North America's Sustainable Coffee Movement

St. Catharines, Ontario – October 31st, 2002 – Beantrends.com, President Catherine Benevides, announces the launch of its new website, www.beantrends.com

With a philanthropic approach, this new site is dedicated to fostering sustainability within the coffee industry. With their company motto, “North America’s Sustainable Coffee Movement”, the founders expect a big following of caring coffee lovers.

Coffee is the second most valuable internationally traded commodity in the world and studies conducted by the major coffee associations are indicating that consumer awareness of the specialty coffee industry is growing, so too is the need to educate on sustainable coffee.

With daily updates on industry related news, affiliations with major coffee organizations, a great selection of gourmet coffee and a program that takes a percentage of coffee sales and ‘gives back’ to the industry, Beantrends plans to do their part in helping to eradicate the crisis’ going on in third world countries and around the world.
“Coffee plays a predominant part in many environmental issues” says Mrs. Benevides who has been involved in the industry for many years.

Focusing on the main crises within the industry, Beantrends.com will focus on:

· Fair-trade issues relating to how farmers are being deprived of normal human rites like proper medical care and how children are out picking beans rather getting an education;

· Rainforest Alliance-certified (ECO-O.K.) The Rainforest Alliance works with farmers to make changes that will reduce environmental impacts, improve conditions for workers, conserve natural resources and protect biodiversity. The social and ecological benefits extend far beyond the farms in newly solidified communities, cleaner rivers, increased wildlife populations, cleaner water supplies, sanitary systems, collaborations between farm managers and neighboring parks, protected watersheds, and worker's paychecks that are on average twice the minimum wage. Thousands of farm families benefit from this program;

· Shade Grown Bird-Friendly addressing the lack of forests for migratory birds to encourage their sustainability including the role they play in growing coffee;

· Organic which often ties in with Shade Grown Bird Friendly as with Shade Grown coffee farmers need not use as much pesticides. Organic coffee is already notably growing in popularity.

The industry links page include non-profit organizations like Transfair Canada, The Rainforest Alliance, Coffee Kids, Seattle Audubon Society, Conservation International, The Songbird Foundation and Environmental Defense to name a few.

Beantrends.com 's main objective is to educate people about an industry that we all take for granted. People are totally unaware of the crisis' going on, however major coffee associations are targeting their efforts on the subject and with current world problems people are starting to care more. We want this industry and those exploited by it to receive the attention it deserves.