Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift

So where did this famed drink come from? We drink it out of habit, we drink it for flavor; whatever the reason, it is surely a popular beverage. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day, or for late night study sessions. a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. Ahhhhh, coffee...

However, Homer, and according to Arabian tales speak of a mysterious bitter black beverage with powers of stimulation that could have been this drink. The most notable dates point to around 800b.c. In the East it was widespread at every level of society, since the earlier era. Coffee, for Americans, is three hundred years old.

From there it spread to Egypt, Yemen, and Arabia, where it became a part of daily life. No matter how it actually was created, the fact remains that the coffee plant started in Africa, in an Ethiopian region known as Kaffa. After relating his observations to a monk, they boiled the berries and made a beverage that could disperse sleep and weariness. In 1400 a Yemeni goat herder observed his flock eating reddish berries, then becoming excited and restless. About the year 1000, coffee was being used for medicinal purposes.

By the 20th century, various forms of coffee were developed for the public. Much later, around 1727 coffee growing started in Northern Brazil. However, due to an increasing demand for the new beverage, and high taxes on shipping, there was experimentation with growing the crops in various other countries. In the late 1500s coffee was a commodity, being sold in Europe.

This was marketed in the 1920s. They developed the process of taking the caffeine out of the beans without losing any flavor. Decaffeinated coffee was first founded in 1903 when Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee importer, gave a batch of damaged coffee beans to researchers.

Instant coffee was first mass produced from the invention of George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala. While waiting for his wife one day to join him outside for coffee, he observed on the spout of the silver coffee urn, a fine powder, which looked to be the condensation of the coffee vapors. This excited him and led to his founding of soluble coffee.

In 1906 he started experiments and put his invention, Red E Coffee, in the markets in 1909. Nestle', in 1938, trying to aid Brazil with their coffee surpluses created freeze-dried coffee. Nescafe was started and first introduced into Switzerland. Instant coffee became a fad after 1956 when commercial television was the new craze.

And now in the US alone, 400 billion cups of coffee a year are consumed. Coffee is one of the world's largest commodities, second only to oil. From a remote area in Africa, to millions of shelves and homes worldwide, coffee has became a fixture everywhere.

The author has been a passionate coffee drinker for many years. She has tasted coffees from all over the world, and believes in serving and entertaining her guests with only the best.

She has catered hundreds of events and affairs and is known for her attention to details, especially regarding picking the perfect coffee.

Gano Coffee - Can Coffee Be Good For You?

While many people think that drinking coffee is a "healthy" habit, some experts say that it's very important for them to remember that coffee's main ingredient is caffeine—a "drug" that can be abused even in mild dosages. But, do you know that a single cup of coffee—aside from boosting your alertness, perking you up, and even improving your concentration—can actually lead you to addiction: caffeine addiction. Coffee, in all sorts, could be a "pick me up drink " or a " real downer-down the shaft-drink" depending on how the person is affected by it.

And one of these breakthrough alternatives is Gano coffee. Since nutritionists cannot do anything about the world's addiction to coffee, most of them continuously search for alternatives to give people better options. Although now, we all know that too much coffee is bad for our health, most of us cannot help but indulge into this addicting act.

Gano coffee gives you an energy boost - not from caffeine, but from the ancient healthy ingredient called "Ganoderma Lucidum," that has been recognized for it's amazing properties. Made from Ganoderma extract, Gano coffee is produced by growing and processing organically without the use of chemicals, pesticides, hormones or artificial fertilizers.

Gano coffee also allows you to continue savoring the full-bodied flavor you are getting in a premium instant coffee while providing you more energy than your usual caffeinated drink. Being a coffee that that has a lower caffeine amount compared to commercially processed decaf coffees, Gano coffee is not a "substitute coffee" but an "alternative coffee" that gives you the richer flavor than fully-caffeinated coffee.

