CQI Announces Founding Partners for Partnership for Gender Equity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact | Alexandra Katona-Carroll Organization | Coffee Quality Institute Phone | 562.901.3166 Email | akatona@coffeeinstitute.org Website | www.coffeeinstitute.org COFFEE QUALITY INSTITUTE PARTNERSHIP FOR GENDER EQUITY GAINS COMMITMENTS FROM ACDI/VOCA, FALCON COFFEES LTD, AMFOTEK, AND MARS DRINKS Portland, OR (January 21, 2015) – The Coffee Quality Institute® (CQI) is pleased to announce commitments from four founding partners for its Partnership for Gender Equity. ACDI/VOCA, an international nonprofit development organization, Falcon Coffees, a leading trading company in the sustainable coffee sector and member of Westrock Coffee Company, Mars Drinks, a 100% workplace-dedicated beverage solution provider, and AMFOTEK®, a 100% woman-owned premium beverage business, have agreed to contribute financially to the research stage of the initiative.

The Partnership for Gender Equity is a collaborative research initiative spearheaded

by CQI to better understand the effects of gender inequality in the coffee sector and develop industry best practices that support gender integration in the coffee supply chain.

Through this initiative, CQI is conducting an extensive literature review and participatory workshops—for both women and men—in four countries. The initiative inaugurated its first workshop successfully in Cauca, Colombia, in October 2014 and just held its second in Nicaragua earlier this month. This collective effort will result in sound recommendations for pilot projects, investments, and partnerships to help ensure sustainable gender integration in the coffee sector.

The four Founding Partners will sit on the Partnership for Gender Equity advisory council for the research stage of the initiative to guide research questions and provide input to the overall project framework and report.

“To address growing supply risks linked to climate change, plant disease, and out-

migration from farming communities, among others, it is critical that the industry be able to leverage the full capabilities of both men and women in the supply chain, especially in producing communities,” said Kimberly Easson, CQI vice president of strategic partnerships and gender program adviser. “Equally important is participation from the industry. I am pleased that our project will benefit from the expertise and perspectives of these organizations.”

ACDI/VOCA, a leader in inclusive market development, brings to the Partnership for Gender Equity its combined expertise in strengthening the competitiveness of coffee value chains and increasing gender equity in households, communities, and markets around the world.

“This is an opportunity to transform the way coffee companies do business,” said ACDI/VOCA’s Director of Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s Empowerment Lindsey Jones. “By embedding gender equity within the coffee supply chain, we’re paving the way for a more productive, robust, and fair coffee sector that benefits all players.”

Falcon Coffees is a UK-based green coffee trading company that focuses on building collaborative supply chains in coffee producing countries, connecting rural communities that are vulnerable through poverty and isolation to the communities that drink their coffee. As a member of the Westrock Coffee Company family, Falcon Coffees is a key component in Westrock Coffee’s vertically integrated coffee supply and service solution.

“Poverty is the greatest hurdle to sustainable agriculture and the protection of biodiversity,” said Falcon’s CEO Konrad Brits. “Women around the world do the brunt of the work. If we don’t empower these women we cannot hope to achieve what we have to achieve.”

Mars Drinks is a division of Mars, Incorporated, whose objective as a company is to create a mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders. Mars Drinks focuses its energy and resources on the workplace, offering a portfolio of products and technologies that aim to make life at work better.

“At Mars Drinks we are excited to partner with CQI to research how gender equity can build stronger coffee communities and more resilient supply chains,” says Samantha Veide, global marketing director of corporate sustainable solutions for Mars Drinks. “We believe that there is a strong business and community development case for empowering women coffee farmers.”

AMFOTEK, a 100-percent, woman-owned premium beverage business, brings to the Partnership for Gender Equity its unique perspective on the intersection of gender equity in the coffee market. “As a successful business founded and owned by women, AMFOTEK is delighted to take a leading role in support of this important partnership that seeks to empower women. As premium beverage developers and

manufacturers we also recognize the need to take collaborative action to ensure a supply of quality coffee into the future,” said Ellen Jordan Reidy, AMFOTEK founder and president.

Additional “Sustaining” level partners for the initiative currently include Equal Exchange and Farmer Brothers. Additional support for local workshops has been committed by Keurig Green Mountain (Nicaragua) and the International Trade Centre (Uganda).

CQI continues to invite industry funding and participation. For more information, contact Kimberly Easson at keasson@coffeeinstitute.org.

----------------------------------------------------About Coffee Quality Institute The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) works internationally to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of the people that produce it. CQI recently launched the Partnership for Gender Equity (PGE), a multi-stage initiative that harnesses the collaborative spirit of the coffee industry to address gender gaps as an avenue to more viable coffee communities, ultimately improving the coffee they produce. For more info, please visit us at coffeeinstitute.org.

About ACDI/VOCA ACDI/VOCA is a private non-profit development organization dedicated to poverty alleviation and broad-based economic growth. For more than 50 years, ACDI/VOCA has promoted economic opportunities for cooperatives, enterprises, and communities through the innovative application of sound business practice. Our commitment to the involvement of beneficiaries as true partners in development projects results in improved local capacities and enhanced opportunities.

ACDI/VOCA's business model of development is designed to sustainably increase incomes and wealth, permitting beneficiaries to fully participate in the global economy. For more information, visit www.acdivoca.org.

About Falcon and Westrock Coffees Falcon Coffees Ltd is a UK-based green coffee trade house. The company’s primary focus is to build transparent and ethical supply chains between our origin partners and global roaster client base, while engaging in traditional trading practices. For additional information on Falcon Coffees Ltd, visit falconcoffees.com.

Westrock Coffee Company is a vertically integrated coffee supply and service provider. The company began in 2009 with the revitalization of a neglected coffee mill in Rwanda. Westrock Coffee operates a coffee roasting and packaging facility in Arkansas, trading desks in Europe and origin export facilities in Rwanda and Tanzania. For additional information about Westrock Coffee Company, visit westrockcoffee.com.

About Mars Drinks Mars Drinks creates great tasting moments at work by being at the center of workplace engagement, collaboration, productivity and well-being. Throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Mars Drinks supports businesses who want to provide great working environments for their people. Part of Mars, Incorporated Mars Drinks focuses its energy and resources on the workplace, with the belief that people are the most important asset to any business. In 1973 Mars Drinks introduced KLIX® the first-ever fully automatic in-cup drinks vending machine that serves large manufacturing channels across Europe. In 1984 Mars Drinks pioneered the single serve hot drinks category, introducing FLAVIA®, the first system for making hot drinks using fresh ground coffee and leaf teas sealed in individual servings. Through its ALTERRA® Coffee Roasters coffees, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.® teas, and DOVE® Hot Chocolate, Mars Drinks creates more than 1 billion great tasting moments at work! Find Mars Drinks online at http://www.marsdrinks.com.

About AMFOTEK® Dedicated to the development and manufacture of premium quality beverage products, AMFOTEK is a 100% Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) recognized as a best-in-class manufacturing partner to some of the world’s most respected brands. Founded in 1998, AMFOTEK provides custom product development, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, and stringent process control capabilities from its headquarters in Tinley Park, Illinois. AMFOTEK customers include quick-service restaurant chains, coffee roasters, coffeehouse chains, specialty and broadline distributors, as well as leading department stores throughout the United States. For more information visit: www.amfotek.com.