Direct Fair Trade

Level Ground Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Acidity
Usually, the pleasant tartness of a fine coffee. High acidity is a favourable characteristic of coffee,  but bitterness, an extreme of acidity is condidered a defect.  Coffees that are grown at high elevation or in rich volcanic soil have higher acidity. Acidity, along with flavor, aroma, and body, is one of the principal categories used by professional tasters in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee.
Arabica
See Coffea Arabica
Aroma
The fragrance produced by hot, freshly brewed coffee. Aroma, along with flavor, acidity, and body, is one of the principal categories used by professional tasters in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee
Base Price
The base price is set by FLO and is based on a plus differential over the New York ‘C’ futures price, which is the benchmark price for coffee worldwide.
BCS ÖKO-GARANTIE GMBH
BCS is an independent and private controlling agency, which certifies organic products worldwide in accordance with various regulations and private standards.
www.bcs-oeko.com/en_index.html
BioLatina
BioLatina, located in Lima, Peru, provides organic certification for producers in South and Central America, and works in compliance with EEC Regulation 2092/91 "Organic Production of Agricultural Products”.
www.biolatina.com
Body
In coffee, body is referred to the heaviness a mouthful of coffee leaves on the tongue.  It ranges from thin to heavy and is higher in medium to darker roasted coffees.  Body is one of the principal categories used by professional tasters in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee.
Chaff
Flakes of the innermost skin of the coffee fruit that remain clinging to the green bean after processing and float free during roasting.  This dry, organic matter serves as a foundation for fantastic compost!
Cherries
Ripe (red or yellow) or unripe (green) coffee fruit as it is picked from the trees. Each cherry contains two regular coffee beans, or one peaberry.
Coffea Arábica
The earliest cultivated species of coffee tree and still the most widely grown. It produces approximately 70% of the world's coffee, and is dramatically superior in cup quality to the other principal commercial coffee species, Coffea canephora or Robusta. All fine, specialty, and fancy coffees come from Coffea Arabica trees.
Coffea Canephora or Robusta
This West African native coffee plant is one of ten species in the genus Coffea. Despite having a greater yield and less susceptibility to pest and disease than the Arabica species, Robusta beans are usually limited to a low-grade coffee.
Cup
Or "cup profile" refers to the description of a freshly brewed, hot cup of coffee, its aroma, body, acidity, taste and other characteristics after a sensory evaluation.  The term "cupping" refers to coffee tasting where certain criteria is judged in each cup of coffee sampled. At Level Ground Trading we "cup" coffee regularly.
Direct Fair Trade
A means of procuring Fair Trade products from producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.  Direct Fair Trade exceeds Fair Trade Certified requirements by establishing trade relationships with producers and consumers that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect.  We purchase quality products directly from producer groups and pay premium prices that are fair and sustainable.
DESCAFECOL Decaffeination
Nature and modern technology work hand-in-hand at DESCAFECOL, a decaffeination plant located in Manizales, Columbia. DESCAFECOL uses a special combination of pure water and Ethyl Acetate (EA), which allows for a gentle caffeine extraction from the coffee bean. EA is obtained from natural sources like sugar cane molasses. EA’s consumption is free of any health risk and is FDA approved in the United States and Europe as a decaffeinating agent and food additive without any restrictions.  Decaffeinated coffee, processed by the Water-Ea method, is excellent for roasting.  Perfect aroma and taste are guaranteed in every cup.
EcoStar Award
The Capital Regional District and community sponsors developed The EcoStar Awards in the year 2000 to recognize the commitment and contributions of individuals, organizations, groups and businesses to our environment.  On November 9, 2005 Level Ground Trading was awarded the 2005 EcoStar Award for waste reduction.
www.crd.bc.ca/ecostar/
EnviroTote
This Canadian made, reusable plastic tote is just one of many environmental initiatives at LGT. Filled with freshly roasted coffee, and sealed tight for freshness with a recyclable soft plastic bag, this tote is delivered right to the door of LGT local retail, café and office accounts.
Famicafé
Fundación Familias Cafeteras, Famicafé (Coffee Families Foundation) is a registered Colombian non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of families in the coffee growing region of Colombia. Famicafe is a hands-on, on the ground, organization that invests in education, job creation and organic farming initiatives.
Fair Trade
Fair Trade is an alternative approach to conventional international trade, which promotes social equity, economic security and sound environmental practices. Its goal is to contribute to sustainable development by improving market access for disadvantaged producers, by raising awareness and campaigning. It works to a set of values and objectives that seek to improve living standards and achieve a fairer distribution of income and influence. It is a partnership between all involved in the trading process—producers, workers, traders and consumers.
FTO (Fair Trade Organization) Mark
Launched in 2004 at the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India, The FTO Mark is an organization label that identifies and gives global recognition to Fair Trade Organizations (as apposed to FLO which labels products). These organizations are mission driven organizations whose core activity is Fair Trade. This means that standards are being met regarding working conditions, wages, child labour and the environment (see IFAT standards). These standards are verified by self-assessment, mutual reviews and external verification (see IFAT Monitoring). Level Ground Trading is proud to be one of four IFAT members bearing a FTO Mark in Canada.
http://www.ifat.org/theftomark.shtml
FLO (Fair Trade Labeling Organization International)
FLO, created in 1997 and based in Bonn Germany, is the largest and most widely recognized standard setting and certification body for Fair Trade cooperatives. FLO is the umbrella association of 20 Fair Trade Labeling Initiatives that promote and market the Fair trade label. In Canada FLO labeled products fall under the labeling organization Transfair Canada, and respectively in the USA under Transfair USA.
http://www.fairtrade.net/
Fair Trade minimum price
A minimum price, established by FLO, which guarantees producers the ability to cover the cost of sustainable production.  The internationally establish Fair Trade Price is always the minimum price paid by an FTO.
