IRVING, Texas -- Convenience-store giant 7-Eleven Inc. has introduced a new single-origin coffee from Matagalpa, Nicaragua. The premium brew marks the c-store chain’s foray into sustainable coffee products, and is the retailer’s first coffee to be Rainforest Alliance Certified.
The coffee, offered exclusively at 7-Eleven stores, is made from 100% Arabica beans. The brew is described by 7-Eleven as “a full-bodied, medium-dark roast with a delicious dark-chocolate aroma and rich, sweet notes of cocoa.”
"Our Matagalpa Nicaraguan coffee delivers a smooth, rich and robust flavor; it's a great tasting, premium cup of coffee without the premium price," said Nancy Smith, senior vice president of fresh food and proprietary beverage merchandising for 7-Eleven. "And it does so with minimal impact on the environment. Nearly every major coffee-producing region of the world is under stress as changing weather patterns affect coffee production. By working with the Rainforest Alliance, we can help foster sustainable farming practices that protect natural resources."
The new coffee is sourced from Matagalpa coffee growers whose farms protect wildlife, support local communities and meet eco-friendly standards set by the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and sustainability.
"Our goal was to source a coffee that could carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and provide a great-tasting addition to our selection of fresh-brewed coffees," Smith said. "The Rainforest Alliance got its start in Central America, which also happens to be where some of the world's best coffee beans are grown. The Matagalpa Nicaragua coffee got rave reviews in taste tests."
"The Rainforest Alliance is proud to be working with 7-Eleven, a company that understands the value of sustainably sourced coffee and shares our belief that everyday actions add up to meaningful impact," said Alex Morgan, the Rainforest Alliance’s director of markets transformation.
As part of its ongoing corporate social-responsibility objectives, 7-Eleven said that it will continue to seek out responsibly sourced coffees, as well as other products and packaging with less environmental impact.
Based in Irving, Texas, 7 Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 60,000 stores in 17 countries, including 10,700 in North America.
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