If you’re currently using one of those coffee makers that relies on small plastic containers to make mediocre-tasting single servings, you’re due for a change. Sure, they are convenient – make sure there is water in the reservoir, drop in a “pod”, select your brew size, and in a couple of minutes, you have hot coffee that tastes a bit like plastic. Want another cup? Toss the used “pod” in the trash, and load up another. One company produced 8.3 billion of those single servings in 2013, and it’s a safe bet that the majority ended up in our landfills. This is an obvious concern, if you care about the environment, and chances are that if you are a reading this, you probably do.
That’s proof that people are willing to pay extra for convenience, even if it means sacrificing quality, and the environment. But what if you could make coffee using the same machine, and the coffee actually tasted good? And what if instead of tossing the waste product in the garbage, you could throw it in your compost bin, or rake it into your garden? Last week at Outdoor Retailer, we were introduced to the Rogers Family Company, and their OneCup single serve coffees. Each OneCup is 97% biodegradable, so you have options other than just throwing them out. And the coffee brewed with them is light years ahead in flavor. Where the K-Cup design can leave you with weak coffee (and that plastic taste), the OneCup fills your mug with rich, bold tasting coffee. Did I mention it’s about the same price as the other brands? Yes, better for you, better for the environment, and it doesn’t cost any extra.
There’s more though. Rogers Family Company is just that – a family-owned company. Rather than answering to shareholders, they only have to answer to their own collective moral compass. And they have chosen to do things right. That means 100% organic farms (they grow their own on 600 hectares), plus purchasing directly from farmers at fair prices. They provide agricultural assistance to these partners to ensure continued success and sustainability for everyone involved. Worm composting produces much of the organic fertilizer that makes their coffee taste so good, with the waste parts of the coffee plant feeding the worms, completing the cycle. (To learn more, visit their site here)
I’ve had several servings of their San Francisco Bay brand Fog Chaser, and French Roast. Both taste much more like properly brewed coffee, and less like it came from a plastic cup. I shared with some co-workers, and so far, everyone has agreed that it’s superior to all the other brands we’ve tried. Best of all, we’ve convinced the company we work for to stock it in our break room. Once the first shipment arrives, we’ll be recovering the used OneCup empties, and make sure they stay out of the waste stream. (For more info on the OneCup, click here)
If you’d like to read more about Rogers Family Company, and their fine coffees and teas, or order some for yourself, go to gourmet-coffee.com.
– Brian