Fair Trade Coffee Please?
Los Angeles is a city on the go, and nothing keeps us going quite like a cup of joe - or perhaps several, depending on the day.
While most people may think of LA for our traffic, our celebrities, and our amazing food scene, one thing you may not know is that we also have an abundance of Fair Trade coffee shops to keep you fueled. No matter what part of town you're in, you can find a thoughtful cup of coffee that supports global farmers and local small businesses.
Groundwork Coffee
Locations: Venice, Arts District, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Santa Monica, North Hollywood, Downtown, and The Grove
With 10 locations around Los Angeles from Venice to North Hollywood, Groundwork Coffee is one of the first fair trade certified organic coffee roaster in Southern California. Established in 1990 they are dedicated to maintaining the well-being of the people, environments, and economies of their entire supply chain, including using solar panels for manufacturing and sustainable materials for packaging.
Find a shop near you: www.groundworkcoffee.com
Black Dog Coffee
Location: 5657 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036
Serving coffee the past 18 years, every coffee drink (except the Bulletproof Coffee) is made from freshly delivered Groundwork Coffee organic and fair traded beans. Black Dog Coffee serves vegetarian and vegan options and is famous for their authentic Chicago Dog and Caffe Cubano. A pup friendly location, owners Mr. and Mrs. Black are animal lovers and donate a portion of their Friday profits to the Best Friends Animal Society.
Get more details: www.blackdogcoffee.com
Intellegentsia Coffee
Locations: Silverlake, Venice, Pasadena
Founded in 1995, Intellegentsia started in San Francisco and expanded to Chicago before landing in Los Angeles. They stick to their roots by roasting everything in-store with their old fashioned but quality equipment and practices. Intellegentsia goes above and beyond by paying above Fair Trade prices for delicious transparent coffee and adhering to sustainable farming and environmental practices.
Get more details: www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
TOMS Coffee Bar
Locations: Venice, Glendale
The popular minimal slip-on known for their humanitarian efforts has done it again but with coffee too! You can find their shops at two locations, in Venice on Abbot Kinney Blvd and at the popular Americana in Glendale. TOMS buy a pair give a pair to a child in need has transferred that module to their savory roast also. With every TOMS Roasting Co. product you purchase, TOMS will help provide safe water to a person in need. TOMS partners with organizations like Water For People to provide safe water in 7 countries through sustainable, community-owned water systems. With TOMS Roasting Co. farmers are paid fairly, communities get safer water, and you get delicious coffee.
Find a shop near you: www.toms.com/toms-roasting-co
Cafecito Organico
Locations: Silverlake, Pacoima, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Malibu
“Supporting biodiversity and livelihoods” is the message you’ll see when you walk through their doors. Growing from roasting quality batches in a garage to farmers markets all over Socal, Cafecito Organico works with small growers and family farms that produce high quality coffee sustainably. Cafe Organico’s involvement with local community groups and grassroots organizations allows them to promote social and environmental justice while also paying a just price to ensure that the coffee producers can sustain a quality livelihood.
Find a shop near you: cafecitoorganico.cratejoy.com
With Love LA
Location: 1969 S. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA
In South LA on Vermont Ave, With Love LA believed in bringing communities together from all walks of life. In the Market you will find a mix of local, organic, natural and delicious food and drinks. This was made possible by the California Freshworks Fund, who is public-private partnership loan fund created to bring grocery stores, markets that offer fresh produce, and other innovative forms of healthy food retail and distribution to communities that do not have them. Now a non-profit 501(c)(3) with their With Love Community Programs, With Love LA offers free classes around healthy eating, child development, exercise and other life skills, enabling our community to thrive. It’s amazing what a community market and popular cafe can do together!
Get details: www.withlovela.com
The Coffee Connection
Location: 3838 South Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Coffee Connection has a rich past, once being a landmark Italian restaurant called Bruno’s Ristorante and then in 2000 transforming into the destination for certified fair trade, organic, shade grown, and carbon free coffee, espresso, tea & specialty drinks, along with a selection of locally prepared deli sandwiches, empanadas, salads & panini. This non-profit coffee shop offers affordable prices for everyone while still maintaining quality, and participates in community outreach with a variety of local charities.
Get more details: coffeeconnectionla.com
Homegirl Cafe
Location: 130 W. Bruno St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Started by Homeboy enterprises back in 1992, Homegirl Cafe has a mission to help adolescents with no family support or direction. Homegirl Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and Saturday brunch, featuring an innovative veggie forward menu of contemporary Latin American cooked fresh daily. Homegirl Café & Catering is where young men and women are placed in what is often their first “real job,” learning to work side by side with their former enemies and gaining fundamental job skills in a supportive environment. Homeboy industries really does serve a beacon of hope and opportunity with one cup of coffee at a time. Meet the newly changed lives on Bruno Street in Los Angeles, just minutes away from Grand Park!
Get more details: www.homeboyindustries.org
Verve
Locations: West Hollywood, DTLA, Mid City
Originally started in Santa Cruz, Verve pays their farmers premiums for quality coffees through direct trade relationships. Their direct trade practice allows them to exceed Fair Trade minimums every time, with no exceptions. Nothing in their roasting facility is automated, with every step done by hand and with great attention to detail.
Get more details: www.vervecoffee.com
Know of any other Fair Trade coffee shops? Let me know!
Also, check out the Fair Trade LA site, where i originally posted this blog :)
- Greenwithstyle
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