With our Roastery in Kensington, MD in full operation, our team of roasters and coffee aficionados are steady on the pursuit of what Bump ‘n Grind considers the perfect conscientious cup. Our Conscientious Coffee is ethically-sourced, beans purchased directly from farmers and cooperatives incorporating environmentally-sustainable production methods and responsible socio-economic practices. In a world of infinite choices, it can feel daunting as a consumer to make everyday decisions supporting brands that align with personal preferences, philosophies, and priorities. At Bump ‘n Grind, we are actively trying to bridge the gap with our customers to provide a brand experience focused on the growth of our community connections, environmental stewardship, and being a socially-aware small business.
This week’s Liner Notes shares the background of our signature bean blends, explaining the choices creating that conscientious cup we love to drink each morning! Bump ‘n Grind is proud to be able to roast beans with coffee graded 85 or higher on the 100-point scale Q system, the standard grading system from beans from the Specialty Coffee Association.
Our customers will notice that the majority of our signature blends feature beans from a woman-owned farm out of Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil. A part of Olam Specialty Coffee's Café Delas Initiative, the proceeds from these naturally-processed beans are invested back into female-driven community projects and technical training opportunities that encourage more women to join the coffee trade.
Our most popular blend, Mixtape, features these beans in combination with an organically-farmed, Rainforest Alliance bean from the Tolima region of Colombia. We enjoy teaming up on our blends with admirable coffee companies promoting a strong mission. We source delicious beans from the Gambela region of Ethiopia through 734 Coffee, a company committing over 80% of its profits to South Sudanese refugees living in Ethiopia. Our Ethiopian beans are mixed with our naturally-processed beans from Brazil to make the complex and fruity Masengo Nova blend.
Bump ‘n Grind’s Rocket Man Espresso has made a name for itself in the DC metropolitan region. It’s used by our friends at Residents in DuPont circle for their Espresso Martini, voted best in DC. This robust and fruit-forward espresso is a well-balanced blend of UTZ and 4c certified Zambian coffee and our Cerrado, Brazilian roast. This is the same combination of beans that are also featured in our Marley blend, but roasted to a medium-dark profile perfect for pour-overs and drip coffee.
There are four major global certifications that Bump ‘n Grind considers as a standard for bean quality. All of our beans are either Rainforest Alliance Certified, UTZ certified, 4c certified, and/or USDA Organic. These recognitions provide a baseline that ensures our beans are sourced from farmers practicing sustainable ecological methods. These methods promote fair trade, environmentally-mindful techniques, and socially-driven outcomes of business development. 
In brief, Rainforest Alliance Certified beans insure “... (a certified) product or ingredient was produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental.” A part of the Rainforest Alliance, the UTZ seal has become a prominent recognition for coffee that “stands for more sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families, and our planet. The UTZ certification program enables farmers to use better farming methods, grow better crops, and generate more income. They learn how to improve working conditions, adapt to climate change, and protect the environment.”
Similarly, 4C is understood as the Common Code for the Coffee Community, “an independent, stakeholder-driven, internationally recognized sustainability standard for the entire coffee sector, aiming at anchoring sustainability in coffee supply chains.”
Our blends and single-origin roasts will often be labeled with the USDA organic seal, a difficult to obtain acknowledgment of a complete organic system from bean to cup. The USDA organic certification is an expensive and rigorous process for small farmers in distant coffee-growing regions of the world.
These standards help Bump ‘n Grind identify inspiring farmers, cooperatives, and beans actively contributing to a better world while growing the highest quality of coffee possible. (For more information about each of these certifications, click the links to learn more!)
All of our signature blends are available online for shipping direct to your door, or at one of our B ‘n G Coffee locations in the DMV!