Milwaukee-based Colectivo Coffee Roasters released a limited edition UW-Milwaukee coffee blend this fall semester, donating $1 from each bag purchased to scholarships for UWM students.
The UW-Milwaukee Panther Blend, roasted with notes of plum, dark chocolate, and concord grape and a medium body, is part of Colectivo’s College Coffee Series, along with the Wisconsin Badger Blend for UW-Madison and the Northwestern Wildcat Blend for Northwestern University, the three universities that Colectivo’s coffee shops are closest to.
Founded in 1993 in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, Colectivo has grown from a local coffee stop to 20 locations in the Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago metropolitan areas.
These three blends, as well as other Colectivo products, are part of the fair trade movement, which Colectivo has been part of since 1998. The company is certified by Fair Trade USA, ranking among the top 20 roaster licensees in the country for total annual volume of green coffee for Fair Trade USA, according to Al Liu, vice president of coffee at Colectivo.
However, many people do not know what fair trade means or its significance.
Fair trade is an agreement designed to help producers of products, like coffee, achieve an equitable trade relationship. For the coffee to get fair trade certification, it must pass certain standards, such as sufficient tools and training for farmers, ensuring good working conditions, no child labor, and a livable wage, and meeting health and safety standards. The producers must also meet environmental standards including keeping waste, water use and chemicals at a low, according to Fair Trade USA.
“Fair Trade has proven to be an effective way for buyers like Colectivo to connect with farmers who produce high-quality coffee but who otherwise would not have access to the specialty market in the U.S,” Liu explained. “We also support the way in which the Fair-Trade model fosters socioeconomic, environmental, and human development in coffee-producing regions, especially through the 20¢/lb. ‘social premium’ that is built into the Fair-Trade price.”
Data shows that the United States is the number one coffee importer in the world, with Americans consuming more than 400 million cups of coffee a day. When farmers work with fair trade organizations, they are able to work with supply chain partners to improve terms of trade and compete in the global market; they are also given systems to enhance communications mechanisms, according to Fair Trade USA.
In addition to coffee beverages like classic lattes or innovative draft cold brew and nitro, Colectivo also has a breakfast and lunch menu.
The fair-trade Panther blend, which is sold in 12-ounce whole bean bags, can be purchased at Colectivo’s Milwaukee-area coffee shops or on their website through the end of the year.