UGLY IS AS UGLY DOES? TRUTH: you can’t call yourself Ugly and then behave that way--too obvious. So instead, we try to do some good in the world: We direct trade most of our coffees from small farming communities which cuts out the middle man and allows them to make more for their crop. Generally these small farms are poorer than large plantations and have limited access to resources. For this reason they generally do not purchase pesticides and fertilizers to grow their coffee. They farm the old fashioned way with a lot of hard work and natural fertilizers. In fact , in many communities they will plant banana trees to help reduce insects. Most of these communities do not certify their coffees "Organic" do to the high cost of licensing and fees , yet these coffees are organically grown. You may hear the phrase “roasted with integrity” around here, or you may not. It’s not something we really say, as much as it's something that we just do. Maybe you’re thinking there’s already plenty of other “pretty” coffee companies who talk that kind of blah-blah-blah, and you're absolutely right. Here’s the difference with us: We're walking the blah-blah-blah. We devote as much time and attention to roasting it as most would their firstborn child. We roast, analyze, sample, and scrutinize every last bean--all for you. From the farm to the roaster to the person who brews it, faster is fresher and fresher is better. Since we started in a coffee house (1998, campus hangout, lots of spiritually uplifting coffee-fueled philosophizing), we know about customer service. When you think customer service, we want to be the first thought in your mind. We love our customers, our potential customers, our employees, and our community.