Melissa

By Kiley - our famous latte arist at the Visitors Center!

The Special Coffee Association of America threw a fantastic gathering and exposition this year – and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) was the sponsor! Our little Café was lucky to be able to have five of our employees go to bring experiences and stories home in addition to the over 200 GMCR team members that made the journey to the exposition.

The educational lectures brought up points concerning every angle of the coffee business and family from roasting and the science behind it to customer service to the new generation of social media. Our speakers were experienced and deeply involved and embedded in their specific specialties. We were able to see the reach of the business and family. It was incredible!

The people we were able to meet were amazing too. I met people from Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia and, of course, from all across the United States. It was quite the experience to meet our large and expansive coffee family. 

We also had the chance to watch the Barista Competitions and the skills shown there were phenomenal. Not only were they producing beautiful latte art but listening to them explain their coffee roasts and blends really brought you into their cup of coffee. The passion seen there was inspiring.

Even working the GMCR booth was fantastic. So many people came up to our booth and so many walked away with a smile. The interest in our coffee left our team with a good feeling too. Having the opportunity to meet and talk with our suppliers, producers, and happy customers really enforced the strong feeling of family and the relationships we so cherish. 

This year has left us with so many memories, new found skills, and inspiration. I hope we will have the chance to meet back up with our Coffee Family and friends again next year!  Back to our Café and Visitor Center we go.  

At the Green Mountain Coffee® Café and Visitor Center we enjoy sharing experiences with the community.  Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. provides employees an opportunity to visit coffee growing communities on source trips. This gives us the chance to see where the process of tree to cup begins and meet the farmers who produce the very same coffee we roast everyday.

In December, my coworker Michele was given the opportunity to go to Nicaragua with fellow employees in the company, including east coast to west coast American and Canadian teammates.  Not only did she have the chance to meet and create bonds with the farmers who influence our lives even here in Vermont, but she had the chance to get to know people within the company she may not have had a chance to meet otherwise.

In February two of our coworkers, Christiane and Joshua, had the chance to travel with members of the International Woman’s Coffee Alliance to Guatemala. The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) strives to create a difference in the world of coffee. With a mission to “empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry,” the IWCA, from its inception, has remained focused on promoting possibilities for women in coffee communities throughout the world.  

After our trips to our coffee growing regions we, as a whole department in the Green Mountain Coffee Café and Visitor Center, found a deep respect for the people in our supply chain. We created long lasting bonds with our coffee growing communities and our international team members who keep this company running strong.  The in-depth opportunity to see and experience the tree to cup experience and have the chance to share with our community has given a life changing view of the coffee sitting in our cups.

 

My name is Kiley and I have been working at the Green Mountain Coffee® Visitor Center & Café located in Waterbury’s historic train station for about three and a half years. Over the course of these few years I've developed an interest in working with espresso-based drinks. Most recently I have been refining my latte art skills, which I find challenging and rewarding at the same time.

Lattes are humble beverages made on an espresso machine that consist of espresso shots and steamed milk. The art itself is made with the espresso crème and milk crème. The method of pouring the milk (height and quantity of the pour, affecting the velocity) effects which crème raises to the top. Accents, such as the fins on my fish above, can be created with a tool like a thermometer stem or a coffee stir stick.

I've been showing some of my latte art to customers as they come in to the Visitor Center & Cafe. I now receive requests for me to use art in beverages which allows me to refine my newly adapted skill. So far I have done some simple and traditional works such as traditional swirl designs and flowers. I have also done a few more advanced options such as animals, the night sky, and even a few unicorns! I’m currently working on my calligraphy and am always experimenting and expanding options for requests.

If you’re in the area, stop in and ask for me. You can request a latte or leave it up to my imagination! Hope to see you soon!

In Waterbury, Vermont, the Green Mountain Coffee® Visitor Center & Café located at the historic train station is bustling with activity. The café is nestled in between five ski resorts and the energy is high this time of year. The holidays have passed and many are working off those extra calories on their skis or snowboards. In the morning, we see many energetic faces gearing up for a day at the mountain by starting it off with a hot Golden French Toast® Maple Supreme. We start off with hot Golden French Toast coffee, steamed light cream, and a shot of pure Vermont maple syrup. Of course, a dollop of whip cream can be added for those planning to hit the slopes hard. Although ,if you prefer a good ol’ cup-o-joe over a specialty drink, we have seven daily brews of the day to choose.  A mug for every mogul you tackle that day?