And with every cup of gano coffee you drink, you are making it as a healthy habit. Since Gano coffee contains less net caffeine than most of your other favorite caffeinated beverages, you can actually enjoy the benefits and delicious taste of a "healthy coffee" that is good for your wellbeing. Aside from helping you boost your energy level, Gano coffee also contributes to the improvement of your sleeping patterns while increasing the oxygen to your brain, and helps balance your weight. Among the so many benefits of drinking gano coffee include the detoxification and rejuvenation of your body while strengthening your immune system. Proven as a delicious and nutritious drink, Gano coffee gives you more vigor while reducing you stress and fatigue.

With every cup of gano coffee you drink, you are getting a "caffeine jumpstart" that will last for hours without the caffeine. Aside from making gano coffee as a good habit, here are some hints on how you can keep your coffee habit as healthy as possible especially if you are an avid coffee lover.

And though most research says that drinking 1-3 cups of coffee a day does not seem to have any negative effects in most healthy people, always make sure that you know the level of caffeine intake especially if you are undergoing any medications. If you still don't resort to drinking healthy coffee like gano coffee, always be aware of the caffeine content of your coffee since it varies widely depending on brewing and roasting methods. When it says it can no longer take an extra cup, learn not to let your urgency control over you. Although you are a person that has higher "caffeine urgency" than the others, you must still listen to what your body says.

Coffee, Anyone?

Who, in their lifetime, hasn't popped into a coffee shop to meet friends and loved ones, and after spending an hour or two drinking and gossiping, popped out again no worse for the experience?

Most of us.

But there have been times in the history of mankind, when the drinking of coffee meant a difference between getting that girl of your dreams and not getting her.

In the cold land of Lapp, in the month of January or February, the Lapp people had a habit of gathering together at one of those Fairs to make their last purchases before meeting again the next year.

But while the older folks where busy buying the odd reindeer or two, the young men were more happily engaged in checking out the female talents, for since time immemorial Fairs where always a great recreational grounds for matrimonial stakes.

When a Lapp boy hit upon the girl that suited him, it was usually the custom for the girl's family to invite him to their tent where, after sitting quietly for a while, the boy would ask if anyone would like a cup of coffee.

Immediately cups and saucers, together with the coffee pot and all other accoutrements needed for the brewing of coffee, would be produced by the girl's family, and the boy would set to. This was not your instant coffee time. You couldn't just say ‘one spoonful or two?' This was brewing your coffee; and not on an electric stove, either. It was usually boiling over an open fire at worst, and on top of a wood stove at best. But in any case, it was not the even temperature of the regulated form. It was very much in the lap of Vulcan, God of Fire. And as all other Gods agreed, not only did he have a fiery disposition, he wasn't particularly nice either.

However, whatever the temperature, sooner or later cups of hot coffee would be produced and placed in front of the waiting family. What would happen next would seal the lad's future.

If the coffee was drunk, the lad was deemed to be engaged and well on his way to be married. If the coffee remained untouched, the courtship was over before it had begun. The would-be groom might as well pack up his bags and return to the Fair, for there was nothing for him in this particular tent.

He would just have to try his luck with someone else, and hopefully his coffee-making skills would have improved enough for him to be more successful with his courtship the next time round. No feedback whatever. Was it too weak? Was it too strong? Was the coffee not brewed enough? Had he been clumsy? He would never be actually told what he had done wrong.

Employee Satisfaction - Bring on the Coffee Machine!

In today's business world, with its connectivity and information flows, good employees are likely to be the targets of your competitors' recruitment drives.

Add to this the fact that in the knowledge economy, these employees provide your company with a competitive advantage, and you realise pretty quickly that you need them to be happy - but you already knew that didn't you?

Keeping them happy with more money, promotions, bigger offices, better located offices…(the list is seemingly endless) certainly helps, but then if your staff are good at what they do, you're in a bidding war with the company down the street who also recognises this. Employees who are unhappy or who leave, present the company with a cost that is often far greater than imagined. The question then is how to keep them happy?

