Boulder coffee entrepreneurs believe in following their product back to the source
By Avalon Jacka For the Camera Mark Glenn,co- founder of Boulder's Conscious Coffees, third from right, with Sidama coffee producers in Ethiopia. Coffee is a common breakfast drink for many Americans, but coffee drinkers rarely think about the origin of their morning pick-me-up beyond the grocery aisle. A cup of coffee triggers few to think about the living conditions or salaries of the growers. At Conscious Coffees, however, that is at the forefront of its roasting and distributing. Mel Evans-Glenn co-founded Conscious Coffees and its trading co-op, Cooperative Coffees, with her husband, Mark Glenn, 16 years ago to bring fair trade coffee to Boulder. Under Fair for Life certification, Conscious Coffees buys green, organic coffee directly from its coffee producer partners. Buying and negotiating directly with Cooperative Coffees, a traditional co-op made up of 24 roasters, guarantees producers a higher amount that is "mutually beneficial for both parties," E