Does an Ethical Cup of Coffee Exist?

 

 

In lieu of all the research I have been doing lately, I decided to look into a new brand of coffee that my local grocery store has just started stocking. I have been using a Kuerig coffee maker for many years now and I have guiltily disassembled each single use “K-cup”, recycling the plastic and composting the used coffee. Although I know it cannot be good for me to drink coffee brewed from a little plastic cup, I never the less enjoy the warm, strong cup of Joe that has been brewed specifically for me. When I saw the large box of San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee made by Rodgers Family Company coffee on the shelf, I was surprised to see a green bar at the top of the box stating “97% Bio-degradable”. Only the protective lid and mesh bag need to be thrown away and all other materials, including packaging materials can be composted. I decided to give this new brand a try.

 I opened up the fresh stay bag that had bio-degradable printed all over it. The aroma of the French Roast was overwhelming and I hoped the taste would be just as strong. I placed the single brew pod into my machine and it fit perfectly, I was slightly skeptical that they would fit as good as the plastic cups. I closed the top of the machine and pressed the small cup button, I like strong coffee. The color of the brewing coffee was nice and dark, and there were no signs of rouge coffee grounds that can sometimes happen with the plastic cups. I added a small amount of light cream and watched as the swirl encompassed the dark color and turned it a lighter brown. It was time for a taste. It had a nutty and slightly bitter flavor, it was surprisingly good! Now it was time to check the potential reality that this coffee is really as good for the environment as it is good to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I typed www.rodgersfamilyco.com into Google and was pleasantly surprised at what I found. This coffee company is owned and run by a family who have been in business since 1966 when the father bought a business in San Francisco that was going bankrupt. As a family, they have transformed the company into one they could be proud of. The sons claim that they have visited many of the farms where they buy coffee and there are pictures and movies all over the website stating the work they have done to help the farmers and their communities. The company vowed to plant 1 million disease resistant coffee trees within 600 farms in hopes of fighting coffee rust. This disease is devastating crops and with climate change looming it has a potential of becoming worst. The Rodgers family have also helped many communities by building much needed infrastructure such as housing quarters and bathrooms. I believe it was Pete, one of the sons who said “If we don’t take care of these small farmers, than the industry will die”. I was left feeling consumed by their story.

After checking through the web site thoroughly I do believe this family does have a mission to boost the social welfare of the communities where they source coffee. I feel the work they are doing in regards to sustainability is also heart felt and their company style could be a role model for many other companies out there. I believe if this company remains family owned it could continue to be a role model for other coffee companies in the market, however as this company grows it will be interesting to follow their story. I believe constant growth isn’t always a positive thing for small family owned companies. A majority of the time these companies are consolidated into industry leaders brands such as Starbucks or Green Mountain and ethics do not remain the central belief with these transformations. I will continue to buy this slightly more expensive brand in hopes that their socially just work will continue to make a difference within the communities where my coffee is grown. Being an educated consumer, I will continue to monitor the company’s progress as I enjoy the ethically correct and sustainable cup of coffee that they provide.