Coffee is the number one most traded agricultural product in the world. It involves myriad industries, from nurseries, harvesting, processing, grading, sorting, packaging, exporting, importing, transit, storage and roasting. 25 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Of the 50 plus countries that cultivate coffee, the vast majority are developing nations. All of the top 10 coffee consuming nations are fully industrialized nations. This renders us quite a juxtaposition. At Swing’s, we have experience and thorough knowledge of the supply chain, and we’ve seen the good and bad that exists within it.
Because of all the human effort that goes into specialty coffee, we are compelled to act as responsible buyers and sellers of coffee, treating it with the care it deserves and utilizing it every way we can. What matters to us is the journey this coffee takes and the people and partners it comes in contact with along the way. We believe remarkable coffee is the result of many, from the grower to you and the hands in between. Below are some efforts we put forth, and partners we work with on the journey to ever-better quality of coffee, and of life.
Fruitful Grounds
Did you know Swings repackages our used coffee grounds for you to take home?
Coffee grounds make a great component to any compost system (worms like it too)! Compost systems need a diverse diet in order to decay in a nutrient-rich manner & produce something that will benefit your soil. We’ve compiled some tips via the City of Alexandria to help our friends here have a fruitful and thriving compost system. Swing by our Del Ray location and grab a bag of grounds and a flyer with more information or check out the PDF version below!
South Mountain Creamery
We are sourcing some of the best coffees we can find from around the world. And knowing how much care goes into a single bean, we sought the same care for the ingredients that go into our drinks.
We accomplish this by partnering with South Mountain Creamery, a local dairy farm producing milk, butter, yogurt, and ice cream since 1981. These happy cows spend their days on pasture. Fresh air, sunlight, and endless grass is provided for them. In addition to grazing, they’re fed a nutritious mix of the crops grown on the farm. South Mountain incorporates ethical agricultural practices to preserve their farm, and take pride in being good stewards of the land.
It’s worth the trip Middletown, MD to take a tour of the farm, pet the calves, and try some of their homemade ice cream!
South Mountain Creamery
8305 Bolivar Road
Middletown, MD 21769
844.762.6455
"I look real good and feel even better, I make a burlap sack look like a cashmere sweater."
Ravishing Rick Rude
Burlap
Why Mr. Rude had to go hating on burlap is really beyond us. We quite like it, and we keep thinking of new uses for it: re-upholster an ottoman; cut out the art work and frame it; use it as a comfy spot for your pooch, or bury it in the garden to prevent weeds from growing up.
The point is that we go through a lot of burlap and will never throw it away or sell it. It’s free for the taking at our Alexandria roasting facility. Stop by and pick some up, it’s sitting right by the front door.