Being a stop before and after skiing has its perks for us. Skiers and riders are happy to tell us what the conditions were on the mountain that day, and we make sure to pass that information on to our other guests. Most recently, we had a skier coming back from one mountain report that as he was just getting off of the lift and about to rip down the mountain and he saw a moose chasing a fellow skier. Yes, a moose! Fortunately, the skier was able to get good speed quickly and the moose gave up the chase and retreated to the woods.  Wonder if the mountain will now put up a moose crossing sign at the top of the lift…

The Visitor Center & Café also serves as a stop on the Amtrak Vermonter line. If it’s not the skier and riders stories that keep us entertained daily, it is the periodic visits we receive from major news outlets. Just last week, CNN visited the train station with the Vermont Department of Tourism for an interview to discuss the improvements on the high speed rail and Vermont being the first state to complete the improvements. Vermont certainly has a lot of firsts and this is just an example of the progressive nature of our state.

There are still many powder days ahead of us in Vermont which powers our local economy and helps make us a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of cities like Boston and Montreal. Won’t you come and see us soon?

The summer season has come to an end at the Visitor Center & Café in Waterbury, Vermont. We had a wonderful season with spectacular weather and lots of visitors.

As I think about putting my deck furniture away and taking my sweaters out from storage, I remember our amazing summer season, yet look forward to fall and winter in Vermont. We celebrated our Music on the Porch series every Sunday, including a performance by Grammy Award winner and native Vermonter, Dave Keller; commemorated the one year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene and the tremendous progress the town of Waterbury has made; and began supporting the Vermont based non-profit  Food 4 Farmers whose mission  is to facilitate the implementation of sustainable food security programs in coffee-growing communities.

Wow, what a feel-good summer for Waterbury and the Visitor’s Center!  We are so happy to be part of such a great community. We hope you come and visit us soon.  To entice you, our Limited edition Pumpkin Spice Maple Supreme is now on the menu. What is it, you ask?  We start with Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee, add a little steamed light cream, and a shot of Vermont maple syrup. If you really want to make it special we add a dollop of whipped cream to top it off!  It's a crowd favorite!

 

As you walk in the front door of the Green Mountain Coffee® Visitor Center & Café one of the first things you will notice is our quote of the day board. A recent quote reminded me of a triumph for our town of Waterbury, Vermont: “At any given moment you have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end.”

Almost one year ago Tropical Storm Irene shocked our town where our visitor center and café is located at the historic train station. This past year has been one of rebuilding and perseverance for our small, yet vital community. We were fortunate to only have the train station basement flooded, however that was a tough blow in itself and forced us to close for four months during renovations. Being an employee of Green Mountain Coffee for some years now I can attest first-hand our perseverance to become a leader and trailblazer in the specialty coffee industry today. For many of us that determination drove us to do what we do best, and serve a great cup of coffee.

 

Although our visitor center was closed, for sixty-five days following the storm our team served free coffee to the community from the local park, rain or shine. We were transformed in to listeners, sympathizers, and cheerleaders to our fellow community members who often came to us covered in dirt, wearing masks, and sporting mud boots. We were looked upon to provide the metaphorical cup of coffee sought to start the day that helps us rejuvenate, focus, and revitalize. It brought a sense of normalcy in what was a turned upside down community. Our triumph during this time was to see a glimpse of a smile under a mask, and even a hug from a regular customer whose home had been devastated.

 

I am pleased to let you know that driving through the town of Waterbury today is as beautiful as it was before. Progress continues due to the efforts of many community members and other volunteers. We are proud to be part of such a great community that came together and chose how our story was going to end.

 

Cheers to Waterbury!

Despite the recent rains, I have been able to enjoy the sunny days Vermont has had in May to prepare my gardens for the summer and fall.

This past weekend, I got a brief reprieve from the weather long enough to head out into the backyard to weed and map out my garden plans. I turned on the radio just loud enough to hear at the garden below, put on my garden shoes and gloves, and began clearing away the brush that had accumulated over the past year.

I've only been trying my hand at gardening at home for the past couple of years, so I still consider myself somewhat of a beginner. In the past, my green thumb experience included watering my indoor spider plants occasionally and growing a couple of potted herbs. However, I've graduated to cultivating a small garden of Gladiolas, daisies, bleeding hearts, dahlias and an area for some strawberries - not bad for someone who couldn’t recognize the names of simple flowers before.

By about midday, I had the garden cleaned up and ready for planting. I spent about an hour or so transplanting flowers and plants that were given to me from my mother’s garden as well as planting some new bulbs I had purchased. I only hope the plants take and the bulbs come up.

I realized later in the afternoon that I had neglected to put on enough sun screen and my fair skin was turning a bright shade of pink.

To relieve my skin from the sun, I ran inside and opened the refrigerator; first to feel the cool air and second to grab the iced coffee I had made earlier in the morning using my French press. I am particular about my coffee and enjoy the process of grinding and brewing it myself. This morning, I knew I would enjoy an iced coffee after gardening so I increased the ratio of coffee to water and added a few extra scoops of freshly ground Nantucket Blend®. This would ensure that after I added ice that I would not dilute the great blend.

