NFL Quarterback Eli Manning steps up and reaches in his pocket for Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

Dunkin’ Donuts recruited NFL Superstar and NY Giants Quarterback Eli Manning to help raise $90,000 at a Charity Brunch Held in New Jersey on December 21, 2012.

Rohan Marley Unifies Marley Family with Jamaican Coffee, Music and More

Rohan Marley remembers his grandmother drying their wild coffee berries in the sun, then hulling and roasting them for her own cup of coffee each morning. Even while playing linebacker and leading the University of Miami Hurricanes in tackles, he knew deep in his heart that he would one day return to his family roots, with those memories and a dream like his father had.

Bob Marley’s dream was to eventually become a farmer.  And that dream is being fulfilled by Rohan Marley one of nine-children of the legendary and revered Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician.

Rohan Marley‘s is a passionate entrepreneur and visionary, like his father, combining his creativity and business acumen to create a self-sustainable and certified organic coffee farm, but also has extended Marley family businesses beyond Marley Coffee, unifying and defining his father’s legacy with other brands including the Tuff Gong Clothing Company, named after his father’s music label, Tuff Gong International.

The Marley Coffee Site is ‘One Love’ comprehensive and the world’s best source for Jamaica Blue Mountain®coffee but also

"In This Great Future, You Can't Forget Your Past"- Bob Marley (1945-1981)

for other “sustainably grown, ethically farmed, artisan roasted coffees” from around the world.  Coffee and it’s equipment, from pod brewers to espresso machines and grinders to scoops are covered as is drinkware from cups to mugs and even a series of Bob Marley pints glasses ready to be filled with Iced Coffee or Red Stripe Beer.

But the site is much more than coffee as it has become the Marley Family Secured Sitefor a line of Island Apparel and of course for  the legendary Reggae and Ska music and videos with a selection of DVD’s and CD’s of Bob Marley and the Wailers.

“The clothes are for everyone,” says Rohan Marley. “They’re for the people – just like my father’s music.”

Marley Coffee is an international gourmet coffee company based in a 52-acre private estate sits atop the Blue Mountains in Chepstowe, Portland, Jamaica, long revered as the region with the world’s most desirable coffee beans. Founded by Rohan Marley and his friend Shane Whittle, Marley Coffee sources beans from other top coffee-growing regions worldwide, including Ethiopia, Central America and Jamaica, striving to only support communities and the environment through organic, sustainable and ethical practices.

Rohan Marley also believes strongly in giving back to human causes and communities in need.  To help promote happiness and prosperity, Marley Coffee created and continues to support the Kicks For Cause Foundation, a youth soccer program that helps enrich and inspire the lives of underprivileged children. 

All Marley Coffee products live up to the Rastafari standards of ITAL, standing for all things Pure, True and Vital.  A portion of all sales of Marley Coffee supports the Kicks for Cause Foundation which aims to build playable soccer fields and soccer camps for children of coffee-producing communities in Jamaica.

Marley Coffee’s Jamaica Blue Mountain® beans are shade-grown under a canopy of rainforest-preserving trees at an elevation of over 3000 feet, without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or other additives. Biodiversity and organic farming methods make for healthier soil, prevent water contamination, provide habitat for dozens of species of migratory birds, and form a critical component of Marley Coffee’s exceptional flavor.

The USDA and OCIA Organic seals are also found on the bags of Marley’s beans sourced from the committed coffee farm partners around the world. Unlike other producers, Rohan Marley assures that every bag has a  FLO Fair Trade Certified logo, that ensures farmers receive a fair living wage.

The Marley Coffee Company believes and fosters the standard that “providing a living wage is not only the humane thing to do, it also is one of the critical factors for creating and continuing sustainable farming practices”.

When farmers become impoverished, they are often left with no choice but to increase yield by using inexpensive, low-quality chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Marley Coffee invests in their farmers’ continued well-being, while investing in future and the continued well-being of their farms and trees. All their coffees are certified Kosher and Halal, reflecting the quality, purity adherence to strict manufacturing standards and practices.