Over the past few years the National Automated Merchandising Association, which represents vending stakeholders, has identified an increase in demand for higher quality coffee machines - coffee machines that use real coffee beans and provide a cup of really fresh coffee on demand. Take coffee for example. Smart companies have other ways of making staff smile.

Worse still, the last one to use it often has the task of preparing the next pot…so human nature takes over and that last cup sits brewing until it turns into sludge! The problem is that it then sits on the boil and after 10 minutes no-one wants to venture near it, fearing that bitter and burnt taste. Disappearing fast are the days of the pour-over coffee flask…you know the one…when freshly brewed, that little glass jar is the envy of all, and there is no shortage of people around the "lifesaver".

Enter the automatic coffee machine …great concept with beverages available at the push of a button, but the problem until recently was that it produced instant coffee and not very good at that. In desperation, usually early in the morning or during the night shift, the buttons did eventually get pressed, but grudgingly at that!

The good news for those who like decent coffee is that the coffee machine manufacturers have made great progress with automated fresh brew systems. Today you can put fresh beans into a coffee vending machine, along with really decent powdered cappuccino milk powders, and after 20 seconds the beans have been ground, the coffee drawn down and the dairy powder whipped up to provide a coffee shop quality cappuccino.

So it isn't surprising that companies are turning to softer employee satisfaction generators like decent office beverages to keep staff happy. Besides, as we all know, the coffee machine is a great place for interaction between staff and for sharing ideas.

Paul Jacobs, managing director of Office Angels, a UK based company, was quoted in The Scotsman as saying "pay packets are, of course, vitally important, but for many it's the little things that can really make the difference between a good working environment and a great one." The article concludes that many workers do long hours of unpaid overtime, so many employers are also enjoying the perk of having dedicated staff. Keeping staff happy can lead to better staff retention and smaller recruitment bills.

So many companies are investing in high quality bean-to-cup coffee machines because they not only provide a homely odour (the good kind!) but they keep staff on site. In a study by Wirthlin International entitled "Speciality Beverage Systems' Impact on the Workplace" (www.wirthlineurope.com), over 15% of staff were found to leave the office daily in search of hot beverages! With a good coffee machine there is no reason to pop down to the local coffee franchise which takes valuable time away from the office - and usually a lot more than imagined given the traffic jams and congested parking lots that epitomise our city cultures.

The Wirthlin study interviewed 76 procurement managers and 383 staff from a wide variety of companies about workplace coffee. It found that 83% of the staff stated that the provision of a wide variety of hot beverages was one of the most visible daily staff benefits and 86% said that companies that valued them were more likely to offer high quality beverages. Interestingly, over 90% of managers making decisions on office coffee services said that employees would be more productive if staff could obtain a beverage in the office and 96% said that the coffee machine offered a necessary break between activities. Valuable? I think so.

The fact that coffee from coffee machines was readily available was also seen as an important attribute, and for decision makers worried about abuse, how many cups of fresh brew coffee can you really drink a day! (before bouncing around the room on a caffeine high!). Of course coffee machines can also provide fresh tea, hot chocolate, espresso and a host of other specialty coffees like moccachino, café latte and the like.

That reminds me, we need one around here for our staff! I guess not. So is it surprising that there has been a rise in demand for these automated fresh brew coffee machines in the corporate world?

Making It Easy with Coffee Pods

If you have not discovered the ease and popularity of coffee pods yet, you do not know what you are missing. Coffee pods are single serving, pre-measured coffee enclosed in little pods. The pods are specialty paper that is used to keep the roasted, ground coffee contained and look much like tea bags you might find in the stores. These coffee pods are typically perfect for making instant coffee.

