What’s in a name? For Allegro Coffee’s Café UBUNTU quite a lot, actually. In Kenya ubuntu means “I am because we are.” If you think that’s a little deep for coffee, read on to find out the notable backstory of this African blend.
But First…a Sale!
This weekend only, from Friday 9/26 through Sunday 9/28, Café UBUNTU is $8.99/lb in bulk and $8.99 per 12-oz package* (ground or whole bean) in our US (price varies in Hawaii*) and Canada stores.
*The sale price in Hawaii is $10.99/lb in bulk and $10.99 per 12-oz package. Sorry, this sale is not valid in our UK stores.
Availability and limits may vary by region, so please contact your store for details opens in a new tab. While supplies last. Most of our stores do not provide rainchecks for sales like this.
I Am Because We Are
Like the African concept of ubuntu or interconnectedness, Allegro’s Café UBUNTU is a blend of four distinctive East African coffees that join harmoniously to create a cup with with rich notes of golden raisin, maple and fig.
But there’s more to it than a satisfying cup of coffee.
This light roast shares its name with a café and bakery in Maai Mahiu, Kenya opens in a new tab. The café is a project of Comfort the Children International opens in a new tab (CTC International), a non-profit that works alongside Kenyan communities to create sustainable change. It’s a beacon for the roughly one million tourists who drive through the area each year. Along with its modern bathroom facilities, the café is the only source of espresso outside of Nairobi en route to the Maasai Mara, and Allegro Coffee and Whole Foods Market Northern California region provided the espresso machine and training. The menu will offer espresso, crepes and farm-to-table options that cater to the local community’s tastes.
In addition to creating jobs in the community, Café Ubuntu serves as a much-needed health and nutrition resource center for the Rift Valley, provides education to the community about sustainable farming and hosts income-generating supper clubs.
And it was Whole Foods Market team members, on a volunteer trip arranged by Whole Planet Foundation opens in a new tab, who helped build Café Ubuntu brick by brick.
Your purchase helps, too: 10¢ from each bag of Café UBUNTU coffee sold goes to support CTC International.
Learn more about the collaboration that created the café and what is means for the community of Maai Mahiu in this video.
CAFE UBUNTU: A Global Collaboration opens in a new tab from CTC International opens in a new tab on Vimeo opens in a new tab.
If you’d like to be a part of the connection that comes from sharing a really good cup of coffee, make sure to stop by your local Whole Foods Market store this weekend and pick up a bag or two of Café UBUNTU while it’s on sale.
Tell us about a moment of connection you’ve had over a cup of coffee in the comments below.