Cowboy Up with Dunkin' Donuts in Dallas

Dallas Cowboys National Football League Club Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones and NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman are on the same page when it comes to the business of coffee.

Dunkin’ Donuts has announced that Jerry Jones and Family and Aikman, thave been signed to head a  group that plans to open at least 50 new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth region over the next five years.

Dunkin’ Donuts entered into a partnership with the Dallas Cowboys Football Club in 2009, becoming  the official coffee for the team. Since then, “America’s Team” has served “America’s Favorite Coffee” both hot and iced, hot chocolate and iced tea during Cowboys home games, college football games, concerts and other stadium events. Dunkin’ Donuts signage appears within the stadium and advertising is shown during events on the LED ribbon board and video board.

Under the agreement, Dunkin’ Donuts, the Jones Family and Aikman will share ownership of the new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants and 11 of the 19 existing locations.  Together, Dunkin’ Donuts, the Jones Family and Aikman will be jointly responsible for strategic planning, expansion and marketing, with Dunkin’ Donuts responsible for the operations of the restaurants.

Dunkin’ Donuts has a long and proud history of partnerships within the sporting industry. Dunkin’ Donuts is the official coffee provider for many professional teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Capitals. 

Java, The Daily Grind, Black Tea, Morning Mud, Liquid Lightning and a ‘Cup of Joe’ are all nicknames and monikers for Coffee but who was this Joe, and do so many American’s start their day with a tribute to this  ‘Joe’?

Seems there may not be a definitive reason why the term ‘Cup of Joe’ became an American saying. While some think it wasn’t part of the average American consciousness until the 1930′s, many believe that it all started with a order from Joe…and the US Navy. No matter which story you believe the folklore of this one is the tastier of the brews, and a “Cup of Joe” still starts the day.

‘Joe’ was Josephus Daniels, and Joe Daniels was not from Tennessee and wasn’t any friend to Jack Daniel or any distiller.

He was a tee totaling,  son of a ship builder who was a newspaper publisher from North Carolina with friends in high places. He was he was ‘good ol’ buds with and ‘served’ for at  least three US Presidents and for his support, Joe Daniels was named Secretary of the Navy by Woodrow Wilson during World War I. 

Now Joe Daniels wasn’t a Navy man at all, but in June 1914 he felt compelled to exercise his political views for temperance by issuing US Navy General Order #99 that “prohibited the use or possession of alcoholic liquors on board of any naval vessel”. 

But the order meant very little since alcoholic beverages had be prohibited on U.S. Naval ships for over 50 years for everyone except officers who were permitted a wine supply.  Daniels was using the Naval Order to establish his stand on the topic of temperance and prohibition.

The folklore says that U.S. Seaman began mocking ‘Joe’ Daniels and his ‘mean-nothing’  Naval Order when they would order the strongest and most consumed item on board, which was coffee.

It was an insider ‘naval term’ according to some and became part of American Culture in print anyway by 1931.

A career newspaper man, Josephus Daniels found life in politics and his papers The Daily State Chronicle, The Raleigh News & Observer  were unabashed in its advocacy for the Democratic Party. He was North Carolina’s state printer in 1887-93 and chief clerk of the Federal department of the Interior under President Grover Cleveland.

Before Joe Daniels  led his own one-man temperance campaign, he was controversial in his home state of North Carolina. He launched a ‘White Supremacy’ political campaign to appeal local racist sentiment to help his party win elections in 1898 and 1890later  held the office of Secretary of the Navy and also was named Ambassador to Mexico by Franklin Roosevelt.

French Press Chicory Coffee and Beignents are Big Easy Favorites

On almost every major grocer’s shelf in America you can usually find a chicory coffee as an option, but if you’ve never visited New Orleans or don’t happen to be French, you may not realize that American’s have been drinking coffee with roasted chicory root since the mid-1700′s.

