OUR INITIATIVES THROUGH THE YEARS
APPRECIATION OF ORIGIN
We believe that every child should have equal access to education. That’s why we support ECHOES (Educating Children and Communities for Health, Opportunities, Enlightenment and Survival). To help, La Colombe paid the salaries of the matrons at Trinity Children’s Centre in Uganda, a primary school where approximately 400 students board, many of whom are orphaned children and Sudanese refugees.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITY
We believe in the advancement and equality of women. In honor of Women’s History Month in 2020, we released two coffees benefiting the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project which pushes for change and systemic reform in institutions that perpetuate discrimination against women, focusing its work in the areas of employment, violence against women, and education.
CARING FOR OUR PLANET
We were inspired to partner with the National Parks Foundation for our “Keep America Wild” campaign in an effort to protect and preserve our natural, cultural, and historical treasures. La Colombe donated $100,000 to the National Parks Foundation as an official partner and launched a full-scale campaign to rally our community around our country’s National Parks through our cafes and our cans.
CARING FOR OUR PLANET
To avoid unnecessary landfill waste, our Philadelphia roastery composts 23,000 to 50,000 lbs. of coffee grounds per week (over 1,000 tons per year!). Those coffee grounds feed back into our ecosystem in multiple ways by fueling growth of new crops, including helping local breweries grow barley for their beer.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITY
We honor the history of the Pride movement and are committed to lending our voice to equal rights and treatment of LGBTQ+ people. During Pride Month in 2019, we commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising through special cups at our cafes across the country, designed by Todd Snyder. We’re excited to find meaningful ways to contribute to LGBTQ+ Pride, both inside and outside Pride Month.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITY
We are committed to the protection and empowerment of Black lives across our communities. We released a special-edition of our Lyon coffee the ACLU’s efforts to fight racial injustice across the country. As a company, we’re dedicated to raising our voices to stop violence and police brutality against the Black community.
APPRECIATION OF ORIGIN
After a devastating earthquake in 2010, we yearned to provide stability for our neighbors in Haiti. Through years of hard work and tenacity, we created the Haiti Coffee Academy to equip Haitian farmers with the resources to grow and process some of the best coffee in the world in pursuit of economic freedom. After over 10 years, La Colombe is proud to celebrate this partnership and the bright future it holds.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITY
We're proud to support the ACLU in their ongoing fight to protect civil rights and civil liberties in the hope of building a better country for all. As part of our commitment, $2 of every special-edition Lyon box will go to the organization for a minimum and maximum donation of $200,000 by November 2023.
EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES
When a global COVID pandemic hit, we were inspired by healthcare workers on the frontline who met the challenge to keep our community healthy and safe. Motivated by their commitment, we provided free coffee across the country as fuel and relief during this crucial time. Additionally, we collaborated with organizations serving free meals and delivering care packages to medical facilities.
EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES
We believe it’s our responsibility to help keep the community around us beautiful. Our employees rose to the challenge through a series of community clean-ups at some of the neediest parks across the country. Armed with cleaning supplies and trash bags our team continues to meet at parks near our cafes to clean up and make sure the park stays clean and in peak condition.
EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES
As parents, Todd and JP aim to create a safer world for their children and a world without common sense gun laws will never be safe. That’s why La Colombe supported Everytown For Gun Safety by donating $7 of every box of specialty branded Lyon coffee sold for their pursuit of common-sense gun laws through groundbreaking research, community education, and advocacy.
APPRECIATION OF ORIGIN
As early pioneers of Direct Trade, we are committed to bettering the lives of our partners at origin through positive relationships and sustainable practices. We immerse ourselves in local growing dynamics so that we can identify specific projects that can improve the quality of lives in the region while establishing a new standard for coffee quality.
APPRECIATION OF ORIGIN
Fair treatment and compensation for coffee producers is at the heart of our vision for trading coffee. That’s why we firmly believe in working with a group of like-minded importers who connect us directly with producers to ensure that producers are paid a premium, high above fair trade price, for the exceptional quality of their products.
IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
$700K DONATED
since 2017 through purchases of Lyon, our cause coffee, to charities like the ACLU.
$80K DONATED
to the West Michigan Food Bank to purchase a refrigerated truck to expand their reach.
300K LBS ORGANIC COFFEE
procured in 2022 to support sustainable farming practices and a healthier planet.
20 TONS OF WASTE DIVERTED
from landfills in 2022 alone through updates to our sustainable packaging process.
PARTNERS OVER THE YEARS
We strive to advocate for causes that share our values in crafting a better world.
SPOTLIGHT ROAST: LYON
Lyon is made for the courageous. Those who are unafraid to raise their voices against injustice and fight for a better future for our people and our planet.
The impact of this coffee is larger than its taste: $2 of every box of La Colombe Lyon Blend purchased online, in cafes, and in select retailers will benefit the ACLU for an additional minimum and maximum donation of $50,000. La Colombe is proud to be making a total contribution of $300,000 to the ACLU between November 2022 and May 2024.