This section of CMU is dedicated to the various
certifications of coffee as well as the different charitable organizations that
Coffee Masters contributes to.
We are commited to purchasing our coffees in an ethical and sustainable manner, regardless of certifications and labels!
Rainforest Alliance Certified The Rainforest Alliance protects ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.
Fair Trade Certified Fair Trade Certified farmers work hard to offer the most exceptional coffees available. This certification ensures a safe environment and equitable wages for farmers and their employees.
USDA Certified Organic Coffee Coffee produced without the use of toxic pesticides or fertilizers and does not contain artificial ingredients. Back to top
Rainforest Alliance Certification
Rainforest Alliance Certification is a comprehensive process that promotes and guarantees improvements in agriculture, forestry and travel. Our independent seal of approval ensures that goods and services were produced in compliance with strict guidelines protecting the evironment, wildlife, workers and local communities.
What is Rainforest Alliance certification? Certification, as defined by the Rainforest Alliance, is a conservation tool whereby an independent, third party awards a seal of approval guaranteeing consumers that the products they are buying are the result of practices carried out according to a specific set of criteria balancing ecological, economic and social considerations.
What is the goal of Rainforest Alliance certification? As a growing human population impacts ecosystems around the world, we see certification as an increasingly important tool for driving continual positive change. It provides an effective method for ensuring that natural resources are managed for the long-term. Certification offers land users and businesses guidance on producing goods and providing services according to practical, efficient practices that will not deplete resources or negatively impact the environment or local communities. And through the purchase of certified products, it gives consumers the choice to "vote with their dollars" to influence corporate commitment to sustainability.
What does the certification process entail? At the request of a resource user, such as a forest or farm manager, or a tour boat operator, a multi-disciplinary team of Rainforest Alliance experts may conduct a "scoping." This pre-assessment is designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the operation and to outline the steps needed to bring its management practices into compliance with our standards, which are detailed, comprehensive, objective and verifiable.
When a manager feels that an operation is up to par, he or she may request an inspection or "assessment," where a team of Rainforest Alliance-trained specialists measures compliance with the standards. The team writes a report, which is evaluated by an independent, voluntary committee of outside experts (i.e. peer reviewed), and based on the team's recommendations and peer review comments, the Rainforest Alliance decides whether or not to award the operation its seal of approval. Operations that fail the test may continue making improvements and apply again when ready. Once the standards are met, the operation is permitted to display the Rainforest Alliance certification seal. Back to top
Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade Certified offer great gourmet flavor, plus the promise that your purchase gives back to our global community and preserves our environment.
The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product. The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields. By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality. The coffee you buy represents the hard work of hundreds of thousands of people. Choosing products with the Fair Trade label is an easy way to make a positive impact on their lives.
The Fair Trade producers' traditional artisanal farming methods result in exceptional products. Most Fair Trade Certified coffee in the US is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products maintain biodiversity, provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming. Fair Trade producers implement integrated crop management and environmental protection plans and are encouraged to work towards organic production. Back to top
Mountain Water Decaffeinated Process
A decaffeination process that uses clear, pure glacial water to remove caffeine from green coffee. Beans are immersed in water that contains soluble components of the flavor to extract the caffeine while maintaining their original flavor. Back to top
About the Private Reserve Label
In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, in early 2005 Coffee Masters, Inc. introduced the Private Reserve Limited Edition Coffee Jewels. These hand-picked coffee selections are geared towards the discerning connoisseur who would enjoy a journey around the world by sipping rare and exquisite flavors from around the globe.
Our Green Bean Buyer, striving to bring the ultimate cup to coffee lovers everywhere, carefully chooses the beans used to produce all of our Private Reserve selections. Each rare jewel, purchased from small, family-owned farms, exemplifies the dedication necessary in order to produce the world's finest beans. To insure the highest standards of quality, these exceptional beans are grown in small lots and are obtainable only in small quantities. Limited access to supply, as well as the coffee's superior quality explains the premium price tag for our Private Reserve label. Buying their beans in this manner not only allows Coffee Masters to offer a superior product, it also is beneficial to the farms, families, and communities of those who depend on coffee production as a way of life.
