SUSTAINABLE ROASTER
OF THE MONTH
BIG CREEK COFFEE
In selecting our Sustainable Roaster of the Month for March, we felt compelled to turn our gaze towards our very own backyard, nestled in the verdant Bitterroot Valley just a stone’s throw south of our home base in Missoula, MT. If you’re looking for a sustainable coffee roaster in Montana that brews a delicious cup, look no further than Big Creek Coffee. Founded in 2010 by coffee enthusiast Randy Lint, Big Creek has grown steadily over the past decade, earning several awards along the way, including the 2021 Good Food Awards and a medal in the Golden Bean Espresso Competition.
In selecting our Sustainable Roaster of the Month for March, we felt compelled to turn our gaze towards our very own backyard, nestled in the verdant Bitterroot Valley just a stone’s throw south of our home base in Missoula, MT. If you’re looking for a sustainable coffee roaster in Montana that brews a delicious cup, look no further than Big Creek Coffee. Founded in 2010 by coffee enthusiast Randy Lint, Big Creek has grown steadily over the past decade, earning several awards along the way, including the 2021 Good Food Awards and a medal in the Golden Bean Espresso Competition.
But what sets Big Creek apart is their commitment to sustainability. From their relationship with their growers to various programs, the roaster is constantly seeking ways to minimize their environmental impact.
But what sets Big Creek apart is their commitment to sustainability. From their relationship with their growers to various programs, the roaster is constantly seeking ways to minimize their environmental impact.
Big Creek is committed to promoting sustainability, and one of the ways they accomplish this is through their conscientious approach to sourcing coffee. They exceed the Fair Trade minimum pricing for everything they purchase and prioritize organic coffee, which is either certified or grown organically. They also buy in massive bulk when possible to reduce their carbon footprint.
In recognition of the fact that farmers must sell ALL of their harvest, Big Creek works with importers to acquire pooled lots of coffee, even those that may not score as high on the cupping table. This not only incentivizes growers by rewarding them for their best beans, but also provides them with a market for crops from other parts of the farm. By adopting this approach, Big Creek promotes sustainability at the farm level, while also ensuring that farmers are able to sell their entire harvest. It’s worth noting that Big Creek pays more than double the average price per pound than Starbucks pays on average for its green coffee. They’re small and nimble and don’t have to answer to shareholders, just their customers, and they’re happy to pay an extra dollar or two per bag if the coffee is excellent and the roaster demonstrates care for the entire supply chain from seed to cup.
Of course, sustainability isn’t just about sourcing and packaging. Big Creek also takes steps to promote sustainable practices among their customers. They carry a variety of reusable drinkware and use compostable single-use cups – there is even a stash of ceramic cups in the back for their regular customers. Big Creek also incentivizes sustainability amongst their customers with various programs: Get your first drink free when you buy any of their reusable drinkware and/or get a discount when you BYO cup.
For those looking for a more sustainable way to store their beans, Big Creek has been utilizing the Airscape® refill program using Airscapes since 2014. Customers buy an Airscape® (or two), which they bring in for refills as needed, getting a dollar off every refill. This helps keep trash out of the landfill while keeping the customer’s coffee fresh.
Big Creek’s commitment to sustainability doesn’t end there. They take great care in ensuring that all their coffee grounds are composted, with the grounds from their Hamilton shop composted in the local community garden and the grounds in Missoula taken to Missoula Compost. In addition, they have made a conscious effort to use only compostable single-use items, including their cold cups, and have even replaced plastic straws with sip lids a few years ago. Notably, when customers purchase cold brew concentrate, Big Creek provides it in reusable glass bottles for which they charge a deposit. Once the bottles are returned, they are thoroughly sanitized and refilled, promoting a circular economy and minimizing waste.
We at Airscape® are grateful to play a role in Big Creek Coffee‘s effort to support sustainability in our home state of Montana and beyond.
This month we are rolling out the ‘Sustainable Coffee Club’ program to go along with the Sustainable Roaster of the Month.Â
This one-time fee of $60 gets you:Â
- A custom Sustainable Coffee Club hat and Medium Airscape® Coffee Container
- 20% off Planetary Design Products for Life
- 10% off a coffee subscription to the Sustainable Roaster of the Month for this month (Big Creek Coffee) and each month after.