Peace Coffee

Peace Coffee
Founded 1996 (1996)
Headquarters Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Number of locations
 303 locations (2012)
Key people
 Rigoberta Menchu
Products Fair trade coffee
Revenue $3.1 million
Owner Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Website PeaceCoffee.com

Peace Coffee is an organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that sells organic, fair trade coffee.[1] The company sells coffee through grocery, retail stores, food co-ops, and via the Internet. The organization operates throughout the United States, but has a strong presence in the Upper Midwest.[2] Peace coffee is one of 24 fair trade coffee roasters part of Cooperative Coffees.

History

Peace Coffee was formed by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) in 1996[3] The company also partnered with Rigoberta Menchu.[4] The idea for Peace Coffee came from Mexican coffee producers who had the goal of selling 100% certified organic and free trade coffee.[4] In 1999, Peace Coffee joined the group, Cooperative Coffees. Currently, Cooperative Coffees has partnered with 20 different coffee-growing cooperatives in the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.[5]

Peace Coffee partners with larger coffee-growing co-operatives rather than individual farmers. Groups such as Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, which have over 10,000 members, allow for economies of scale to exist while maintaining a farmer friendly attitude. Co-operatives are necessary due to the high scale of demand from a large company like Peace Coffee. The disadvantages of not working directly with these farmers include less direct control over farming practices such as harvesting and processing improvements. Although Peace Coffee does consistently travel the countries of origin, visiting their co-ops at least once every two years, they do not have the same influence on cup quality because of the larger number of growers.[6]

Stores

In Fall 2010, Peace Coffee opened its first store in southern Minneapolis.

"With our new coffee shop, we can better support our existing customers. By bringing this barista expertise in-house, we can understand the experience from their perspective." -Lee Wallace[7]

Reception

Peace Coffee received publicity after rapper/actor Ice Cube mentioned that he often made Peace Coffee in the morning in an interview with Bon Appétit magazine.[8]

Energy efficiency

Peace Coffee has a mantra "pedal not petrol", which refers to the company's policy of using bicycle couriers to deliver their product to stores, coffee shops, and food co-ops.[5] While the company uses the bicycle couriers within the cities, it purchased a biodiesel van for deliveries to the suburbs and out of state.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet us: Our Mission". Peace Coffee. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Find Peace Coffee Near You". Peace Coffee. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Meet Us: Our Story". Peace Coffee. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Peace Coffee". Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 St. Anthony, Neal (25 October 2008). "Peace Coffee: Changing the world a cup at a time". Star Tribune. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  6. ↑ http://heavytable.com/peace-coffee-in-minneapolis-mn/
  7. ↑ http://simplegoodandtasty.com/2010/09/01/new-coffee-shop-helps-peace-coffee-tell-their-whole-story-from-bean-to-cup
  8. ↑ Dean, Sean. "My Morning Routine: Rapper/Actor Ice Cube Makes a Mean Cup of Coffee, Isn't About to Try Sushi". Bon Appétit. Condé Nast. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "A Day in the Life of Peace Coffee's Delivery Cyclist". Wedge Community Co-op. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
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