Did you know that Peet’s Coffee and Tea has been a leader in sustainability and quality coffees since 1966? Their goal is to provide high quality coffees and quality included social, environmental and economic sustainability. It is this unique definition of quality – beyond simple taste, that sets Peet’s apart.
While Peet’s is certified, they also focus on three principles: direct relationships, focused philanthropy and green roasting. Direct relationships means to forge long-term relationships with growers and offer prices above the Fair Trade Certified brand price. Focused philanthropy includes both education programs for growers and donations to organizations that work in the coffee growing regions. Green roasting refers to roasting 100% of their coffees in the LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified roasting facility.
Peet’s offers several blends that can only be found at their coffee houses. Peet’s Tanzania Kilimanjaro Coffee. Peet’s has partnered with TechnoServe an non-profit organization with a mission of ending poverty in developing countries and KILICAFE an Association of Kilimanjaro Family Farms. This partnersip has resulted in more than 9,000 farmers exporting their own coffee.
Peet’s Las Hermanas(the Sister’s) Coffee comes from Nicaragua and is a cooperative made up exclusively of women who grow and mill their own coffee. The cooperative was started in 1999 by the agro-economist Fatima Ismael. The proceeds from selling coffee have been reinvested in schools and pharmacies. Sinced 2001 Peet’s has purchased the entire production of this coffee.
Peet’s Major Dickason’s Blend comes from Coope Dota a small farmers cooperative in Costa Rica. Peet’s has been purchasing coffee from the cooperative for more than 20 years. The sustainability practices include using coffee hulls as fuel for the coffee driers and capturing the methane from coffee pulp.
Peet’s has earned a variety of certifications including: Fair Trade Certified, UTZ Certified, USDA Organic Certification and Rainforest Alliance. Peet’s is an example of doing well by doing good.
You can visit Peet’s Tea & Coffee at the UW-Madison Memorial Union 800 Langdon St. Madison or as you watch a movie at the Sundance 608 Theatre.
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