This coming weekend more than 400 850 cafes across the United States are joining to help raise funds for the American Civil Liberties Union. We launched this effort on Tuesday morning in partnership with 26 brands, agreeing to sponsor the first $500 raised by each of them—and since then another 175 (and counting!) brands have come on board to join this effort.
We want to try and get every brand involved with this effort a matching fundraiser partner, and so we reached out to a number of the companies in the coffee industry. Here’s a list of companies who have agreed to match cafe brands around the country at the $500 per brand level—thank you all so much. We hope to add many more companies to this list over the coming days. If you want to get involved with a matching donation to the ACLU please click here.
Peet’s Coffee And Tea
Peet’s Coffee and Tea have agreed to match an incredible 50 companies this weekend, with a donation of $25,000 to the ACLU. We have a statement on the donation from Peet’s CEO Dave Burwick:
“Given everything going on, we wanted to reaffirm to all Peetniks our values and beliefs as a company and allay any fears they may have about the future. Our Peet’s family is made up of a vibrant mix of individuals from many walks of life, beliefs and backgrounds—including 25 countries from around the world where we source coffee and have established relationships based on trust and respect for different people and cultures. It is this diversity that makes us so special and brings all Peetniks great pride. Our doors are open to everyone and we will not stop being a beacon of equality and inclusion. We applaud Sprudge for its leadership in engaging the coffee community in support of the ACLU, and Peet’s Coffee will be making a contribution to further ACLU’s important work across the country.” — Dave Burwick, CEO, Peet’s Coffee
Royal Coffee, Inc.
East Bay green coffee importers Royal Coffee have stepped up by generously agreeing to match 25 brands participating in this weekend’s cafe fundraiser. In addition, they will be participating in a variety of other fundraising ways, including donating a portion of sales from select green coffees hailing from The Congo and Yemen, countries with significant refugee populations. You can read about their wide-ranging and laudable ACLU fundraising efforts here.
Blue Bottle Coffee
In addition to participating in this weekend’s fundraiser at the cafe level, with nearly 30 cafes taking part in the United States and Japan, Blue Bottle CEO Bryan Meehan and Founder James Freeman have made significant personal contributions to the ACLU as part of this effort. We’re not going to out the amount but it is eye-raising and we’ll include it in the final tally of funds raised when we announce that next week. Freeman has penned a stirring statement on why participation in this fundraiser is so meaningful to him.
La Colombe Coffee
In addition to participating in this weekend’s fundraiser at the cafe level, with 25 cafes taking part across the United States, La Colombe leadership JP Iberti, Hamdi Ulukaya, and Todd Carmichael have made significant personal contributions to the ACLU as part of this effort. In an email sent to the company’s 900+ employees, and shared with Sprudge, Carmichael states:
“The events over the last few days strike a chord close to our home. As you may know, two of our three partners, and my brothers, Jean Philippe and Hamdi, are immigrants, as are my four children, Yemi, Yordi, Selah, and Bek. Many of our staff were born elsewhere, and have come to live and work with us: folks in Hospitality, our back office, our production floor, our cafes, and more.
“As CEO, I personally condemn any ban that strips the rights of persons carrying green cards or visas. I also condemn vehemently any measure, from the left or the right, carving out one religion as passable, and another as inferior, dangerous or unworthy. I equally condemn any act of government that places one race over or under another. We are all equal.”
InterAmerican Coffee
InterAmerican Coffee, a green coffee importing company headquartered in Houston, Texas, and with offices in San Diego and Providence, RI have generously agreed to match 10 brands participating this weekend, in the form of a $5000 donation to the ACLU.
Counter Culture Coffee
Counter Culture are stepping up to match sponsorship for 5 brands this weekend. With headquarters in Durham, North Carolina and Emeryville, California, several of Counter Culture’s nationwide network of wholesale cafes are participating in this weekend’s fundraiser, including our launch partners at Everyman Espresso. Counter Culture is an industry leader in sustainable and ethical coffee buying practices at origin—learn more back looking at their annual Transparency Report.
