| Name | Title | Contact Details |
|---|
RUNA was founded in 2009, days after we graduated from college. But our story begins several years earlier, when Tyler was living with the Kichwa people in the Ecuadorian Amazon. It was then he was introduced to guayusa – a naturally caffeinated tree leaf brewed like tea, consumed early in the morning to help interpret dreams and late at night to provide energy and clarity while hunting in the jungle. He loved the earthy flavor, smooth taste, and energy boost he got from the leaf. Living and working in Latin and South America, we both saw how unsustainable activities like logging were enticing ways for people living in the rainforest to pay for education and medicine. We also saw how development projects implemented by NGOs often floundered because they lacked buy-in from local stakeholders.
Watkins is a company that produces natural products, including gourmet flavors, and has been in operation since 1868.
Our company`s foundational belief is that the free market system of open, competitive trade is the only system that offers sustainable economic hope—along with personal dignity—to those most deeply mired in poverty. For us, sustainability is not a relegated program or detached department. It is our end goal. High-quality, carefully crafted coffee is our opportunity to make real change. Coffee has provided us a chance to reimagine the playing field and build a stable, direct channel between farming communities and the end consumer. Our team of quality experts, quality graders and coffee cuppers work with our roasters to create roast calculations that are unique to each varietal. They are working every day to develop unique blends and ensure consistency in every cup. We are headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas where we provide office coffee services to Central and Northwest Arkansas.
Vital Farms, a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced pasture-raised foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs and butter by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms' ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. Vital Farms also prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, and crew members and stockholders. Vital Farms' pasture-raised products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, ghee and liquid whole eggs, are sold in approximately 13,000 stores nationwide.