That cup of iced coffee was the perfect conclusion to a day of hard work in the yard. The caffeine perked me up a bit so that I could finish cleaning up my garden supplies. Afterward, I grabbed my recent travel magazine, poured another refreshing Green Mountain Coffee® iced coffee and spent the remainder of the afternoon lounging on my back patio in the shade. Here's hoping the weather is nice next weekend so I can start on my tomato garden.

Saturday is National Train Day.  As the proud residents of Waterbury’s historic train station, our Green Mountain Coffee^® Visitor Center and Café is celebrating in style – arts and craft, music by Steve Lotspeich, coffee – and it looks like a few folks from the Vermont rail will, too! 

This year, the Rail Section of the Vermont Agency of Transportation* is inviting passengers to board the Vermont Rail System’s historic passenger cars, and travel from the Essex Junction Station to our very own Railway Station in Waterbury, and back.  One you’re in Waterbury, there’s a slew of speakers, an inspirational  slide show of the repairs to our Vermont railroads post Irene, railroad exhibits to view at the Waterbury Station, and a chance to stretch your legs and perhaps catch a bite to eat at our Café, or take a look around our wonderful town.  Oh, and face painting by our very own Café team!

 

We hope you have a chance to stop by and enjoy the beauty of these trains.  It’s a great way to travel.

As the conductors say: All aboard!

 

*Not to brag but Vermont Rail Systems recently received national recognition by being named the US Shortline Railroad of the Year by Railway Age!

 

This past year has been challenging on many fronts, the most recent and impactful challenge was Mother Nature, in the form of Tropical Storm Irene.  I was affected both professionally, with our Visitor Center having to close due to flood damage during our busiest season, and personally, as my elderly mother’s house was also flooded along with many others in our community.  It would have been easy to get overwhelmed with negativity, however, the generous, supportive, spirit of our community did not make that an option.  Instead of dwelling on the tragic aspects of the situation I was able, like so many,  to look at the opportunities that  the flooding presented.

Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures in life that keep you going and being able to offer a cup of coffee and an understanding ear to a flood victim had many rewards for both myself and other members of the Visitor Center team.  We were able to keep a presence at the Visitor Center until the end of October, when the weather began to change.  We offered free coffee, information about the flood and local attractions, as well as directions.  We think of ourselves as the “Face of Green Mountain Coffee” and we were happy that we were able to continue to welcome those who stopped by the Visitor Center not realizing that the whole town was a virtual construction zone.  I’m thankful to be working for a company that holds many of the values that I hold personally; commitment to community, perseverance to go beyond what is expected, working together to make things happen to name a few.  Many of the things that we were able to do post-Irene could not have been done without the help of fellow Green Mountain Coffee employees, all of whom I am thankful for.

Personally, after the initial shock of my mother’s house being flooded, my sisters and I saw great opportunities to take care of things that have needed to be taken care of for years.  The carpet in the living room, the wiring throughout the house, the purging of items that accumulate after 40 years in a home were all addressed and taken care of without (for the most part) emotional attachment.  In the end, my mother will have a house that is updated and safer for her to live in.  I’m thankful for those things, but they are just things.  What this experience has really taught me and what I’m most thankful for is the sense of community; neighbor helping neighbor.  So many people extended themselves to victims of the flood, through donations of labor, food, supportive thoughts and so much more.  There were people helping us in the days that followed Irene that I had no clue who they were, many of which were Green Mountain Coffee employees; I’m thankful for all of them.

I’m generally thankful for friends, family, a great company, a supportive community, and proof that in this world where so much focus is put on the negative that we can find so much good to focus on during times of adversity.

Our Visitor Center received a lot of damage due to the flooding Irene brought our way, particularity to our core systems, resulting in the need to close the building.  Our hope is that we will be back up and running in the next few weeks.

Starting today we are running a temporary visitor center at Rusty Parker Memorial Park in the bandstand area. We will be available to answer any questions, give directions, and share cheer and free coffee from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7-days a week.

Thank you all for your outpouring of concern and support!  Just remember: Vermont is open for business!  Pass on the word!

Check out WaterburyStation.com for updates.

Last week, I was honored to have been invited to Grounds for Health 15^th Anniversary Celebration last week.  Grounds for Health is a non-profit organization with a mission of bringing healthcare to women in coffee growing regions. Located down the street from our Visitor Center, Ground for Health focuses on training, screening and treating cervical cancer.  Cervical is the number one cancer in women living in developing countries, a disease that is both preventable and treatable.  It’s an organization that Green Mountain Coffee has been involved with since the beginning and continues supporting in various ways.

