The Growers Alliance Coffee Company
January 9, 2009
In December of 2008, we decided to begin forming relationships with organizations
sharing goals similar to that of ROSA LOVES. Put simply: doing good. We're
kicking this off by presenting to you a company local to the Saint Augustine/Jacksonville
Florida area; a company that deals with one of my favorite commodities: coffee.
And so near the end of December 2008, Erin met with the founders of the
Growers Alliance Coffee company
to learn a bit more about them.
By: Erin Lewis
Late last month I met with Martin Kabaki and Purity Gikunju, the founders of Growers Alliance Coffee, to learn more about their company, mission, products, and goals for the future.
I'd first become familiar with this brand earlier in the summer, after seeing their stall at our local farmers' market in St. Augustine, FL. Purity was there giving out free samples, talking to the passersby a little about how their coffee came directly from the coffee growers, and telling how she was raised on a coffee farm in Kenya. Very much intrigued, and always opting for organic, fair trade products, I bought a bag... and it immediately became the household favorite; a permanent staple in the pantry.
Over the next few months, I began spreading the word about this coffee; not only because of its obvious high quality and excellent taste, but because of the ideals behind the company itself. It's a company that, like ROSA LOVES, exists to bring good to others; to somehow improve the lives of those less fortunate, and that believes it is all of our responsibility as fellow world citizens, to be conscious of the choices we make... even if that choice is as simple as buying a bag of coffee.
Martin and Purity were both raised in Kenya on coffee farms (although in different regions). Since they grew up seeing firsthand how hard coffee farmers had to work, yet how small of a wage they were paid for their labor, both had a sense and growing desire to somehow change this for coffee farmers around the world. Martin mentioned that most coffee farmers couldn't even afford shoes for their children, and that he didn't have his first pair of shoes until he was in high school.
For college Martin came to America on a student visa and took classes at UCF in Orlando, FL, while unbeknownst to him, Purity was doing the same at UNF in Jacksonville. While in the States, both saw that the high-quality AA Kenyan coffee was being sold for around $16.00/lb, while the grower only received $0.10/lb. Something didn't sit right with them about this fact. In 2006 they met at a coffee conference in Seattle, both there pursuing their dreams of setting up a coffee company here in the US that sold coffee directly from the farms in Kenya. An immediate connection was made, and they became partners in the Growers Alliance venture, with the mission to "help improve standards of living for coffee growers around the world."
One of the main ways they are helping to improve the living standards for the farmers is by paying higher, much fairer prices than the standard rate paid by most coffee companies. For example, the standard rate paid for a pound of coffee is about $0.10. But Growers Alliance hopes to steadily increase their rate to one day be a 50/50 split with the growers themselves, which would mean about $6.00 each for the growers and the company - an arrangement unheard of in countries like Kenya. Currently they are up to $1.20/lb and are already making news in their home country. "We feel like they've been oppressed for years," said Martin of the coffee growers. Not only are they paid low wages that barely support them, but also they normally don't see the money until 6 months to 1 year after delivering the product. Growers Alliance seeks to change that with immediate payment to the farmers at the higher, fairer price.
Martin and Purity regularly attend important coffee conferences to learn about bean quality ratings, countries which are producing the best beans, and consumer patterns. They are proud to report that some of the most sought-after beans are the AA Kenyan beans, which is their most popular product. They also currently offer beans from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. In the future, they hope to add other countries such as Rwanda, Papua New Guinea, El Salvador, and Malaysia.
To me, one of the most exciting parts of their company is the non-profit arm called the Growers Alliance Fund, which "aims to improve the social and economic welfare of the coffee growing communities." On top of the higher price paid to the farmers for the coffee beans, they also allocate 10% of the profits to help meet other needs of the growers and their communities. So far, they have helped the Kenyan coffee communities by installing clean water wells, sponsoring AIDS awareness seminars and clinics, installing electricity to 300 members of a co-op society, and putting a roof on a school.
You can help support Growers Alliance Coffee by visiting their website at http://www.growersalliance.com. Learn more, order some beans of your own, and even just help spread the word! Starting January 25th, 2009, you will be able to find their coffee in Publix® super markets in the Jacksonville, Saint Augustine, and Daytona areas of Florida! Also, if you're in the St. Augustine area, you can find them at the Saturday Farmers' Market at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, or on Wednesday mornings at the market located at the St. Augustine Beach Pier. They have a goal to open their first 'grower-owned' coffee house in the Jacksonville area this year!
