Higher Ground was born through the combination of a desire to produce the highest quality coffee and the hope of improving the act of doing business in today’s world. We at Higher Ground began with a few goals:
To purchase the best coffee available anywhere, to roast it to perfection, and to make it available - fresh - to anyone.
With this in mind, the people at Higher Ground made the decision to roast exclusively Fair Trade, shade grown, organic coffees of specialty grade. That means that all Higher Ground coffees are grown naturally without the use of harsh chemicals and fertilizers, and they represent the very best of the world’s harvest. In addition, all our beans are grown under the forest canopy, allowing farmers to preserve ancient forests and natural habitat. Since Higher Ground only roasts Fair Trade coffees, all our beans are grown on family farms and cooperatives, so more attention goes into every bean.
We spend hours perfecting the right roast for the each kind of bean. After the flavors and aromas of each coffee are brought to their best, we roast and ship on the same day—so the coffee that you get is the freshest and best possible.
To create a sustainable business model that truly gives back to the community - locally and globally.
From the first roast, we wanted to make sure that Higher Ground would be a company committed to real change. So we decided that what was right for one bean was right for all of them, and agreed to be a 100% fair trade, organic, shade grown company. This means that Higher Ground doesn’t supplement sales of Fair Trade, organic coffee with profits from corporate, large estate coffee. This way, we can consistently do our part to ensure a fair wage for farmers and help them maintain their land and homes for their children and grandchildren.
To invest in the future by supporting environmental preservation and conservation.
The people at Higher Ground were also aware of some successful efforts by other organizations that we could be a part of. From early on, we joined 1% for the Planet, committing at least 1% of our annual sales to environmental organizations. In addition to 1% for the Planet, we’ve joined up with lots of other groups, such as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the War on Hunger, and the Access Fund—forwarding 10% of profits from their own special blend back to the non-profit. To the people at Higher Ground, environmental responsibility should mean being proactive, and shouldn’t stop with the coffee. Higher Ground purchases 100% recycled materials and biodegradable corn plastics as often as possible, and we donate our own waste as compost to local organic farms. Since the beginning, the we’ve committed to not just appearing good, but doing good, and every decision at Higher Ground furthers our goals of providing the best coffee through the best, most sustainable practices.
Roasting Process / Roaster:
Drum - Gas / Diedrich IR-24