Continuing to celebrate excellence in coffee, Coffee Masters Private Reserve Selections are unique in their personality and unsurpassed in the quality!
Here is the history of our Private Reserve Program: 2008 - Introduction Year 19. Bolivian "Chicaloma" - Cup of Excellence
2007 - Introduction Year 18. Panama "Hacienda La Esmeralda" - Rainforest Alliance Certified 17. Galapagos Peaberry Select 16. Colombian "Buena Vista" - Cup of Excellence 15. Brazilian "Fazenda Cafundo" - Cup of Excellence
2006 - Introduction Year 14. Nicaraguan "El Suyatal" - Cup of Excellence 13. Nepalese "Grande Himalayan" 12. Rwandan "Nkora" 11. Papua New Guinea "Elegancia" 10. "La Reserva Excellenta" 9. Haitian Bleu 8. Costa Rican "Doka" Estate
2005 - Introductory Year 7. Rwandan "Gatare" 6. Honduran "La Paz" 5. Nicaraguan "Las Nubes" - Cup of Excellence 4. Colombian "La Carol" - Cup of Excellence 3. Bolivian "La Estrelle" - Cup of Excellence 2. Celebration Blend 1. El Salvador "Brasil" - Cup of Excellence Back to top
Pink Ribbon Blend
When you purchase the Pink Ribbon Blend, Coffee Masters, Inc. will donate 75’ per bag to breast cancer research as part of their Coffee for A Cure initiative.
The Pink Ribbon Blend is dedicated to women and men across the globe. This coffee from Colombia offers a strong aroma, rich and well-balanced flavor, yet powerful finish. Available in your choice of regular or decaffeinated and whole bean or ground.
Breast Cancer Facts: Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer. More than 1.7 million women who have had breast cancer are still alive in the U.S. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74. Approximately 1400 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men and 400 will die. Back to top
Haitian Bleu
Once said to be 18th Century Europe's most sought after coffee, it wasn't until 1995 that Haitian Bleu was brought to America. Coffee Masters is proud to be chosen as one of the exclusive roasters of this exotic coffee. Coffee Masters becam and still remains to be the largest distributor of Haitian Bleu in the United States.
The "blue bean" of Haiti is perfectly balanced, with rich flavor, snappy acidity and wonderful mellow body. This coffee rates as one of the worlds best. Coffee Masters roasts Haitian Bleu in two of our exclusive precision roasted methods, our Master Roast and our Dark Roast.
Haitian Bleu and It's Legend
Haitian Bleu coffee is unique among Haitian coffees - for the first time in history, the Haitian Bleu quality coffee was introduced to the U.S. market in mid-1995. The Haitian Bleu farmers are independent and deal directly with roasters. Unlike other farmers, they have control over the quality of their coffee. It is a coffee not only renowned for its well-balanced cup quality, but also for its social significance.
Haiti is a poverty-stricken land of urban overpopulation, denuded hillsides and a people suffering the wounds of civil strife and oppression. It is also a vibrant country of colorful art, fantastic music, cloud forests, and an intensely spiritual people whose humor and passion are legendary. Approximately 70% of the population depend on agriculture, including coffee, as their source of income.
For centuries, Haitian coffee has been consumed and highly regarded in Europe, yet for generations the industry has been shrinking. Profits were not invested; farming and processing methods were not improved and farmers were losing their skills while quantity and quality were declining.
A branch of our government that provides aid to struggling foreign causes, the U.S. Agency for International Development, gave funding to a group of Haitian farmers to improve their crop and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture has provided training in agriculture and managed all respects of the project. Processing methods have been vastly improved: 12 new regional coffee processing facilities are in operation and two dry mills are under construction.