Mavam Espresso
Seattle-based under counter espresso technology start-up Mavam Espresso will match two brands taking part this weekend. Enjoy delicious coffee made on a Mavam Espresso machine this weekend at Tartine Manufactory, one of our original launch partners for this nationwide effort.
Cafe Imports
Cafe Imports of Minneapolis, Minnesota will match two fundraising brands this weekend. Many of the roasters involved in this weekend’s cafe fundraiser are green coffee partners with Cafe Imports and La Bodega, their small-format boutique green coffee brand.
Trilogi Software
Trilogi Software, a San Francisco based company, have donated $1000 to the ACLU, thereby matching two of our participating brands this weekend. Brothers Larry and Ken Berger spearheaded this generous donations.
Slingshot Coffee
Raleigh, NC purveyors of some of the country’s best cold brew, Slingshot Coffee have agreed to match one fundraising brand this weekend. You can enjoy delicious Slingshot at fine grocery stores and markets across the United States—it pairs great with amaro, even in the cold months.
Acaia Coffee
Boutique coffee scale game disrupters Acaia Coffee have agreed to match one fundraising brand this weekend. Acaia is a two-time Sprudgie Award winner for Best New Product.
Genuine Origin
Newly launched boutique green coffee experts Genuine Origin have agreed to match one fundraising brand this weekend. We think their work on Medium is some of the best origin-focused coffee writing happening anywhere on the web right now!
Espresso Parts
One-stop coffee gear webshop Espresso Parts of Olympia, Washington have agreed to match one fundraising brand this weekend. Follow Espresso Parts on Instagram for glimpses of super dope coffee gear around the world.
Baratza
Industry leaders in the field of coffee grinders, at home or in the cafe, Baratza have agreed to match one fundraising brand this weekend. Baratza are winners of the 2016 Sprudgie Award for Best New Product for their groundbreaking Baratza Sette 270W grinder.
Barista Nation
For baristas, by baristas, the globetrotting Barista Nation event series has agreed to sponsor a match for one fundraising brand this weekend. We’re thrilled to be participating in the upcoming Barista Nation NYC event, happening this May in Manhattan. More details soon!
Beanstock Coffee Roasters
Online coffee seller Beanstock Coffee Roasters have agreed to sponsor a match for one fundraising brand this weekend. Indeed, they will specifically be sponsoring the first $500 raised by Snowy Owl Cafe of Brewster, MA
Caravela Coffee
Vertically integrated Latin American green coffee experts Caravela Coffee have stepped up to match one of this weekend’s participating brands. Caravela’s expertise is focused on delicious green coffee from Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru.
Just Coffee
Just Coffee Co-Op have agreed to match two of this weekend’s participating brands, in the form of an $1000 donation to the ACLU. Thank you Just Coffee!
Nomadic Ground
Nomadic Ground, a wholesaler of organic and fair trade coffees to cafes, restaurants and markets in the SF Bay Area, have agreed to match one brand this weekend.
Marcus Boni & Anthony Truscello
Private citizens and coffee professionals Marcus Boni and Anthony Truscello will match one brand this weekend, in the form of a $500 donation to ACLU. Thank you so much Marcus & Tony!
Barista Magazine
Barista Magazine, a coffee publication based in the United States, has donated $500 to the ACLU as part of the wider cafe fundraising effort. They announced their donation on Instagram and Facebook.
Boot Coffee Company
Boot Coffee has agreed to match the first $500 raised by Dragonfly Roasters, a coffee bar and roasting company located in Boulder, Colorado.
Blossom Coffee
Blossom Coffee, makers of the Blossom One Brewer, have agreed to match $500 over this weekend in a donation to the ACLU.
Coffee Traders
Coffee Traders, a coffee roasting company based in Whitefish, Montana, have agreed to match $500 over this weekend in a donation to the ACLU. Whitefish is located on the doorstep of Glacier National Park, truly one of the most beautiful places in the United States.
Visions Espresso
Visions Espresso, a Seattle-based espresso equipment retailer and parts supplier, have agreed to match one cafe in this weekend’s fundraiser.
Want to get involved? We’d love to add your company’s name to this list. Matching sponsorships start at $500 given directly to the ACLU in a tax deductible donation. Get in touch!
