A helping hand can come in all sizes, but one in particular is offered in extra large. For about a year now, the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry has received assistance from local company Keurig, Incorporated of 55 Walkers Brook Drive in Reading. That has made a big difference in the food they are able to offer to residents in need.
“Every other Wednesday, Keurig, with two employees, take a van to the Greater Boston Food Bank, load it up with a couple of tons of food, bring it back to WIFP and unload it for us,” said Director of WIFP Operations Maureen Miller. “This is a huge help because historically we haven’t had a van or the bodies [manpower] to take advantage of the GBFB food donations.”
For Keurig, providing excellent customer service is second nature. The company built their business on the foundation that a business does not fully serve its customers unless it is continually giving back to the community. Whether they are manufacturing their patented brewing systems, packaging their patented K-cup® packs or providing their dedicated customer service, the word “keurig”, in the Dutch language, means excellence. Excellence is key in everything they do.
Their website documents that the company began with the idea of just brewing one cup of coffee at a time and states, “Introduced in 1998, Keurig’s innovative single-cup brewing system lets people brew the perfect cup of gourmet coffee in less than a minute, without having to grind beans, measure coffee, handle filters or clean up. It’s as simple as it gets.”
When one of the coffee companies they did business with to provide customers with a variety of brands in their K-cup® selections wanted to join forces, Keurig was quite interested in their proposal. Waterbury, Vt.-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters acquired Keurig in 2006 and it has been a good fit for both companies.
The reason it is such a good fit is that GMCR had the same “giving back” philosophy in even a more defined way — it was written into their employees’ job requirements. GMCR has its Brewing a Better World program that incorporates six different areas of focus. They collaborate with coffee-growing communities; supporting local communities; protecting the environment; promoting sustainable coffee; working together for change and creating a great place to work.
Keurig calls their support of local communities “Community Action for Employees” (CAFÉ). Following the GMCR example, employees contribute 52 hours in work time each year helping their community. GMCR and Keurig collaborate to contribute to the Ronald McDonald House and military troops serving overseas, along with working in the local area and providing grant-making funds.
The two companies take customer service to a completely new level as they delight in opportunities to further their mission for corporate social responsibility. Striving for excellence encompasses all aspects of their business practices.
When the van drove into the Americal Civic Center parking lot last Wednesday for the latest Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry drop-off, it was in the pouring rain. However, Keurig volunteers had sunny smiles and plenty of energy to unload the GBFB items they only an hour before had loaded up in Boston. The WIFP volunteers were glad and grateful to see them. The special run that Keurig employees make every two weeks for the WIFP is something they could not do themselves and it means there is so much more food for those in need. Yet, the benefit is not just one-way. The CAFÉ/Building a Better World program is good for Keurig, too.
“Our CAFÉ time program provides employees with the opportunity to give back where it is difficult to find time in addition to work,” Keurig’s Corporate Social Responsibility Communications’ Specialist Sara Mahoney said. “Our company’s efforts in corporate social responsibility cultivate leadership skills and altruistic priorities. Our employees are passionate and truly want to give back. WIFP gives us the chance to change the world for the better.”