Fair Trade Premium
The Fair Trade Premium is a separate payment given to farming communities for mutually agreed upon social economic, and environmental development projects.
Fluid bed roaster
A Fluid Bed Roaster operates on the same principal as convection oven: air is heated and then blown directly over the coffee beans. This heats the beans and keeps them in constant motion; resulting in a faster, more even roast. Coffee roasted by this method usually has a good strong aroma and bright flavor notes, but can sometimes lose the deeper notes of a stovetop or drum roasted coffee
Fruandes
Fruandes, Frutos de los Andes Ltda. is a Colombian Fair Trade Organization (FTO) started by Level Ground Trading in 2002. Fruandes provides vital income for fruit growers and workers at the drying facility in Bogotá. Fruandes is a member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT).
Frutos de los Andes
Naturally dried tropical fruit produced by Fruandes in Colombia. Fruandes produces dried mango, pineapple, banana, papaya, coconut and golden berries.  Frutos de los Andes is sold by Level Ground Trading in Canada and the USA.
IFAT (International Fair Trade Association)
IFAT is a global network of Fair Trade Organizations. IFAT's mission is to improve the livelihoods and well being of disadvantaged producers by linking and promoting Fair Trade Organizations, and speaking out for greater justice in world trade.  IFAT’s members are dedicated to Fair Trade principles, and are committed to IFAT’s standards and monitoring system.
www.ifat.org
IFAT Monitoring
In order to help increase public trust in Fair Trade Organizations, IFAT established a three-step Fair Trade monitoring system for all its IFAT members. It ensures that IFAT members are trustworthy in their commitment to Fair Trade. The IFAT Monitoring System consists of Self Assessment, against the standards of Fair Trade Organizations, Mutual review, between trading partners, and external Verification.
www.ifat.org/monitoring.shtml
IMO (Institute for Market ecology)
IMO, an international agency for inspection, certification and quality assurance of eco-friendly products offers certification for organic production and handling.
www.imo.ch
ISO 9000
ISO 9000 is a family of ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) standards for quality management systems.
www.iso.org/iso/en/iso9000-14000/understand/inbrief.html
OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association)
OCIA is nonprofit, member-owned, agricultural organization, dedicated to providing the highest quality organic certification services and access to global organic markets.
www.ocia.org
OMS (Order Management System)
Designed by Matthew Holland, the OMS manages LGT orders... and more.
Pacific Mobile Depots
A Victoria based recycling facility, which is holistic in their scope and exceed what a local municipality pickup at the curb program can offer.
www.pacificmobiledepots.com
Panela
Natural Cane Sugar from Huila, Colombia. Fruandes in Colombia packages and exports Panela de los Andes to Level Ground Trading in Canada.
Parchment
A thin, crumbly skin covering wet-processed coffee beans after the coffee berries have been skinned, the pulp removed, and the beans dried.  Washed, sun-dried and hand-sorted parchment coffee is the commodity farmers sell to their cooperative or private exporter in many producing countries.
Pyrolysis
The chemical breakdown, during roasting, of fats and carbohydrates into the delicate oils that provide the aroma and most of the flavor of coffee.
Pulping
Process of removing the outermost skin of the coffee cherry or fruit
reFUSE
A Victoria based food waste composting and organic recycling program
www.refuse.ca
Roast, Dark
Roasted between 476° and 478°
Roast, Light
Roasted between 454° and 460°
Roast, Medium
Roasted between 464° and 468°
Roasting
Roasting is the process of uniformly heating coffee beans, first to remove the moisture (about 12%) then to cause pyrolysis of the sugar in the bean cells, which characterize the aroma and taste of fresh coffee.  Roast time can be seen as an inverse relationship with caffeine content.
Robusta
See Coffea Canephora
Shrinkage
Weight loss of a green bean during the roasting process.  In the preliminary stages of roasting the single greatest weight loss occurs in the form of free water vapour.  In the later stages of roasting, at higher temperatures, weight loss occurs as a result of pyrolysis. (1.2 lbs of green beans = approximately 1 lb roasted beans).
Single Stream
A refining process of sugar cane, with the use of a cottage press, whereby the natural molasses, minerals, and vitamins are retained. Panela de los Andes is a single stream natural cane sugar.
TransFair Canada
As a member of FLO, TransFair Canada is a national non-profit certification and public education organization promoting Fair Trade Certified to improve the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers.
www.transfair.ca
TransFair USA
TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization, is one of twenty members of FLO, and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. TransFair USA audits transactions between US companies offering Fair Trade Certified™ products in order to guarantee that the farmers and farm workers behind Fair Trade Certified goods were paid a fair, above-market price.
www.transfairusa.org
Transparency
Fair Trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to deal fairly and respectfully with trading partners.
Triple Bottom Line
As an alternative to traditional corporate reporting, triple bottom line measures the performance of a business enterprise as a function of profit, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
VBBN-Values Based Business Network
VBBN, as a BALLE initiative, is a network of business people, non-profit leaders and educators dedicated to fostering the development and promotion of a values-based, sustainable business culture in the capital region.
www.vbnetwork.ca