You may be wondering what the title has to do with coffee. Well, I was thinking the same thing when first visited Ugly Mug Coffee. I actually heard about it from a reader, Cathy Yingling, who pointed our way to the site. Unbeknownst to me (and maybe some of you as well), Ugly Mug Coffee is a supplier of coffee quite popular in Memphis.
Aside from the name – which is definitely attention-grabbing – what sets Ugly Mug Coffee apart from conventional brands? You can read all about it in their web site but I’d like to post something here which hit a chord within me:
The Life Ugly.
There are those who claim to trade fairly just to fool you into having a clear conscience along with your cup.
We’re not fooling anybody. Never even try.
It’s not easy, but we select the purest beans in a way that’s 100% fair to growers, not “just enough that we can claim to be fair.” One Hundred Percent. A fair trade price means farmers can feed and clothe their families. It means they receive adequate healthcare, and can give their kids educational opportunities.
Turns out that mission is some huge amount of work. We’re willing to do it. All you have to do is brew a bag now and then.
Life is indeed ugly and some times, when the going gets rough, it is my mug of coffee (which is not ugly by the way) that helps me get going. Then again, knowing that the coffee I am drinking is not harming other people along the way makes it even better, doesn’t it?
Originally posted on February 15, 2008 @ 3:47 am