BRACKNELL, England, October 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Rogers' "Fairly Traded" label and "Community Aid" program permanently raise quality of life for farmers, workers and protect nature in 10 countries from Mexico to Rwanda

Rogers Estate Coffees today launched a special 10 percent discount program until Nov. 9 on its "Fairly Traded" gourmet coffees ( http://www.rogersestatecoffees.co.uk/ ) whose purchase helps to permanently raise the quality of life for thousands of workers and save farms as well as nature in coffee growing communities from Mexico to Rwanda.

Customers can receive the discount when they buy online by entering the code SAVETEN at the checkout.

Every purchase of Fairly Traded coffee from Rogers Estate Coffees - the UK subsidiary of the Rogers Family Company - supports the groundbreaking "Coffee Community Aid" program.

Unique in their scope and approach to addressing social and environmental issues inherent in coffee growing regions, the Community Aid and the Fairly Traded program establish five to seven year "social contracts." The company pays farmers more than the average market price required by labeling organizations to ensure a farm's long-term viability. Company officials - including green coffee buyer Pete Rogers who spends three to four months each year at coffee farms - ensure that all funds go directly to farmers, workers and their families for 'social and environmental' projects. These projects permanently raise the quality of life for thousands of workers, sustain farms and protect the native flora and fauna in 10 countries. Rainforest preservation is a top priority.

"We are committed to tackling the very real problems - including poverty and lack of education - in the world's coffee growing regions," said Rogers Estate Coffees Vice President Jim Rogers. "We greatly appreciate the support of our customers who are helping to make a tangible difference for entire communities thousands of miles away."

In the last year alone, the company invested approximately $1 million into coffee communities via its Community Aid program. The Rogers Family Company launched its Fairly Traded and Community Aid programs and practiced social and environmental responsibility on its own accord long before the latter became corporate marketing tools.

Launched in the 1980s after green coffee buyer Pete Rogers vowed to tackle the "appalling poverty" he witnessed in Guatemala on his first trip to source, Community Aid has grown dramatically along with the Rogers Family Company (RFC). From its inaugural project that involved donating pencils and paper to a struggling school in Guatemala, Community Aid turns the company's "Fairly Traded" coffee into houses, schools and medical clinics for thousands of workers and their families - while preserving native plants and animals and restoring rainforest - on dozens of farms in 10 countries. In 2009-2010, the Rogers Family Company plans to add another 16 farms to the Community Aid program.

Community Aid is now making a difference in Mexico, Rwanda, Panama, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Colombia, Nicaragua, Sumatra, Honduras and Papua New Guinea.

"With our customers and business partners' support, we will continue to improve the quality of life for everyone who has contact with our products including farmers, workers, our customers, employees and business partners," said Rogers. "Rogers Estate Coffees is equally devoted to preserving and restoring our priceless natural resources."

Rogers Estate Coffees uses high quality Arabica beans grown in concert with nature. These shade-grown coffee trees - planted above 3,000 feet elevation in the forest - thrive along with the native flora, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. This approach does not destroy the forest to create "mono-culture" plantations. Although the yield is lower, the quality of coffee is higher. In addition to employing its own agronomists, the company is one of the few - if not the only one - to own coffee farms.

Visit the Rogers Estate Coffees website:

http://www.rogersestatecoffees.co.uk/cremapress/2009/10/saveten/

ABOUT ROGERS ESTATE COFFEES:

Rogers Estate Coffees is the UK subsidiary of the Rogers Family Company, one of the largest producers of branded gourmet coffees in the U.S. Headquartered in Lincoln, California near the State Capitol city of Sacramento, the Rogers Family Company supplies its "Responsibly Grown, Fairly Traded" gourmet coffee and tea to discriminating customers worldwide.

Founded in 1979 by Jon B. Rogers and Barbara Rogers, the company is one of the nation's few remaining family-owned and operated gourmet coffee roasters. The company produces some 3,500 individual whole bean and ground coffee and tea products and roasts approximately 40 million pounds of coffee each year. All four of Jon B. Rogers and Barbara Rogers' adult children - Jim Rogers, Lisa Smoot, John W. Rogers and Pete Rogers along with his wife Kirsten Rogers - play an active role in the company's operations.

For more information on Rogers Estate Coffees, products or services, please contact Peter Warden, Rogers Estate Coffees (UK) Ltd., Venture House, Arlington Square, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1WA. Tel: +44(0)1344-742-821. Email: enquiries@rogersestatecoffees.co.uk

SOURCE Rogers Estate Coffees

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