CRAZY ABOUT KICKING HORSE Invermeres Kicking Horse Coffee Company has placed 2nd two years in a row in Fair Trade Canadas Karma contest. Photo submitted
By Joshua Estabrooks
Special to The Pioneer
Local caffeinated success story, Kicking Horse Coffee, recently placed second in a national contest presented by Fair Trade Canada. The Karma campaign was a contest run by the organization that gathered votes from consumers across Canada as to what their favourite Fair Trade company is.
Ayuma Premium Coconut Milk took first place in the contest with 1,219 votes, followed by Kicking Horse Coffee in second with 950 votes. Despite missing out on the top spot for the second year in a row, Kicking Horse Coffee is still very pleased to be the top coffee company in the contest, said Lynn Hodgson, Media Relations for Kicking Horse Coffee.
Although we didnt win this Fair Trade contest, we continue to win with our customers ongoing support and loyalty as Canadas number one organic Fair Trade coffee. Whether its social media, email, in person, by phone or snail mail, we value the overwhelming positive feedback we receive everyday here at the Horse, Ms. Hodgson told The Pioneer.
The company converted to 100 per cent organic fair trade in 2007 and hasnt looked back since, she said, adding that there are a number of positive benefits to employing Fair Trade Practices.
We are now the largest Fair Trade roaster in Canada. All our coffee is 100 per cent certified fair trade and 100 per cent certified organic. Fair Trade benefits the farmer sby guaranteeing them a fair price for their coffee. This brings them economic stability and a higher standard of living. It improves their access to loans, provides technical assistance, increases health care, and expands educational opportunities. While Fair Trade improves the wellbeing of the producers, it is just the beginning of an equitable economic and social system that Kicking Horse Coffee supports wholeheartedly.
Fair Trade also benefits the environment by encouraging farming and production practices that are sustainable, by minimizing pollutants, pesticides and herbicides, and by encouraging organic agriculture techniques, said Ms. Hodgson.
By choosing to be Fair Trade, we give our customers the option to buy according to their principles and values. It assures people that the product theyre buying is ethical, which helps them feel good about themselves. Weve got all that goodness in our coffee and it still tastes wicked.
For more information on the Karma campaign please visit www.fairtrade.ca/karma/.