This coffee Revitalization Project has provided significant opportunity for these farmers to increase the value of their crops and by doing so, better feed their children, provide education and rise from intense poverty.
The farmers, nearly 20,000 of them, have shown an incredible commitment to make the most of this U.S. economic aid. When Haitian President Aristide was forced to flee Haiti in the height of the military coup d'etat, supervision of the project was interrupted. But the farmers kept on. They forged ahead with what they had learned, never giving up. Back to top
Jungle Java Blend/Coffee Kids
Coffee Kids has been established to improve the quality of life for children and families who live where coffee is grown. By educating coffee consumers and businesses, Coffee Kids works to change the economics of the coffee industry in order to include the small coffee farmer as an equal participant in the process of doing business while respecting the integrity, independence, and self-sufficiency of indigenous cultures.
Coffee Kids raises funds through memberships, coin drop contributions, fund-raisers, direct contributions, and the sale of promotional material. Contributions are apportioned 70% for projects, 20% for education, and 10% for administration. Coffee Kids receives additional administrative funds from private foundations and specified contributions.
Coffee Kids has designed a model for integrated development, addressing the unique multidimensional needs of each community with programs such as village banking, providing education, strenthening economy, preventive health care, child sponsorship and more.
Coffee Masters recognizes the need for the coffee industry to help improve the quality of life for the people who grow, care, and harvest this precious commodity. Coffee Masters has formulated a delicious coffee, Jungle Java Blend, for which $1.00 of every pound sold or $3.00 per valve bag case sold is donated to the Coffee Kids Organization.
For more information on the Coffee Kids Organization, or if you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, contact them directly at 800-334-9099. Back to top
About Tierra Nueva
Tierra Nueva is an organization, which began working first in the municipality of Minas de Oro, Comayagua in 1982 and later in 1984 in San Luis, Comayagua. The primary objective of Tierra Nueva has been to combat hunger and poverty and improve the overall quality of life in these rural areas of Honduras through holistic development. Because Tierra Nueva works in agricultural areas, the overriding focus has been farm production improvement and diversification through sustainable methods. Tierra Nueva has also provided training in preventative health, nutrition, conflict resolution, literacy, sewing and human development. The program has also worked in community organization, problem solving and constructing community water projects.
History of Tierra Nueva
Two North American couples and their Honduran counterparts, who had already had some training by other organizations, began the work of Tierra Nueva. They each set up demonstration farms to model sustainable agricultural practices using erosion control and soil enrichment technologies for steep hillside farming. Impressed with the visible results, farmers came asking for assistance. Courses were then organized in their communities. New farms became established as models using resources available to the farmers. Eventually Tierra Nueva began training farmer trainers - farmers who had demonstrated their understanding of the technologies on their own farms and were motivated to learn more and share what they were learning with others. In 1987, these farmer trainers and health promoters organized themselves into an association and obtained legal status as The Association for the Development of Honduras, Tierra Nueva.
Tierra Nueva's Mission: Sustainable agriculture to rebuild eroded soil. Preventative health education in regions with 1 doctor per 20,000. Nutrition and hygiene classes in regions where hunger and parasites kill. Engaging in liberating Bible studies with people who think God is a punishing judge. Training semi-literate peasants as community and spiritual leaders. Organic-intensive vegetable gardening among under-nourished people. Reforestation and terracing on deforested, steep land. Education about immigration risks among people desperate enough to journey to North America with no money or papers. Scholorships for young people otherwise shut out from pursuing an education. Community gravity fed water projects to communities where clean, safe water is otherwise unavailable.
Tierra Nueva is funded entirely through individual contributions and free-will offerings. Please consider a gift. Any amount helps, as every dollar donated goes directly to the work in Honduras. Contributions are tax-deductible. Tierra Nueva is a not for profit organization. Make checks out to Tierra Nueva. Please send contributions to: Larry Sell, 23471 Petite Lake Rd, Lake Villa, IL 60046 www.tierranuevacoffee.com Back to top
