EMERYVILLE, Calif., U.S. — Peet’s Coffee announced the release of its annual, limited-edition Anniversary coffee which celebrates the craft roaster’s founding by giving back to origin. Anniversary 2020—a 100% women grown coffee—will once again support The Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship in Huila, Colombia.
Honoring our Coffee Past by Mentoring the Future: Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship
Giving back has been at the heart of Peet’s since it first opened its doors on April 1 in 1966. Through this commitment, the craft roaster has devoted decades to caring for farmers at origin.
As part of this mission, in 2019, Peet’s partnered with Coocentral cooperative and Sustainable Harvest to establish The Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship. With a $50,000 USD startup donation from Peet’s, the launch program provided business training to one hundred women, empowering them through courses on income diversification and improving financial resiliency.
“For many, betting on and investing in education is complicated because it is a process that is not necessarily tangible,” said Karla Ly, Social Impact Coordinator, Sustainable Harvest. “The Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship aims to address the permeating lack of business skills and tools accessible to women coffee farmers. Through a tailored curriculum, graduates can achieve and promote gender parity and education equality, becoming referents to imitate.”
The Center has now supported over 100 graduates. These women have gone on to design over 50 business plans that they are actively implementing. To enable the enrollment of a fresh class in 2020, Peet’s will donate $1.00 USD (up to $50,000) for every pound of Anniversary 2020 coffee sold to the Center.
“Our Anniversary 2020 single-origin underscores the journey we are on to ensure, in equal measure, that we are supporting our farmers while also securing remarkable quality coffees,” said Doug Welsh, Roastmaster, Peet’s Coffee. “From the Mujeres Cafeteras in the highlands of Huila, Colombia, this dark roast balances at the height of bright and sweet, with a hint of berry that reminds us of the coffee fruit. Perhaps the finest coffee in Colombia’s finest coffee region, it happens to be grown by remarkable women.”
A washed coffee, Anniversary 2020 features a profile of fine chocolate with a velvety finish. It can be purchased starting 2/26/2020, while supplies last, at Peet’s coffeebars, on www.peets.com, and at participating California grocery stores in March. Prices vary.
