Caribou Coffee, Minneapolis, announced that all coffee and espresso varieties available in its stores, online and at retail are now sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms.
Caribou Coffee started working with the Rainforest Alliance in 2003. In April 2011, the company announced its goal of sourcing 100 percent of its coffee from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms by the end of the year.
“Reaching 100 percent certification is a significant accomplishment for Caribou Coffee,” said Chad Trewick, Caribou Coffee’s senior director of coffee and tea, in a statement. “I’ve seen how communities thrive from working with the Rainforest Alliance, and I’m proud to say that all of our beans come from sustainable, healthy sources.”
Trewick travels around the world to source the highest-quality beans from the best growing regions, the company said. While visiting various points of origin, Trewick meets one-on-one with farmers to cultivate a special relationship and build a mutual understanding of the economic and social impacts that come from achieving Rainforest Alliance certification.
Rainforest Alliance-certified farms meet the comprehensive standards of the Sustainable Agricultural Network, which is a coalition of independent, nonprofit conservation groups. The certification is built on environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainability, according to the company.
“Caribou Coffee’s achievement sets a shining example, demonstrating that it is entirely possible for companies to meet their sustainability goals,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, in a statement. “We are thrilled that our long-standing relationship with Caribou Coffee has helped to improve the livelihoods of coffee-farming communities across the globe, while providing consumers with high-quality, sustainable coffee.”