A Chat with Chad Trewick of Caribou Coffee
April 27, 2012Over the weekend, our communications associate Anna Clark had a chance to catch up with Chad Trewick, director of coffee and tea at Caribou Coffee, at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) tradeshow in Portland, OR. Fresh off receiving an award at the Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainable Coffee Breakfast, here’s what Chad had to say…
The Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture team was pleased to award Chad with the first-ever Change Agent Award, which will be presented annually at our Sustainable Coffee Breakfast at the SCAA tradeshow in recognition of coffee industry sustainability champions.
“We are thrilled to honor Chad for his tireless, outstanding efforts to promote social and environmental sustainability,” said Alex Morgan, senior manager of sustainable value chains within the Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture division.
For nearly a decade, Chad has played a lead role in driving sustainable development at Caribou Coffee and encouraging farmers worldwide to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification. Thanks to his efforts, Caribou Coffee became the first major US coffeehouse to source 100 percent of its coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms.
“The most rewarding part of the whole process has been working alongside the producers to see and really understand the impact Rainforest Alliance certification has on their livelihoods, lands and communities,” said Chad. “I am so grateful that Caribou Coffee embraced and prioritized responsibility in our supply chain with such foresight all those years ago.”
Environmentally and socially minded coffee farmers around the world need more companies like Caribou coffee…both willing to hire people like Chad Trewick as well as follow his lead in changing the way consumers ultimately relate with producers.
Growing coffee is like your golf game, it’s easy to focus on just one aspect…when in reality, coffee is one of the most complex commodities on the market. When we farmers are doing all the right stuff, for the environment, for the birds and other fauna who live within our farms and for the people who labor and toil in challenging conditions, it makes for a better world, especially when those who purchase our coffee are on board and participate in the process.
Hopefully some day, the general public will be willing to pay farmers a little more than US$0.04 per cup of coffee!
We couldn’t agree more, Chad. Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment and for your commitment to social, environmental and economic sustainability in coffee growing.