We all know that 2020 has been unpredictable and challenging. It has been almost a full year since the Covid-19 pandemic began, and we now find ourselves heading into the holiday season.
However, if there’s one thing that these tough times have taught us, it is this: collaboration and mutual support can go a long way towards bringing entire communities together, even when life is difficult.
That’s why this year, as we adapt to these challenges and find new ways to celebrate, we have put together a Higher Grounds gift guide for 2020. But this guide has a twist: each item isn’t just a thoughtful holiday gift for the festive season, it also helps to give back and support a valuable initiative that drives social impact. Read on to learn more!
Revel Holiday Blend
Revel Holiday Blend holds a very special place in our hearts. It represents the longstanding partnership we have with coffee producers in Chiapas, Mexico, who we have worked with ever since Higher Grounds was founded.
From the sale of each 12oz bag of Revel coffee, we donate $5 to On The Ground's Project Chiapas. This improves access to clean water and provides agricultural training as well as educational support to coffee producing families in 15 separate communities in Chiapas.
Revel is a great choice during the cold weather of the holiday season, too. It’s a warming, medium-dark blend of Ethiopian and Indonesian coffees, and it’s perfect after big family meals. Its flavors are reminiscent of chocolate-covered cherries and sangria, and it works especially well when mixed with cocktails or in milky, creamy drinks.
View Revel Holiday Blend here.
Gift Box: Revel Collection
If you love our Revel Holiday Blend and are looking for something more, then our Revel Collection gift box is a perfect choice. A great stocking filler, it pairs our special Revel coffee with an 8oz Higher Grounds Coffee diner-style white ceramic mug.
This is a perfect combination gift for the coffee lover in your life. As with every individual bag of Revel we sell, a percentage from all gift box sales will go to our partner non-profit On the Ground to support coffee-producing communities in Chiapas.
View the Gift Box: Revel Collection here.
DR Congo Kawa Kanzururu Medium
The Kawa Kanzururu Cooperative is based in the Ituri forest, a day’s walk from the Virunga National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For us, it’s a real privilege to be able to share Kawa Kanzururu’s inspiring story and outstanding coffee with you.
The 900 farmers of the Kawa Kanzururu Cooperative are working in an economic model that helps to bring peace, prosperity, and stability to the DRC, which has suffered from decades of armed conflict and political instability.
By purchasing this limited edition coffee, you’ll be directly supporting the Virunga Alliance. This incredible initiative works with coffee-producing communities to provide employment and stability, promote biodiversity, and protect more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.
As well as supporting this coffee co-operative and their mission in the DRC, buying Kawa Kanzururu coffee also guarantees you an outstanding flavor in your cup. This medium-dark roast combines Bourbon and Typica plants grown between 1,100 and 1,600 m.a.s.l.; it is a washed coffee with a full body that has floral notes balanced with flavors of dark chocolate and raisin.
View the DRC Congo Kawa Kanzururu Medium here.
Shine On Blend + Mug
Over the last few years, May Erlewine has become a musical ambassador for Higher Grounds Trading. May is an accomplished folk musician with her roots in Michigan and a passion for great coffee. We have worked together with her in recent months to launch the Shine On coffee blend.
Shine On is a sweet and mellow blend of coffees from Peru and Ethiopia, with flavor notes of brown sugar, honey, and plum jam.
From the sale of each bag of this coffee (part of our Coffees for Change Collection), we donate $1 to Title Track, a non-profit in Michigan that supports racial justice education and seeks to build resilient socio-ecological systems to improve clean water access, racial equity, and youth empowerment.
Additionally, every bag of Shine On comes with a QR code that you can use to listen to May’s music, and this collection also includes a matching mug featuring her signature.
View the Shine On Blend + Mug here.
Higher Grounds Gift Card
If you aren’t sure about which coffee or collection you want to get somebody, you can always give the gift of Higher Grounds through our gift cards. These are perfect for people who are passionate about coffee, especially if you know that our vision and mission will resonate with them
We offer three digital-only gift cards in our store: $20, $50, and $100. These gift cards let someone you love choose between our range of coffees, while also supporting the producers who grow them.
Please note: all gift cards are only redeemable on our online store.
View our gift cards here ($20), here ($50), and here ($100).
There’s no doubt that the holiday season in 2020 will be unlike anything we’ve seen before. But despite the challenges we’ve faced throughout this year, we really are grateful to the coffee community in Michigan and beyond. It’s thanks to all of you that we’ve been able to keep roasting coffee and supporting the causes that we do.
However, as we finish this year and head into 2021, we need to be aware that there is more to do than ever before. With products like these that support amazing causes around the world, we’re determined to keep bringing people great coffee and driving positive change in coffee growing communities all around the world.
Photo credits: Higher Grounds Trading, JESHOOTS.com