Buffalo & Spring™ Coffee News
02/15/07
S&D Coffee Sees Firsthand How Their Support Impacts Nicaraguan Coffee-Growing Families
Concord, NC - Concord, NC - Executives from S&D Coffee recently toured coffee-growing regions of Nicaragua to see firsthand the educational and micro-enterprise programs their financial support helps maintain as part of their support of Coffee Kids®, an international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children and families who live in coffee-growing communities around the world. During the five-day tour of Nicaragua, S&D Coffee executives along with Coffee Kids® Executive Director Carolyn Fairman, familiarized themselves with the local community of Matagalpa, interacted with coffee-growing families and observed Coffee Kids® programs in action.
S&D executives participating in the tour included Rhyne Davis, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors; Lee Wicker, Senior Vice President, Specialty Coffee Division; Marcia Brashear, Director of Marketing; Tim Jones, Manufacturing Manager; David Landis, Quality Assurance Manager and photographer Jon Silla.
The Coffee Kids® programs which S&D supports through sales of its Buffalo & Spring™ Coffees of Distinction include among a number of projects, a women's micro credit program and student scholarship program. The micro credit program encourages women to save money and provides them with the opportunity to borrow at low interest rates while allowing them a chance at financial independence. Women who've benefited from the low-interest loans have been able to start their own businesses, including general stores, a midwife's clinic and a used clothing shop.
Donated funds supporting the student scholarship program provide transportation and supplies to students in need enrolled in schools and universities throughout the region.
"Having the opportunity to meet these families and impact their lives in a meaningful way has been a life-changing experience for those of us who traveled to Nicaragua," said Rhyne Davis, Co-Chairman of the Board of S&D Coffee. "The hard work of these people and natural resources they cultivate make it possible for us to bring quality products to the U.S., so it's only fair that we give back our share to support a dignified standard of living and opportunities to enrich the quality of their daily lives."
In their continued commitment to protecting the environment and workers in coffee-growing areas of the world, S&D has included four Fair Trade Certified™ coffees in their Buffalo & Spring™ line: Earth Song Blend™, Earth Song Blend™ Decaf, Ethiopian Harrar and Guatemala Huehuetenango. Fair Trade Certified™ means that beans are grown based on principles of sustainable growth and that workers are treated fairly and receive a higher portion of the profits from the sale of the beans they grow and harvest.
About S&D
Headquartered in Concord, NC and privately owned by the Davis Family since its founding in 1927, S&D has grown from a small company to one of the largest coffee manufacturers and roasters in the United States. The company provides coffee, tea and juice to more than 70,000 commercial customers throughout the country through an extensive national network of approved distributors and a traditional route delivery network. The firm is dedicated to quality and is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information on S&D Coffee, please visit www.sndcoffee.com or for the Buffalo & Spring™ line, inquire here.
Contact:
JoAnne Laffey Heckman, Walker Marketing, Advertising & Public
Relations, (704)782-3244 x 113, jheckman@wmmarketing.com