Chicory is an herbaceous plant that is cultivated for salad leaves and many Americans know chicory, the plant,  as curly or Belgium Endive. There are many varieties but most often it as sold as radicchio, French endive, red endive, sugarloaf or witloof.

But the roots of those plants were found to have value during the French Civil War when coffee was so scarce that they roasted the chicory roots to stretch the amount of coffee rationed.  The result was added body and a flavor that softened dark bitter roasts and enhanced lighter roasts.

There is no caffeine in chicory and it’s more water soluble than coffee so you can use less when brewing, and most agree that any addition of chicory in your blend is a healthier cup than coffee.

But unless you are in New Orleans or in a Quebec cafe you won’t find a chicory blend as an choice at your local coffee shop.  The “Big Easy” is the place where tourists most often experience Chicory Coffee and throughout  New Orleans French Market including  the popular Cafe’ Du Monde, Chicory Coffee is served in varied house blends.

There is no doubt that the Beignets at Cafe Du Monde is the main reason that the line forms early outside the  world famous ‘must see’  coffee shop in New Orleans.  But every cup can be a proprietary roast and each blend is brewed to give  a distinctive flavor profile, and when ‘French pressed’ the coffee becomes darker and the flavor even richer.

At Cafe’ Du Monde Coffee and Chicory is traditionally served Au Lait, mixed half and half with hot milk.  The  Beignet,  a square French-style doughnut that is generously dusted with powered sugar typically accompanies the Cafe Au Lait and it is the most popular combination and  served 24 hours a day and seven days a week….364 days a week.

Sinature Coffee Line added to Classic Doughnuts

With the launch of three signature coffee blends, Krispy Kreme now offers their proprietary coffee to go with their one-of-a-kind doughnuts. The company announced that they now have a coffee ‘worthy’  of their yeast raised, glazed doughnuts that Krispy Kreme fans have enjoyed for nearly 75 years,

Krispy Kreme Signature House, Signature Dark Roast and Signature House Decaf are all made with  100% Arabica beans and  are available for retail by the cup, the box and in retail bags in Krispy Kreme  stores in the US and Canada.

“Nothing gets your day started better than a great cup of coffee and your favorite Krispy Kreme doughnut,” says Dwayne Chambers, Krispy Kreme’s Chief Marketing Officer.

The company has also announced The Krispy Kreme ‘Worthy Tour’ that launched at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, AdvoCare 500 September 2-4, 2011. Through the years Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have helped raise $29 million in support of community charities. A facebook and online promotion helps friends and fans nominate charities that are  ‘worthy‘ and also offers a fan contest that offers great prizes including a trip for two to the home of Krispy Kreme in Winston-Salem, NC.

Coffee and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have been sold since 1937 when Vernon Rudolph opened his first retail store in Winston-Salem North Carolina. Rudolph  started his business after he bought a secret doughnut recipe from a French chef in New Orleans and had intended to sell only to grocery stores, but started selling his coffee, after people lined up outside his kitchen wanting his doughnuts hot, and before they got to store shelves.

In 1997 as Krispy Kreme turned 60 years old, the company and their Doughnuts were recognized as a 20th Century American Icon by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

Finland, Norway and India to be added to Starbucks International

The Starbucks that will open in Finland early next year will make the 56th country that the Seattle-based coffee juggernaut can  call ‘home’.  They also will debut in Norway around the same time but country #58, India will come later in 2012.After slowing growth in the US, closing stores and a focus on their ‘Seattle’s Best’ brand Starbucks has targeted international growth.

In an unrelated story, those delicious and healthy Bistro Box meals that have only been out one wee,  suffered a setback after the company issued their own recall on July 20.  They recalled the chicken used in the Chicken Hummus and Chicken Chipotle Wrap Bistro Boxes in Georgia and Alabama. The meat was apparently contaminated with listeria, but no illnesses have yet been reported.

The company released a statement saying all tainted chicken had been removed from all stores and that there was no threat.

