Here and There

Coffee has a profound impact on everyone it touches. In industrialized societies, it is an essential component of our daily routine. As such, it is a commodity of enormous volume, though not always one of great value to those who grow it.

While most roasters capitalize on the misfortune of coffee farmers by maximizing profits, we at New Harvest are committed to balancing the scales in the coffee industry. We do this using a business model that strives to be sustainable, both where coffee is grown and in our own community.

About 75% of the coffee we roast is Fair Trade, certified by TransFair USA. Our partnership with TransFair USA ensures that our Fair Trade beans are produced by democratic worker cooperatives, and that these growers receive a good price for their harvest. www.transfairusa.org
The same proportion of our coffee is also Certified Organic . These coffees are certified to be grown and processed without chemicals. We are certified as an Organic Handler by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. www.dem.ri.gov

We also offer Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees. Rainforest Alliance certification is an alternative to Fair Trade that ensures that participating farms adhere to sustainable agricultural standards and fair treatment for workers.

We are constantly looking for ways to foster sustainability here at home. Our roastery and offices use zero-emission electricity produced by 100% renewable sources through our membership in New England GreenStart. We use an innovative Catalytic Oxidizer to eliminate the smoke produced by the roasting process while using 65% less fuel and producing two-thirds fewer greenhouse emissions than conventional pollution-control sysems. We are aggressive recyclers, finding new homes and uses for everything from wood pallets to burlap bags, through our network of local farmers, non-profit organizations and craigslist.