"Organic" is a hot label, and organic coffee is seeing a boost in popularity. But what is organic fair-trade coffee? If a coffee is marked "certified organic," it's farmed in accordance with U.S. organic standards and examined by an agency working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Such coffee beans must be farmed without any man-made pesticides, and farmers must use crop rotation and sustainable plans to prevent ruining the local environment. Using organic coffee in your establishment can inspire your eco-minded customers to return to you again and again.

A survey by Daniele Giovannucci and the Sustainable Markets Intelligence Center showed that about $617 million worth of organic coffee bean was imported into the United States, and that this coffee only accounts for 2.3% of the total organic coffee coming into the United States each year. As the world becomes more eco-conscious, organic coffee sales will rise. As a food business owner, you have a variety of organic coffees to choose from. When selecting coffees for your business:

1. Consider which natural coffee your customers most crave (classic, single source, blends, flavored, decaf, etc.),

2. Research distributors of organic coffee,

3. And buy several types of organic coffee wholesale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select organic coffee beans or grounds

The basis of any good coffee selection is classic varieties. This usually consists of single-source coffees (such as a pure Colombian variety), French roast and perhaps one or two basic blends (a mixture of one or more pure coffees).

I recommend: Longbottom Coffee & Tea sells certified organic coffee, including French roast, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Viennese, Costa Rican and many other classic coffee types. Kaldi Gourmet Coffee also offers a good variety of organic coffees, including classic flavors from Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. Taylor Maid Farms provides a quality selection of organic coffees from single origins, and blends, all at wholesale prices.

Choose organic gourmet coffee flavors

Many customers prefer flavored coffees, and these are also readily available. Most organic coffee distributors sell standard coffee flavors such as vanilla and hazelnut.

I recommend: Beantrees sells organic flavored coffee, including Irish cream, Dutch chocolate, macadamia nut, hazelnut and vanilla flavors. True Blue Coffee Roasters offers organic almond, cinnamon, hazelnut, vanilla and vanilla nut coffee wholesale.

Purchase organic decaf coffee

For those who love coffee's flavor but need to cut back on caffeine, organic decaf coffee is also available. It can be a little more difficult to find than caffinated coffees because traditionally, decaf coffee is created using man-made chemicals. Organic decaf coffee, on the other hand, can't come in contact with such chemicals; water alone is usually used to make organic coffee decaffeinated.

I recommend: Kind Coffee provides wholesale decaf organic coffee in a number of varieties. Nectar of Life Coffee Company sells organic decaf blends.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Organic coffee, like any coffee, needs to be stored properly to maintain its flavor. Don't put coffee in the refrigerator or freezer since the coffee will absorb flavors from whatever else is in the unit. Instead, store your business' organic coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dark location.