Alejandro Mendez is The World's Best Barista

Baristas from over 53 nations converged in Bogotá, Colombia for the 12^th Annual World Barista Championship in early June and Alejandro Mendez from Viva Espresso in El Salvador edged American Pete Licata for the Championship.

The global event promotes excellence in coffee, focusing and advancing the profession of barista and was viewed by over 50,000 world wide.  Attendance was at an all-time high for the festivities  hosted this year by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation.

Alejandro Mendez won for the first time in only his second visit to the World Barista Championship just beating the US Champion Pete Licata from the Honolulu Coffee Company. Mendez takes the title home to El Salvador and it is the first time the winner has come from a coffee-producing company.

The event truly is an international exhibition and the winners reflect the global reach and growth of coffee through a network of professional baristas.  The third  place winner was Matt Preger of Axil Coffee Roasters in Australia and  Europe was represented by fourth place winner Javier Garcia of Spain.   Miki Suzuki of Japan rounded out the top five finalists.

Mendez won using his knowledge of coffee processing and preparation choosing Salvadoran coffee accented  with an hand-crafted infusion of coffee pulp for his signature drink. The Grand Prize Package was the biggest ever as well with a number coffee products and gifts as well as an Athena  Espresso Machine and trips to visit Mahlkoenig Grinders in Hamburg, Germany and a trip to Brazil sponsored by Café Exports.

Over 10,000 coffee producers, industry professionals, and suppliers were in attendance and another 40,000 watched the online  video stream. The  2011 World Barista Championship was produced by World Coffee Events and was founded by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe and the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

If you always were planning a trip to see the Van Gogh Museum and thought you might stop by one of those Amsterdam Coffee Shops that sell both exotic coffee and marijuana who may want to book your flight.

By the end of the year customers will have to sign up for a one-year membership, or “dope pass”, to enter the shops and many of the 220 coffee shops in Amsterdam have already planned their closings.  There are a total of 750 shops throughout the Netherlands and the move could cost the country millions of dollars a year in lost revenue.

Each coffee shop will be able to have 1500 registered customers who are to be made up of residents who apply first.

Dutch health and justice ministers say that the law ‘ will put an end to the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drugs trafficking’.

Holland decriminalised “soft” drugs in the 1970′s and the coffee shops were seen as a then useful weapon in controlling both illicet drug use but also a way to contain street sales and crime. New claims are that the coffee shops cater to  ‘drug tourists’ that start trouble.  A spokesman for the mayor of Maastrich, Holland said “They block streets in the city centre, they don’t respect parking rules, they are noisy and, when they go from one coffee shop to another, they urinate and vomit in the street.

Those claims are denied by shop owners. “If this law comes into effect, we will lose money and jobs,” said Marc Josemans, owner of the Easy Going cafe.

Last year, 1.4 million  tourists visited the city of Maastricht alone. Foreigners accounted for 70 per cent or sales, worth about  $13.6 million in revenue.  In many municipalities of Holland prostitution is legal.

Five Dolla, Five Dolla Bottomless?

Subway just passed both McDonald’s and Starbucks and is the leader in store locations so Subway President Fred DeLuca sees the opportunity to sell more of ‘Seattle’s Best Coffee’.  The sub on the run culture is preparing a move to the ever-popular cafe’ culture that has been so successful for fast food giant McDonald’s ‘McCafe’.

The sandwich franchise has launched  15 Subway Cafe locations and plans to open 10 more in 2011. The slightly larger outlets are designed to be a cross between a Subway  sandwich store and a ‘Seattle’s Best’ coffee bar, with baked goods, hot and cold espresso drinks, and frozen blended beverages.

Expect to see over sized  comfy lounge chairs, coffee and work tables, bookshelves on a brick background, and a even a fireplace to create a new place and way to mimic  the cozy coffeehouse ambiance established by Starbucks.

‘Seattle’s Best Coffee was added to the Subway Menu in early 2009. Starbucks bought ‘Seattle’s Best Coffee’ in 2003.