Atlas Coffee Importers

COVID-19

Coping with COVID-19: Resource Roundup

By: Atlas Staff

May 22, 2020

We understand that these are extremely challenging times for all—emotionally, financially, and operationally, and the level of uncertainty that we are coping with is anxiety-provoking. Our intention is to support our partners and community throughout these periods of change, so here is a list of information and tools to hopefully provide relief, allow you to take meaningful action to support your business, or at least validate your current efforts.

We will update this page as new information becomes available. Do you have a resource to share?  Please email us at communications.atlas@nkg.coffee!  For additional updates about our Coronavirus response, along with news about coffees and education, please subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter and follow us on social media.

ATLAS UPDATES

VENDOR UPDATES

Atlas continues to communicate with our partners and monitor shipping lines, ports, terminals, warehouses and carriers. Even as global supply chain is essential, we remain aware that delays may occur. We will do our best to provide regular updates.

GOVERNMENTAL RESOURCES

FEDERAL

STATE

SPECIALTY COFFEE RESOURCES

A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS

  • Cropster launched shipsbeans.com free web shop platform and GetCoffee, a free, open directory that any coffee business can join to help get the word out to customers and partners.
  • The Green Room warehouse, outside Seattle, has two courier vans that could be utilized by local coffee shops for delivering their roasted coffee or pastries to their customers. They are offering the delivery service for only the cost of the hourly driver ($18 an hour) and will take care of all the other associated costs. They can also help coordinate deliveries and any logistics for free.
  • The co-roasting facility Roasterworks is providing free roasting time on their 1kg, 5kg, and 12kg roasters to impacted businesses. They can also help businesses get set up for online sales if they need assistance.
  • Jen Chenn, a digital strategist, writer & photographer in the specialty coffee industry, is offering a 15-min free brainstorming session to help in your marketing efforts to any COVID-19-affected coffee business or organization (whether you are currently open or you’re planning to reopen).
  • Missing your coffee friends and longing for Expo?  The SCA Digital Expo is in full swing from Thursday April 30 - Sunday May 3.  The virtual event features 15 different free lectures featuring speakers from the Portland Lectures track, and introductory looks at upcoming SCA Workshops.  On Sunday, the Barista Guild will be presenting a day of fun and community, including international coffee DJs for some digital dance party action.

ROLE MODELS

  • Read here about Roasters who are setting up virtual tip-jars or creating special blends to support their laid-off staff.  Broadcast Coffee's Gimme Shelter, Caffe Ladro's We're In This Together, and Kaldi's Coffee Gratitude Blend are great examples!
  • Onyx Coffee Lab launched the ingenious #risingtides out of the gate, providing discount codes for their wholesale clients so that online shoppers get 5% off of their order and kick back 15% to the shop of your choice. "Raise the tide of specialty coffee and lift all that are involved in the supply chain."
  • With the help of their customers, Modern Times Coffee is supporting health care workers! Currently, they are donating their Black House Blend, which features Atlas-favorite Ethiopia Dame Dabaye, to San Diego, Los Angeles, and Portland-area hospitals and healthcare facilities
  • Rowster Coffee is allowing their fans to "rowst" (roast) their friends by sending a coffee gift with a "You've Been ROWSTED! Pay it forward any way you wish."
  • Junior's Roasted Coffee has repurposed their roasted coffee bags to serve as cold brew packaging, like an adult Capri Sun, for delivery in their local Portland community.
  • Evans Brothers Coffee teamed up with local producers to create a Sandpoint Essentials Fresh Food Box for their community.
  • Coava is donating bagged coffee and N95 masks to medical teams and local Portland agencies in need, and they are offering great "Stay at Home" deals to customers!
  • Fulcrum Coffee Roasters has teamed up with the folks at Intentionalist, a local guide to small businesses and the diverse people behind them.  Together, they have created a Community Coffee Boost care package.   Join their community and send a Community Coffee Boost here.
  • Our friends at Bridghead Coffee Roasters in Ottawa, Ontario, have found some creative solutions to keep their doors open and benefit the local community.  In addition to expanding their online offerings to include other home staples such as flour and alternative milks, they have partnered with Dairy Distillery to sell Sanitizing Handrub.