Responsible Sourcing

We believe that creating a great coffee experience means doing the right thing, on the farms where our coffee is grown, and throughout our coffee production process.

When Caribou made the decision to work in partnership with our suppliers in the pursuit of Rainforest Alliance Certification™, it was a turning point for many of our green coffee supplier relationships. We started down the path toward a more environmentally sustainable and socially responsible sourcing model during a time when world coffee prices were not high enough to support costs of production in many origins.

The pursuit of the Rainforest Alliance Certification™ was a way for farmers to aim for a premium price for their coffees, "green up" their practices, gain some production efficiencies, and feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment once certification was achieved. Caribou Coffee's part was to encourage and support our producing partners through the certification process. The reward for us is the pride that our business practices have changed the way coffee is produced for us.

In 2005, we made a commitment that by the end of 2008 we would source 50% of our coffees from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ sources. We are pleased to announce that we have already surpassed that goal for coffees purchased for 2008.

Because It's the Right Thing to Do

We help spread sustainable coffee production methods across the globe. We choose partners who use sustainable methods and work to help others improve their production practices.

Rainforest Alliance Certified™

We're proud to be a partner of the Rainforest Alliance™, an organization that certifies coffee farms to guarantee:

The environment is preserved and protected.
Workers are paid fairly.
Coffee-growing communities can support a good quality of life.
Coffee is harvested responsibly.

More than 35% of our coffees were Rainforest Alliance Certified™ in 2007. We've worked hard in accomplishing our goal of 50% by 2008. That's more than three times the average certification rate for the rest of the coffee industry.

We'll continue to push for sustainable practices across the globe "from Colombia to Sumatra" because it's the right thing to do.

Fair Trade-Certified

Caribou Coffee works with TransFair USA, the nation's only independent, third-party Fair Trade certifier, to ensure our practices meet current Fair Trade regulations. As a Fair Trade-Certified company, we make sure:

Independent farmers can compete globally.
Workers are provided with safe working conditions.
Farmers receive a guaranteed minimum price/lb.
Farming communities benefit from profits made off their land.

Organic-Certified

Our Essential Organic Blend is certified organic by the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association (MCIA), a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved certifier. "Organic" means that the components of our Essential Organic Blend are organically produced. By offering organic, we support:

Chemical-free agriculture
Sustainable farming practices
Clean water
Responsible production