FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three Seattle companies join to aid coffee cooperative destroyed by Hurricane Stan
Tony's Coffee, Caffe Ladro and PCC Natural Markets donate equally in $10,000 gift to UDEPOM
Seattle, Wash., October 18, 2005 — Hundreds of coffee farms that comprise the UDEPOM cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico, devastated in the wake of Hurricane Stan earlier this month, are the recipients of a $10,000 donation, contributed to equally by three Seattle-based companies.
Tony's Coffee & Teas, Inc., buys over 150,000 pounds annually of Fair Trade Certified™ shade grown organic coffee grown by UDEPOM, Caffe Ladro serves Tony's coffee in its nine Seattle area locations and PCC Natural Markets sells Tony's coffee at its seven Seattle and Eastside locations.
Eddie Jimenez, UDEPOM's administrator, arrived in Seattle in early October to participate in Fair Trade Month activities sponsored by Tony's Coffee, Caffe Ladro and PCC, just as rain and wind from Hurricane Stan were causing widespread evacuation of communities throughout Mexico and Guatemala. Upon his return to Mexico, he found he could not travel to his farm and that flooding and wind damage had basically destroyed the region and the livelihoods of the farming families who live there.
"This is a matter of helping a good friend, as well as a trusted business partner," said Darryl Miller, Sales Manager for Tony's Coffee. "After spending a week with Eddie Jimenez in Seattle, and learning first-hand what our support of the UDEPOM cooperative means to member families in good times, we felt we had to respond, and quickly, when they need our help the most."
"PCC is happy to join with Tony's Coffee and Caffe Ladro in helping UDEPOM rebuild," said Tracy Wolpert, CEO for PCC Natural Markets. "We are a co-op ourselves, and are proud to sell coffee sourced from UDEPOM knowing that we are supporting the well-being of another cooperative, as well as offering our customers great tasting, fairly traded coffee.
Regarding his company's contribution, Bob Ohly, Vice President of Caffe Ladro, said, "Caffe Ladro made a commitment to 100% fair trade coffee not only to be socially responsible in a global community, but more specifically because of the impact the decision would make on the lives of the families in the coffee growing regions of the world. Our commitment does not end with the purchase of the fair trade coffee bean, the families of the UDEPOM Cooperative need our help now more then ever."
About UDEPOM (Union de Ejidos Prof. Otilio Montana): Coffee produced by the cooperative is grown by native Mayan farmers at high altitudes in the Sierra Madre region of Southern Mexico, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Farm sizes range between 1 and 10 acres. Farmers are paid on a work-share basis, rather than by individual farm yield, and they work in groups of 10, participating equally in all jobs to maintain high standards on each of their 10 farms. www.UDEPOM.com
About Tony's Coffee: One of the pioneers of the specialty coffee industry, Tony's Coffee has been roasting and blending fine coffees since 1971. A leader in supporting sustainable farming practices, Tony's strives to forge strong and mutually beneficial relationships between growers and consumers of quality organic and Fair Trade products. Contact: 1-800-448-8804, www.tonyscoffee.com.
About Caffe Ladro: Caffe Ladro operates nine espresso cafes and bakeries in the Seattle area and is the largest user of exclusively fair trade coffee in the U.S. Caffe Ladro is committed to the idea that the success of the coffee industry should not be at the expense of the coffee farmers or the environment. The company opened its first store in 1994 and now employs nearly 100 people. www.caffeladro.com
About PCC Natural Markets: Headquartered in Seattle, WA, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retailer, with annual sales of $89 million and an active membership of nearly 40,000. PCC's entire line of coffee beans is Fair Trade Certified™, Organic Certified and shade grown. PCC operates seven locations in the Fremont, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Seward Park, Kirkland and Issaquah neighborhoods. www.pccnaturalmarkets.com