June-July 2022 - 34

while improving the lives of farmers and their
communities, " Erickson said.
When asked about advice for operators,
he added, " Now more than ever the value of
providing exceptional customer service is evident.
One example would be for operators to partner
with their clients to create and offer employeefocused
solutions that increase job satisfaction
and employee engagement, ensure healthy
workspaces and strengthen company culture. "
Caribou also offers a range of readyAlliant
Coffee Solutions
Guy Fieri, Skinnygirl, Donut Shop Drive Thru, Cafexpress
and Barista Select solubles.
NITRO COFFEE
Also making strides in office coffee and tea service is
Bona Fide Nitro Coffee & Tea, headquartered in Ventura,
California. Bona Fide produces perfect-pour nitro coffee
and tea kegs for esteemed roasters and specialty coffee
distribution. It is the first company on the market with
a naturally stable keg brewing process for coffee and tea.
Bona Fide Nitro Coffee & Tea was founded in 2015 with a
mission to brew and deliver nitro coffee and tea using an
innovative, disruptive technology that's sustainable.
" Our process reduces typical cold brew waste by 50%,
and our kegs are shelf stable and do not need refrigeration
during shipping, " said Spencer Weiner, partner and COO
of Bona Fide Brewing Company LLC.
The company's newest products include a Hot Nitro
Coffee Dispenser that provides a constant supply of hot
Nitro Coffee with the pull of a tap handle. It also offers
a " No Nitrogen bottle required " countertop Cold Nitro
Coffee Dispenser Double Faucet. With the Bona Fide
Bag-In-Keg " BIK " keg solution, kegs are pre-infused and
ready-to-pour.
ROAST PROFILES
Steve Erickson, senior manager business development of
Caribou Coffee Operating Company, founded in 1992,
added that partners are asking for a variety of products and
roast profiles across program offerings.
" Caribou Coffee craft roasts in small batches to bring
out the full flavor potential of our beans, " said Erickson. " We
offer light, medium and dark roast coffees, in both fractional
pack and whole bean, that appeal to a variety of palates. "
Caribou Coffee beans are 100% Rainforest Alliance
certified, hand-crafted and roasted in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
" This certification helps to create a more sustainable world
by using social and market forces to protect the environment,
34 Automatic Merchandiser * June/July 2022
to-drink coffee, such as its cold brew for
vending. The 11.5-oz cans are shelf-stable and
conveniently portable.
" In addition to our Cold Brew Black and Vanilla Crafted,
we launched our Caramel Crafted cans in March, " said
Erickson. " Cold press coffee is a heritage product for our
company that we have been serving in our stores for over 29
years. We are now bringing these beverages to our customers
in a convenient readyto-drink
package. "
Caribou also offers
a range of teas such
as Earl Grey, Hibiscus
Berry, Mint Verbena,
Bou Black and Hot
Cinnamon Spice.
SUSTAINABLE
COFFEE PODS
Another company
with a focus on
sustainability for
office coffee service
is Smile Beverage
Werks, a Delaware
Public Benefit ( " B " )
corporation that makes sustainable and compostable
coffee pods, coffee bags and straws.
" The pods are the only ones certified commercially
compostable by both BPI and CMA. In addition, they are
carbon neutral and USDA bio based, " said Michael Sands,
CEO and co-founder. " They are the most sustainable
pods on the market with the longest shelf life. They meet
or exceed all state and federal composting laws. We have
pods that are compatible with Keurig or Nespresso original
brewers and offer one-step disposal.
Sands said sustainability is a leading concern of customers
for pod coffee. His advice for operators is to be cautious: " Many
claim to have sustainable solutions, but not all components
are certified, or excess wasteful packaging is involved. "
Ready-to-drink Caribou Coffee
June-July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June-July 2022