With coffee pods, you no longer have to measure the right about of coffee or even worry about that mess you might make with the grounds all over the counter. These pods allow you to simply skip all of that, saving both time and money on wasted grounds. They come in various sizes, which is perfect for whatever strength or amount of coffee you want and it even keeps your coffee machine that much cleaner, which lowers the amount of maintenance it needs.

Coffee pods even have their own machines. These coffee makers are specific to coffee pods and cater to the needs of any fussy coffee drinker. Many people prefer the coffee pods to traditional means of making coffee because it just saves time and effort. All you have to do is fill the coffee maker with water, put the coffee pod right in, and turn it on. In just a few short minutes, you will have made a great cup of coffee, ready for drinking.

Coffee pods come in a variety of your favorite coffee flavors. You can choose from Irish cream, hazelnut, or vanilla. Of course, traditional coffee flavors such as regular or decaffeinated coffee can be found in coffee pods as well. Depending on the flavor of the pod, as well as the specific roast types, the prices will vary accordingly. Coffee pods can be found in the aisle of your favorite coffee shop or local supermarket.

If you want to read more about coffee pods, visit Danny Brown's site at http://www.Full City Coffee.com.

coffee pods, http://www.Full City Coffee.com.

Coffee Health - New Antioxidant On The Block

An extract of green coffee beans has been found to have a stronger antioxidant effect than established antioxidants like green tea and grape seed extract. Green coffee beans have supplied a new player in the antioxidant arena.

Compared to green tea and grape seed extract, green coffee bean extract is twice as effective in absorbing oxygen free radicals. Chlorogenic acid also helps regulate metabolism. It neutralizes free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl radicals, both of which can lead to cellular degeneration if left unchecked. The active constituent in coffee that is responsible for its many health benefits is a compound called chlorogenic acid.

Along with its diterpene relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations of the 'bad' cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over a lifetime might increase the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These diterpenes also had an effect on the levels of liver enzymes were much lower than those with liver disease. One of the advantages of using the green coffee bean extract contains no cafestol, which is a diterpene.

And levels of these diterpenes in instant coffee are low. The coffee filter removed the offending diterpenes. As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in regular coffee, it was found that by simply drinking filter coffee, none of these effects on cholesterol levels or the liver took place.

Other benefits of green coffee bean extract include an increase in the effectiveness of pain killers, especially for migraine medications; a reduction in the risk of diabetes; and assisting the body burn a higher proportion of lipids (fats) compared to carbohydrates, which could help with muscle fatigue for athletes and bodybuilders.

Interestingly, on the subject of caffeine and liver disease, further studies have indicated it may in fact support liver health for some people. Those who were at high risk of developing liver disease due to drinking too much alcohol were found less likely to suffer liver damage if they drank more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a population based study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive on the subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those drinking in excess of two cups or more a day were half as likely to develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than one cup a day. Researchers do not know what caused this protective effect.

One of the criticisms of coffee in regards to health is that it leaches calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found to be overemphasized, at least in children. And adults who consume a diet with sufficient levels of calcium will be protected from the small amount of calcium that is lost due to coffee consumption.

So the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a myth. It was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine was associated with low bone mass because those studies were done on elderly people who both drank a lot of coffee and had diets that were low in calcium. Recent studies in the US followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, and found no difference in the bone density of those with a high level of caffeine in their diet, compared to those teenagers who had little caffeine. Other studies determined that the amount of calcium lost from bones is small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your diet.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=643516&m;=1FSND06&idP;=2&c;=qgtqmovbyiaxdub http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/11_30_96/food.htm References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.

Coffee

What is this dark-colored substance made of and why can't some people survive a day without having even just one sip of this stimulant? Nothing perks up a lazy morning like coffee.

The perceived benefits and hazards of this potent drink remain the subject of debate among coffee drinkers worldwide. Considered the second-most traded commodity in the world, next to petroleum, it is hailed as modern man's chief source of caffeine for that extra burst of energy. Coffee, normally taken hot, is made from the coffee plant's roasted seeds, called coffee beans.

