Colombian Coffee for Essential Workers in the UK
MADRID, April 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Colombian company Jaramillo Café donated approximately 5,500 cups of coffee to bolster the work of British hospital employees, police officers, and firefighters in the midst of the COVID-19 situation. Another 7,000 cups are expected to be donated to other essential British workers' institutions through crowdfunding.
In order to send a message of support and encouragement to continue their work, the Colombian company decided to donate 55 kg of Colombian coffee, which serve approximately 5,500 cups, to three institutions. St. Thomas' Hospital in London received 3,000 cups; Norwich Hospital received 2,000 cups for its 8,000 employees; and Lancaster Gate Police Station received 500 cups.
Mauricio Jaramillo, Sales Director for Jaramillo Café's UK branch, explains how the initiative came about. "Along with ProColombia's invaluable support, we wanted to do our part for all these people risking their lives for others by providing them with a coffee that warms their spirit and encourages them during this difficult time." Jaramillo Café, based in the Colombian Coffee Triangle, has been in this market for five years and distributes its product to cafés and independent coffee shops.
ProColombia president Flavia Santoro stated, "We applaud this Colombian company's show of solidarity with a key partner, the United Kingdom. Here at ProColombia, we supported this donation, together with our embassy in the UK, as part of of the COnectados strategy. We hope that these cups of coffee will give a boost of energy and encouragement to these heroes so that they can carry out their daily tasks to the best of their abilities."
Given the success of the first coffee donation, a second phase is underway, in which the Colombian business community in London is leading a fundraising effort to donate 7,000 cups of coffee. In just six days, the crowdfunding platform raised 100% of the goal; donations are expected to take place in the coming days. The institutions prioritized to receive these donations are Nightingale, St. George's, and King's College hospitals, as well as major London Metropolitan Police Stations.
The United Kingdom is among the top 10 countries that purchase Colombian coffee. According to Colombia's Department of Statistics figures analyzed by ProColombia, in 2019 the UK ranked ninth, with US $48.4 million—14.6 million net kg of coffee. In the first few months of 2020, Colombia exported US $9.9 million in coffee to the United Kingdom.
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