Kicking Horse Fair Trade Organic Coffee
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 08.28.05
We were jolted awake this morning by a cup of Kicking Horse Coffee, variety Cliff Hanger Espresso. No need to read cereal boxes with this around- the package kept us busy through breakfast. It's shade grown. "coffee grown under the rain forest canopy gives shelter to flora and fauna...Shade regions support more than 150 species of birds whereas sun grown coffee has about 95% few bird species." It's Fair Trade. "When you buy Fair Trade coffee you are participating in a social and economic movement...ensuring that the farmer recieves a fair price for thier coffee." It's organic. "Certified by the Canadian Organic Certification Co-operative..no pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers which are harmful to both the producer and the environment" (don't forget about us, the drinker!) Our morning hit was never so virtuous. Or tasty. ::Kicking Horse Coffee
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Very good to see this company receive some accolades and focus. The KH Cliffhanger is the best espresso that we have found. Always glad to see a great product produced in the least harmful way, and delighted that we have access to it.
Funny, I have recently sent a letter to Kicking Horse about the take-out cups they provide to their retailers.
They use a paper cup, wrap the whole thing in bleached corrugated cardboard, then wrap the whole cup again in a full-size printed sleeve. The drink is essentially triple-cupped. Three layers of paper between your fingers and the coffee, with a lifespan of twenty minutes.
Their CEO says that they are actively looking for biodegradable cups, but can't find any that meet their standards. I sent her a bunch of links to bio-cup manufacturers, many from here on TH.
How about a bunch of TreeHuggers write to Kicking Horse and ask them to back up their organic and fair trade coffee with some cups that do not tread so heavily on the earth.
1) they should immediately cease producing their triple cups
2) they should hire a designer that can make exciting graphics within the constraints of biodegradable containers
3) they don't settle for less on their coffee. Why settle with their cups. They should use the highest standard of biodegradable. None of that 'bio-plastic' that just breaks down into smaller pieces of plastic.
Write to Kicking Horse and tell them what you think.