Company brews up cups of java for PBS

Next time you're watching your local public television station, you could be sipping a cup of coffee made just for the occasion. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has introduced PBS Blend, a Fair Trade Certified organic coffee that will benefit the public television network. "Sales of PBS Blend help to support the programs and services of PBS and its member stations," Green Mountain Coffee Roaster spokesman Sandy Yusen said on Tuesday. "We are not able to get into any more detail on the financial structure of the partnership." Yusen said the partnership with PBS is the latest relationship the Waterbury company has with nonprofit organizations. "We have relationships with other nonprofit organizations such as Coffee Kids, Grounds for Health and the National Wildlife Federation and also Heifer International," Yusen said. "All those organizations are really dedicated to improving the quality of life either in our local community or in coffee producing countries." PBS Blend is made from beans grown in the tropical rain forests surrounding the El Triunfo Biosphere in Mexico — a 300,000 preserve within the Sierra Madre mountains of Southern Chiapas. It is the home to the quetzal, spider monkey, jaguar and tapir. Its also contains hundreds of butterfly species. The coffee carries the Fair Trade Certified label, which guarantees coffee farmers a fair price for their harvest and allows them to reinvest in their communities. In addition, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters says the coffee is environmentally friendly. As a certified organic coffee, the beans are grown "using agricultural practices that preserve biodiversity and vital habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife." Andrea Downing, PBS vice president, home entertainment and partnerships, said in a statement that the partnership provides its viewers "with another way to support public television through their every day lifestyle choices and purchases, and ensures that our member stations can continue to deliver a valuable public service in their communities." PBS Blend is available online at greenmountaincoffee.com/pbs and at pbs.org. It also is available through Green Mountain Coffee Roasters office service. The coffee comes in 10-oz. packages and single-serve K-Cups for use in Keurig single-cup brewers. PBS serves 354 public noncommercial television stations and reaches nearly 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. PBS is also a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a variety of other educational services. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sells more than 100 coffees, including Fair Trade Certified and organic coffees under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Newman's Own Organics brands. The stock is traded on the Nasdaq. Contact Bruce Edwards at .