compared to $.58 per K-Cup when you buy a 24 count box. You’ll also get free shipping with every order of the 80 count package.

The box will fit easily in your pantry or on your counter for easy access. Or store a few K-Cups in one of our three storage accessories like the K-Cup Carousel.

So now that you know what fair trade is all about, what can you do about supporting fair trade in your daily life?

You can start with food items since that’s what most of us consume every day. The good news is that there are many fair trade foods available these days in your grocery store. Coffee of course is at the top of the list as well as tea. For those with a sweet tooth (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.

Go to http://www.transfairusa.org/content/WhereToBuy/ to find fair trade certified products in your area. There you can find listings for local grocery stores as well as large national retailers who carry fair trade items.

While doing research for this post I found a great option for supporting the fair trade model here in New England. Red Tomato is a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts that sources produce from family farms in the northeast and southeast for distribution in New England grocery stores. Red Tomato defines itself as being “at the forefront of efforts to build a Domestic fair trade movement, applying principles of fair trade to support farmers in the US.” Go to http://www.redtomato.org/products.html for a list of available products and participating grocery stores.

There are a myriad of non-food fair trade items available in stores and on the web. Some are more readily available than others but you can find fair trade versions of apparel, accessories, furniture, bedding, toys, arts, and crafts. With holiday gift giving season just around the corner it’s a great time to commit to purchasing fair trade products.  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.ifat.org
www.transfairusa.org
www.fairtradefederation.org