Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
18 STiR tea & coffee industry international The End for Coffee Kids? In a decision that saddened many in the coffee community, Coffee Kids announced in December that it would suspend its programs. Mike Ebert, in a Dec. 16, 2014 blog post, stated, "The board of directors and staff are com- pletely committed to the mission of Coffee Kids and are thus hopeful that another organization will take on our work. We believe that supporting coffee communities as they solve their own most pressing social problems is the best way to build a more resilient coffee supply chain." What the next chapter will be for what remains of the organization remains to be seen. The board is seeking another organization with which to merge. For now, the curious may contact Ebert at mike.andrew.ebert@ gmail.com for updates. Learn more: www.coffeekids.org Partners for Gender Equity The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) announced commitments from four founding partners for its Partnership for Gender Equity. These include ACDI/VOCA, an international nonprofit development organization, Falcon Coffees, a leading trading company in the sustainable coffee sector and a member of Westrock Coffee Company, Mars Drinks, a 100% work- place-dedicated beverage solution provider, and AMFOTEK, a 100% woman-owned beverage business. These partners have agreed to help fund the research stage of the Partnership for Gender Equity, a collaborative research initiative. The four Founding Partners will sit on the Partnership for Gender Equity advisory council during the research stage of the initiative to provide input to the overall project framework and report. Ethiopia Grounds for Health Fundraiser The Vermont-based organization Grounds for Change launched a public-private initiative to raise $200,000 to prevent cervical cancer in Ethiopia in November of 2014. The campaign involves a dollar-for-dollar match Bruno Dalla Corte coming from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in its support for Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon, a public-private partnership focused on reducing deaths from cervical and breast cancer in Latin America and Africa. Thus, if the fundraising goal is met, a total of $400,000 will help establish services in rural health centers of coffee-growing regions in Ethiopia. Royal Coffee of California and Dean's Beans Organic Coffee of Massachusetts created the East vs. West Roasters Challenge as part of meeting this challenge. This "friendly competi- tion" tracks contributions by region to see whether roasters from east or west of the Mississippi River will raise more. At press time, eastern roasters led western roasters by just over $7,000. The campaign continues through May 10, 2015. Learn more: www.groundsforhealth. org/roasters-challenge/ Italy Memorial: Bruno Dalla Corte Towards the end of 2014, the coffee industry lost a passionate leader. Bruno Dalla Corte spent more than 65 years tending to, designing, and selling espresso equipment. His name was known to many — employers such as Faema and La Cimbali, and an extensive list of manufacturing and marketing partners throughout the industry. He teamed up with his son Paolo over 40 years, a working relationship that spanned multiple companies and through which they sold thousands of units together. In 2001, the pair founded Dalla Corte. The firm built a new plant, designed what was to become the first of a new line of multiple boiler espresso machines. According to a statement shared by the family on the Dalla Corte website, Bruno Dalla Corte "…was present at every single dc campus and at Host 2013, where many affectionate baristas 'invaded' Dalla Corte's booth and surrounded him to reward and thank him for all he had done." Malta Keurig Acquires Bevyz A few short months after launching its hot and cold beverage dispensing system in the United States and partnering with Marley Coffee, Maltese-based Bevyz Global Ltd. announced Keurig Green Mountain has acquired the company for approximately $220 million. The company, founded in 2004, developed a single-portion, multi-drink system. "We are extremely excited about this development as we believe Keurig's innovative approach and business model are directly aligned with our mission to deliver superior, in-home beverage experiences to consumers," said Edouard Sterngold, Bevyz's founder and c.e.o. "We're excited to become part of the Keurig team and believe this acquisition is financially compelling for our shareholders and creates new opportunities for our employees." "The acquisition of Bevyz adds unique and complementary technology and research and development capabili- ties," said Brian Kelley, Keurig's President and c.e.o. "As a result of our strong balance sheet, we're able to make this strategic acquisition while investing in organic growth and returning cash to shareholders." Following the acquisition, Bevyz's roughly 50 employees will become part of Keurig's technology and product systems teams and are expected to continue to be located primarily in the Netherlands and Malta. Learn more at www.bevyz.com Coffee Report: Jenny Neill