It came to England in 1598, via the Italian "caffe." The Turkish term for it is "qahwa." Its origin is still unknown, although some believe that the drink possibly came from the Kaffa region in Ethopia, where the plant originally named "bunna," the precursor of coffee, came from. The term "coffee" is known by many names among various peoples of the world. How did the word "coffee" come into being?

From then on, owing to the pioneering efforts of the British and Dutch East India companies, coffee found its way to Europe in the sixteenth century. Due to coffee's immense popularity, the law was made obsolete soon after. Did you know that coffee drinking was outlawed in Mecca in 1511, and in Cairo in 1532?

Thus, it is used as an inexpensive substitute for Arabica in commercial coffee blends and in almost all instant coffee products. However, the later is proven to be a natural insecticide and stimulant, growing in places where the former cannot grow. Although Arabica is more prone to disease, coffee lovers consider it to be more flavorful than "coffea canephora" (robusta), which holds twice as much caffeine. One of the two main species of the coffee plant is "Coffea Arabica," its name implying that its origin was the Arabian Peninsula, but it is indigenous in Ethiopia.

Compared to Arabica, robusta is more bitter, with a burnt-rubber smell and taste. Robusta of finer quality are used in espresso blends for a foamy effect and for better affordability. In fact, Italian espresso blends are made from dark-roasted Robusta.

Some blend varieties are so popular and in demand that they command a higher price, examples of which are the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona coffees. Often, these beans are mixed with other, less-expensive varieties and the term blend is added to the label, such as "Blue Mountain Blend" or "Kona Blend".

So beat those morning blues with an adrenaline-pumping sip of this favorite drink among caffeine addicts worldwide.

traditional espresso or bean to cup coffee machines for your business

Domestic coffee use has evolved from packets of instant coffee in the kitchen cupboard, to stylish and sophisticated pod and capsule machines. As a result, our expectations of good coffee have been raised, and as a business it is our duty to produce high quality drinks for customers which meet these expectations. So which way do we turn?

Traditional Espresso Machines

Available in various shapes and sizes i.e. 1, 2, 3 and 4 group machines (a group is where water is dispensed from, which passes through the coffee that sits in the group handle. A group handle can be a single or double group, which enables you to dispense either one or two shots of coffee dependent on the amount of coffee place into the handle i.e. usually around 7 or 14 grams) and semi and fully automatic (semi-automatic is where you control the dose of coffee and turn it off when you have enough, fully automatic means that the buttons have a pre-set dose and the machine will stop by its self). These machines usually feature either one or two steam arms for frothing/steaming milk, and one or two hot water outlets.

When you purchase a traditional machine package, they should consist of the following basic items:

• A grinder to grind the coffee
• Knock-out drawer which can sit either underneath the machine or under the grinder, enabling you to “knock-out” the used coffee
• Barista kit which can include such basic items such as a frothing jug, thermometer, pallet knife, chocolate shaker and an espresso shot glass
• Water filter which is connected to a mains cold water feed to prevent build up of lime scale inside the boiler and on the element,

Ideally, you will also need to provide a mains waste connection. The size of machine depends on the size of establishment or how busy you think you will be. The most common one by far is a 2 group fully automatic machine, but some smaller sites will have 1 and larger establishments may have 3 or 4.

These machines are very much about theatre and indeed they are for show as making coffee is very much an art and good barista training is extremely important and becoming skilled at understanding and making good coffee takes time and practice as it is very easy to make a bad coffee. Prices can vary from around £800 to £6000, but remember, you get what you pay for, so make sure that the machine you choose is new and fully warranted, including full barista training and a good support service. The great thing about traditional machines is that there are no major moving parts so less to go wrong.

