From the Heart of America to Peru Two-Company Collaboration Creates Coffee Blend Supporting Philanthropy
KANSAS CITY, MO, Aug. 19, 2013 – Something new is brewing in Kansas City where everything’s always up to date. It’s a launch party called Taste of Peru on Aug. 24 to celebrate the birth of “Inspiration Blend,” a brand-new coffee spawned by the collaboration of two Kansas City stars, a travel company, Culture Xplorers (http://www.culturexplorers.com/), and Broadway Roasting Company (http://www.broadwayroasting.com/).
The event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 4012 Washington St., Broadway Roasting Company headquarters, will include Peru-inspired small plates by farm-to-table chef Michael Foust of The Farmhouse, hand-crafted Pisco-Sours and Inspiration Blend coffee pour-overs. There will also be live Andean music and some adorable, soft-as-cloud baby alpacas. All proceeds will benefit the Peru programs of the Culture Xplorers Foundation.
Twenty percent of ongoing “Inspiration Blend” sales will go to the philanthropic work of Culture Xplorers Foundation supporting initiatives in Peru where the blend’s beans were sustainably sourced. The other portion of the blend comes from Ethiopian beans, the ancient birthplace of coffee. The new coffee will be sold at Broadway Café (4106 Broadway KC, MO 64111 ph: 816-531-2432) and online starting Aug. 25.
“Broadway Roasting Company is one of the country’s premier craft coffee roasters and a pillar of the Kansas City community. We share a similar philosophy of reciprocity and building strong bonds to the communities which sustain us,” notes Jim Kane, owner/founder of Culture Xplorers. “Together we’ve created a unique coffee blend inspired by the destinations where our Culture Xplorers Foundation fosters the sustainability of local culture.”
Kane’s travel company since 2003 has been connecting travelers with indigenous communities to help fuel the global philanthropic efforts of the Culture Xplorers Foundation. Among the foundation’s Peru projects are the annual Culture Xplorers weaver’s awards, in its ninth year engaging hundreds of indigenous textile artists from nine Andean communities, all members of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, a cooperative. For more information see http://vimeo.com/36357469.
Another program helps pay college costs for a young Lima artist who, in exchange, volunteers at a local elementary school to teach art to students who would otherwise not have an art instructor. For more on Lugo’s story, see http://www.culturexplorers.com/blog/lugo-our-first-arts-scholarship-fund/1670.
“Collaborating with like-minded organizations right here at home is not only personally satisfying, it dovetails with our mission to foster the sustainability of local culture worldwide. Plus, I’m a huge fan of finely crafted coffee and Broadway is amongst the country’s best artisan roasters. This is a wonderful partnership on all levels!” says Kane.
About Culture Xplorers
Culture Xplorers (http://www.culturexplorers.com/), a leader in sustainable travel, offers handcrafted journeys that deepen understanding and foster connection between travelers and local communities around the world.
Culture Xplorers trips are created from the ground up, built on three founding pillars: people, traditions and impact. Their travelers meet the people of the places they visit, engaging in the living traditions that make each destination unique, and in doing so, create a lasting, positive impact through tourism. Genuine connections with people and place are formed farm-to-fork and around the table, via participation in local celebrations and through authentic exchange with community leaders and members.
Countries where cultural exchanges are fostered are Peru, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and Cuba (in 2014). The Culture Xplorers Foundation was founded in 2007 to help foster the sustainability of local culture in at risk communities worldwide. Its positive impact partnerships focus on sustaining endangered traditions, strengthening education, fostering community-based travel and breaking the cycle of poverty through the support of comprehensive micro-loan and education programs. See: http://www.cxfoundation.org/
For 2013-2014 season information, tours, availability and reservations contact Culture Xplorers at (215) 870-3585 or email: info@culturexplorers.com.