Posted by: chrisBy: Erin Lewis
December 20, 2008
Late last month I met with Martin Kabaki and Purity Gikunju, the founders of Growers Alliance Coffee, to learn more about their company, mission, products, and goals for the future.
I'd first become familiar with this brand earlier in the summer, after seeing their stall at our local farmers' market in St. Augustine, FL. Purity was there giving out free samples, talking to the passersby a little about how their coffee came directly from the coffee growers, and telling how she was raised on a coffee farm in Kenya. Very much intrigued, and always opting for organic, fair trade products, I bought a bag... and it immediately became the household favorite; a permanent staple in the pantry.
Over the next few months, I began spreading the word about this coffee; not only because of its obvious high quality and excellent taste, but because of the ideals behind the company itself. It's a company that, like ROSA LOVES, exists to bring good to others; to somehow improve the lives of those less fortunate, and that believes it is all of our responsibility as fellow world citizens, to be conscious of the choices we make... even if that choice is as simple as buying a bag of coffee.
Martin and Purity were both raised in Kenya on coffee farms (although in different regions). Since they grew up seeing firsthand how hard coffee farmers had to work, yet how small of a wage they were paid for their labor, both had a sense and growing desire to somehow change this for coffee farmers around the world. Martin mentioned that most coffee farmers couldn't even afford shoes for their children, and that he didn't have his first pair of shoes until he was in high school.
For college Martin came to America on a student visa and took classes at UCF in Orlando, FL, while unbeknownst to him, Purity was doing the same at UNF in Jacksonville. While in the States, both saw that the high-quality AA Kenyan coffee was being sold for around $16.00/lb, while the grower only received $0.10/lb. Something didn't sit right with them about this fact. In 2006 they met at a coffee conference in Seattle, both there pursuing their dreams of setting up a coffee company here in the US that sold coffee directly from the farms in Kenya. An immediate connection was made, and they became partners in the Growers Alliance venture, with the mission to "help improve standards of living for coffee growers around the world."
One of the main ways they are helping to improve the living standards for the farmers is by paying higher, much fairer prices than the standard rate paid by most coffee companies. For example, the standard rate paid for a pound of coffee is about $0.10. But Growers Alliance hopes to steadily increase their rate to one day be a 50/50 split with the growers themselves, which would mean about $6.00 each for the growers and the company - an arrangement unheard of in countries like Kenya. Currently they are up to $1.20/lb and are already making news in their home country. "We feel like they've been oppressed for years," said Martin of the coffee growers. Not only are they paid low wages that barely support them, but also they normally don't see the money until 6 months to 1 year after delivering the product. Growers Alliance seeks to change that with immediate payment to the farmers at the higher, fairer price.
Martin and Purity regularly attend important coffee conferences to learn about bean quality ratings, countries which are producing the best beans, and consumer patterns. They are proud to report that some of the most sought-after beans are the AA Kenyan beans, which is their most popular product. They also currently offer beans from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. In the future, they hope to add other countries such as Rwanda, Papua New Guinea, El Salvador, and Malaysia.
To me, one of the most exciting parts of their company is the non-profit arm called the Growers Alliance Fund, which "aims to improve the social and economic welfare of the coffee growing communities." On top of the higher price paid to the farmers for the coffee beans, they also allocate 10% of the profits to help meet other needs of the growers and their communities. So far, they have helped the Kenyan coffee communities by installing clean water wells, sponsoring AIDS awareness seminars and clinics, installing electricity to 300 members of a co-op society, and putting a roof on a school.
You can help support Growers Alliance Coffee by visiting their website at http://www.growersalliance.com. Learn more, order some beans of your own, and even just help spread the word! Starting January 25th, 2009, you will be able to find their coffee in Publix® super markets in the Jacksonville, Saint Augustine, and Daytona areas of Florida! Also, if you're in the St. Augustine area, you can find them at the Saturday Farmers' Market at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, or on Wednesday mornings at the market located at the St. Augustine Beach Pier. They have a goal to open their first 'grower-owned' coffee house in the Jacksonville area this year!
Rosa Loves
