Landed in Boston yesterday for the Fair Trades Futures Conference. But before hopping the train to Quincy, my team and I stopped by Equal Exchange for a tour of their roasting facilities and a cupping.
When you first walk into Equal Exchange you are greeted by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a buzzing kitchen. From chocolate chip muffins to bananas and te
as, there is certainly not a shortage of fair trade organic goodies to try. I left with a very satisfied sweet tooth. After pouring up a cup of Organic Sumatran coffee, I was ready to go. Virigina, one of the owner-workers of 15 years, took us on a tour of the roasting facility and warehouse, where a highly skilled team of coffee connoisseurs stores our over 20,000 lbs of coffee each day. Which I am not surprised – the energy, passion and enthusiasm at Equal Exchange was abundant.
Equal Exchange Warehouse
Cupping Supplies
After the tour, the Brew Crew set us up with a cupping. A coffee cupping is one of the ways to taste and evaluate coffee for its aroma and flavor. We sniffed, sipped, and slurped out the differences in our three different coffees. Lacking in a fine palate, I got fruity, earthy and ash, while other members of the group tasted blueberry liqueur, stale coconut oil and fresh baked bread. The cupping was a fun and unique experience for me, but reflective of how much time Equal Exchange puts into evaluating each one of their coffees for quality. The standards are high around here. Before leaving, Virgina showed us Equal Exchanges fundraising program for schools and religious organizations. Another example how Equal Exchange is working to support their farmers, expand fair trade and educate members of the community. To learn more about this program visit Equal Exchange Fundraising.
One day down in Boston and I can already tell this is going to be an excellent trip. Looking forward to this weekends discussions: certifications, profit-risk sharing, measuring impact, global community and education
-consume with thought
Samantha, former Mustard Seed volunteer and forever MSFT enthusiast