One way that I have personally been involved with is the annual Grounds for Health car wash that Green Mountain employees organize.  It’s amazing how much support and money can be raised on a summer day for a great cause.  Not to mention it’s a lot of fun, too. This year the car wash is scheduled for August 17^th, so if you are in the area, I encourage you to stop by and get your car washed…we have music and interior detailing as well, so you won’t want to miss it!  For more information on Grounds for Health (or a short video of our car wash fun) check out their website, GroundsForHealth.org.

The calendar still says it’s spring, but the temperature yesterday, hitting 90 degrees, is feeling more like summer.  Summer brings free music to the Visitor Center with our 4^th annual Music on the Porch series.  We have a great line-up of local Vermont musicians and I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening then listening to music while sipping on an iced cold Blueberry Maple Supreme.  Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer and feature a variety of music genres.  You can see the full schedule here.

Our concept is really to keep it local, which is especially important to us as we celebrate the Visitor Center’s 5^th anniversary (!!!) and our company’s 30^th.  Music on the Porch also gives us an opportunity to help make a difference in our community, as we have a donation box available for people to share non-perishable items for our local food shelf.

Thinking of it, there’s a lot to do mid-week in Waterbury.  Not only do we have our music series, our local Rotary club also presents Music in the Park on Thursday evenings beginning at 6 p.m.  The park, which is located in front of our Visitor Center, is a great place to pack a picnic dinner and relax with even more great music.  If you don’t have time to pack a picnic, no worries, there’s great food at our Farmer’s Market, which precedes the concert in the park, beginning at 3 p.m.

The Visitor Center is located right in the middle of town and is a welcoming spot not only for guests from outside Vermont, but also for many locals.  Green Mountain Coffee has been a part of the Waterbury community for nearly 30-years, with the Visitor Center celebrating 5-years in the community this coming fall.  Community is a big piece of what we do on a corporate level, but also on the local level.  Integrating the Visitor Center into what is happening locally is very important to me, as a life long resident of Waterbury and as an employee.

On May 13th, at 5:30 p.m. the Visitor Center will host, in conjunction with Harwood Union High School., A Journey to Rwanda: Stories of Hope. Rwanda is a very special place to us:  Today, after years of a brutal civil war, a partnership of growers, roasters and governments is producing exceptionally fine coffee (some of which is in our Fair Trade Spring Revival™ Blend), and allow us all to join in supporting Rwanda’s economic revival and small farmers who are producing extraordinary beans.

Harwood Union High School ,our local high school, has been sending students to Rwanda for the past 7-years in an effort to understand the Rwandan culture and people while creating life changing experiences and long term relationships.  Students participate in a variety of service learning projects and this event gives them the opportunity to share their experiences with the greater community.  While in Rwanda students visit a variety of venues such as schools, craft cooperatives, and coffee farms to name just a few.

I'm proud to be part of a company encourages its employees to find ways of giving back to the community.

You can watch an audio-show produced by one Harwood student as a part of her role in the Rwandan Project here

As I write this, it’s 57-degrees and sunny outside the Visitor Center here in Waterbury, Vermont.  I can imagine the sap flowing and the flowers preparing to pop through the wet soil.  It’s hard to imagine that just a few weeks ago we were digging out of over two-feet of snow.  Spring in Vermont is definitely unpredictable.

The winter months at the Visitor Center tend to have a more relaxed pace.  I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with many folks from New England and it’s interesting how many times the same topics come up.  One topic that came up a couple of different times is how important a good cup of coffee is the first thing in the morning.  In fact, many people choose their morning stops based on where they can get a cup of Green Mountain Coffee.  Coffee is such a big part of a person’s morning routine that the difference between starting a day off right or not is based on the quality of coffee in their cup.  A store that keeps their coffee fresh and rotated can see a difference in their traffic flow and can see the value that a brand can give.  Providing quality products and services is what keeps people coming back.  I’m happy to hear that many of our business partners understand this concept and it’s definitely a concept that we work hard to maintain at our store.

Our Visitor Center is located in a working Amtrak station, so we see a lot of folks from different states come in while they're waiting for the train.  Last week, we had over 40 people get dropped off after spending time in Stowe and they couldn’t say enough nice things about our station.  The people that I spoke with were from California, Florida, and Missouri and they couldn’t believe that our station was this beautiful.  The station not only includes our café and gift shop, but also has a lot to offer in respect to interactive displays about Waterbury history and the process of coffee from “tree to cup”, as well as information about Green Mountain Coffee.

I’m so proud of the Visitor Center, not only from the prospective of an employee but also as a lifelong resident of Waterbury.  If you’re planning a trip to the Central Vermont area, I hope that you consider stopping by the Visitor Center to see all that we have to offer, have a cup of coffee, or just to say, “Hi!”