In more recent years traditional espresso machines have become more advanced, incorporating things such as boiler or group head temperature control facilities which enable you to tailor the temperature of the espresso water to suit the varying brewing temperatures of coffee. Other innovations include automatic steam wands, also known as hyper wands or turbo wands, enabling you to automatically froth or steam your milk perfectly without any human intervention.

Bean to Cup Machines

A bean to cup machine does exactly what it says! The fresh coffee beans are placed inside the machine and on the press of a button the machine automatically grinds the beans and pours both coffee and milk into your cup.

Bean to cup machines, such as Jura coffee machines, are quick and easy, and make quality fresh coffee at the touch of a button. What you need to remember with this type of system is that there are a lot of moving parts so more to potentially go wrong and there is need for daily cleaning which has to be adhered to otherwise your great coffee won’t be so great the following day!

This type of system is ideal for a pub restaurant where staff training can sometimes be a problem; it is also great for convenience stores or petrol stations where a take away coffee station may be required. Some smaller machines require very little installation or training and can be tank fed, so no need for plumbing. These machines will also usually feature some form of de-scale cycle instead of a water filter to prevent scale build-up. It usually takes between 30 and 50 seconds from pressing the button to filling the cup, depending on the cup size and type of drink selection. Some of the higher volume machines can produce two milk based drinks at once, while most will make two black coffees at once, an essential feature for some very busy sites.

As time has passed, even the bean to cup machine has developed, and can now be found to use various combinations which feature fresh beans, fresh milk or an instant/granulated milk, instant hot chocolate and instant coffee.

These various machines are designed to produce anything from 50 cups per day to over 500 per day. The cost of these can vary from under £1000 to well over £10000, so it is important you make the correct choice.

Summary - Traditional Espresso versus Bean to Cup

The traditional machines without doubt are for those who want the theatricality of coffee making. The advantage is that they make great coffee, so long as those making it are fully trained. A combination of machine and thorough training can produce the true Italian coffee experience.

Bean to cup machines are quick, easy and require very little staff training. The machines will roughly produce the same coffee each and every time the buttons are pressed, whether it be 16 or 60 times, but remember, they have to be looked after and cleaned on a daily basis or problems will arise very quickly.

barista training

coffee pods 101 a guide to coffee pods

Before they came about, to get a single cup of coffee at home, one would have to either make instant coffee or measure out just enough grounds for an automatic drip coffee pot. Coffee pods are really a very cool invention. Coffee pods, however, eliminated this problem. Since most coffee enthusiasts don't enjoy instant coffee, people were forced to either make too much of the beverage or try to put just enough coffee grounds into the filter. Also, unlike tea bags, they're not meant to be steeped in a hot cup of water. Circular in shape, they're very similar to a tea bag, but do not have a string attached to them. Coffee pods are pre packaged ground coffee beans enclosed in their own filter. Instead, these pods are made for special coffee makers that are designed to make one cup of coffee at a time. This way, when you go to refill your cup, you don't have to resort to the last stale bit of coffee that has been sitting in a pot for hours on end. A fresh cup of coffee each time you go to get your daily dose of caffeine is a fantastic idea. Sanseo is the company that came up with the idea, and has a patented coffee maker which uses the pods. Folgers Coffee has come out with their own coffee pods, which Sanseo sued under patent laws. A judge decided to hear the case, and found that Folgers had a right to produce and market coffee pods under the coffee pod name. Sanseo had the rights to the coffee maker, but the patent did not extend to cover the pods themselves. Used just like a pre filled normal sized coffee filter, more and more people are starting to discover them. Since then, other companies have come out with their own coffee pods.

