Ethical Bean Takes the Bitter Taste out of the Coffee Trade
Coffee was one of the first drivers in consumer awareness about how ethics and sustainability play a crucial role in foods sourced from around the world. Ethical wages and stewardship of the planet are significant considerations long overlooked by the industry, and they led the way for Fair Trade certification, rainforest protected shade-grown beans and cause-driven marketing now commonplace among a number of organic and natural brands. But we guarantee you haven’t seen anything quite like Ethical Bean Coffee.
A commitment to fair trade and environmentally-friendly coffee that tastes amazing is enhanced by a novel tracking program through their unique free iPhone app. It’s a fully accountable program designed to truly connect coffee drinkers with every step of the process the exact beans in your cup went through.
The app lets users scan the square emark on the bag, and then you’re instantly updated to the exact day the bean was roasted and where it was sourced, including the number of farmer members, the elevation, the varietal of coffee, the certification and how the coffee was processed, such as whether it was wet dried or fully washed.
The Vancouver, BC based company has a relationship with Transfair Canada that ensures safeguards for their suppliers. All coffee is 100 percent certified organic, which is not only healthy for your body (and the farmers), but it also gives coffee a better flavor. And, the roasting is done in a 100 percent carbon neutral LEED-certified facility (LEED means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). They also work closely with several charities including Child Aid’s Fundit and Project Somos helping to care for Guatemalan children.
While not yet sold at Whole Foods in the US, you can purchase directly from the Ethical Bean Website.
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