New Englands Premiere Coffee Roaster Travels to Brazil in Aid of Small Coffee Far m Recently, Jeff embarked from

Raos Coffee Roasting Companys headquarters in Hadley, MA to an area of Brazil he calls the Lost Coffee Land of Guaramirganga, a region that, although little known in mainstream coffee circles, once produced some of Brazils finest coffee. Hadley, MA, October 26, 2011 -- Raos Coffee Roasting Company owner Jeffrey Waskie wicz knows farming. From the time he was just a boy in Kindergarten, he spent mo st of his afternoons at his Grandfathers side in the fields of J & J Farms in Amh erst, MA learning about the soil, crops, and experience that developed into a re spect for the earth that can only come from living the life of a farmer. While J & J Farms still thrives as a family business, Jeff decided many years ag o to make a lateral move into the world of relationship coffee, where his love o f the bean melded perfectly with his deep rooted understanding of the mindset an d lives of the farmers who would make up his supply chain. He purchased Raos Coff ee Roasting Company in 2000, and the rest, as they say, is history. Recently, Jeff embarked from Raos Coffee Roasting Companys headquarters in Hadley, MA to an area of Brazil he calls the Lost Coffee Land of Guaramirganga, a region that, although little known in mainstream coffee circles, once produced some of Brazils finest coffee. After 20 years of decline, this region, and the farm that I visited, is truly at a crossroads, said Jeff, I know the quality of the coffee th at can come off the farms here, and see no reason why we cant help to make that h appen again. This trip was just the beginning, were definitely in it for the long haul. he said. While in Guaramirganga, Jeff worked closely with a family farmer known as Mr. Cat ch. Like many farmers in developing nations, Mr. Catch has great knowledge of the region, climate, and his crops, but doesnt have the opportunity or resources to c ontinue to develop his knowledge on the more technical side. This is where I fee l we can come in and make a significant difference not only on his small farm, b ut in the region as well. He said. Jeff will travel to small coffee farms in Honduras next, where he will meet farm ers, evaluate crops, and develop more relationships with the finest but often ov erlooked coffee farms in the country. Weve built our business on finding great far mers and then working very closely with them. We share knowledge, experience, an d the common goal of putting the worlds finest coffee in our cups said Jeff. After decades of running on these principles, its heartening to see that this business model is actually becoming one that is getting some recognition in the mainstrea m. The seed to cup story is really starting to resonate with the public. Guaramirganga is a small town in the Northeastern state of Ceara with a populati on of just 5,900. It is located in a mountainous region approximately 35 miles f rom the coast at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The area is known for its lush lands cape, rich soil, and temperate climate. Raos Coffee Roasting Company is one of the countrys premiere roasters of direct tr ade coffee. Based in Hadley Massachusetts, the company is the largest provider o f direct trade coffee to Greater Boston Restaurants and Cafes, and is developing a presence in New England supermarkets. The company also maintains a permanent showroom at The Dallas Trade Mart, and distributes its own line of gourmet and g ift items under the Milana brand name. For specific information about Raos Coffee Roasting Company, contact Gail Flood at (413) 687-2869 or gail@raoscoffee.com. For general information, please visit their website at www.raoscoffee.com. Press Contact:

Josee Archer Birch Marketing & Design Group, LLC PO Box 551 Hampstead, NH 03841 413-687-2869 j.archer@birchmrktg.com http://www.raoscoffee.com