Before they came about, to get a single cup of coffee at home, one would have to either make instant coffee or measure out just enough grounds for an automatic drip coffee pot. Coffee pods are really a very cool invention.Coffee pods, however, eliminated this problem. Since most coffee enthusiasts don't enjoy instant coffee, people were forced to either make too much of the beverage or try to put just enough coffee grounds into the filter.Also, unlike tea bags, they're not meant to be steeped in a hot cup of water. Circular in shape, they're very similar to a tea bag, but do not have a string attached to them. Coffee pods are pre packaged ground coffee beans enclosed in their own filter.Used just like a pre filled normal sized coffee filter, more and more people are starting to discover them. Since then, other companies have come out with their own coffee pods.

coffee with a conscience why buy fair trade coffee

Coffee is second only to oil as the most traded commodity in the world, and the United States is its largest consumer. While the average cost for a pound of coffee ranges from $3.00 to almost $40.00, the average third world coffee farmer receives only 25 to 50 cents. Though a good yield can garner close to $10,000 a year for the average farmer, by the time that same yield hits the cup in the US, it is worth more than three-quarters of a million dollars.

Before harvested coffee beans make it to the US, they are bought and sold by middlemen, who set the per pound price paid to disadvantaged farmers. Though there have been initiatives to curb the middleman’s influence, there hasn’t necessarily been a way to side-step them completely, until now.

Fair trade organizations, such as Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and FLO-CERT, provide strict guidelines that follow coffee beans from plant to finished product. When a product is designated Fair Trade Certified(TM), it means it has been produced for a fair price, under safe and healthy conditions, and in accordance with direct trade standards that give the farmer more control and allow them to compete globally. Fair trade organizations also work with farmers to promote community development programs and environmentally sustaining farming practices.

More consumers are switching to Fair Trade coffee.

As awareness and availability increase, more people are making the decision to purchase Fair Trade Certified products. What started as a grass roots effort to help struggling farmers in third world countries has grown to a world-wide movement to ensure coffee producers are able to sustain their families, communities and their harvest.

Fair Trade Certified coffee is growing in popularity and can now be bought in most supermarkets, from wholesale suppliers or through online coffee retailers. It is sold as ground coffee, coffee beans, coffee pods or even instant coffee. Major coffee shops and restaurants are beginning to offer Fair Trade Certified coffees side-by-side or as an alternative to regularly produced coffees.

Does Fair Trade coffee cost more?

While there is a slight variance in pricing when compared with mass-produced products, Fair Trade Certified coffee is priced competitively with other gourmet and specialty coffees, and any difference will decrease as Fair Trade coffee sales increase. Bypassing the middlemen allows Fair Trade Certified coffee prices to stay competitive while netting the farmer a bigger return.

How does purchasing Fair Trade benefit coffee farmers?

Under fair trade agreements, farmers receive a set minimum price for their product, unlike regular coffee growers whose income is generally far below market value. Fair Trade certification also helps farmers implement organic growing practices, better labor practices, and safer working conditions. Benefits reach the farmers through a labeling and audit system that tracks the coffee from harvest to packaging.

Can you taste a difference?

Fair Trade coffees don’t taste different because they are grown the same as any coffee, but under improved conditions. Many fair trade organizations are working with farmers to develop organic and shade grown coffees techniques which means coffees that are healthier for you and the environment.

How do you know if you’re buying Fair Trade Certified coffee?

To find Fair Trade coffee at your local store or via an online retailer, simply look for the Fair Trade Certified Mark on the package. By selecting products licensed to use the certification mark, you can be sure your purchase is making a positive difference by helping disadvantaged farmers get a better deal.

About CoffeeCow

CoffeeCow.com goes to great lengths to provide the highest quality products, the fastest service, and the deepest discount prices you will find on coffee pods , single cup coffee makers, and a wide selection of related coffee supplies. Developed by coffee professionals with over 35 years of experience in fulfilling any coffee service need, CoffeeCow offers all the coffee conveniences for your home or office. Visit http://www.coffeecow.com for more information.

More consumers are switching to Fair Trade coffee.



coffee pods

Does Fair Trade coffee cost more?



How does purchasing Fair Trade benefit coffee farmers?



Can you taste a difference?



How do you know if you’re buying Fair Trade Certified coffee?



About CoffeeCow

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