*This article was written at a time when Wonderstate was known as Kickapoo Coffee. For more information about their name change, click here.

Last week Katie and I drove Northeast through the region of Driftless Morning‘s namesake to Viroqua, Wisconsin for Kickapoo Coffee’s quarterly meeting. Having just traversed Iowa by bike on RAGBRAI, the scenery in Wisconsin seemed much further away from the rolling hills of Iowa than just beyond the border. The lush countryside of the river valley has forested hills and sandstone bluffs rising out of it, reminiscent of more mountainous regions and not the plains.

As we neared the roastery, we saw many places named after the Kickapoo River Valley which came from the history of Native Americans who once populated the region. Originally drawing from the area as well, Kickapoo Coffee Roasters announced in April of this year their decision to give up the name they feel they unjustly used. Motivated from a place of self-reflection, the company wants to show respect to the people of The Kickapoo Nation by acknowledging their misstep in appropriating the Kickapoo name and will reveal a new one by the beginning of 2020. While the statement seemingly came out of nowhere, the thought process behind it is in line with the equitable practices the company already enacts.

Pulling up to the Kickapoo Coffee building, their focus on sustainability is the first thing you see. In 2015 they installed 80 solar panels that power everything besides the gas-powered roaster. Inside the building, glass dividers connect the production floor to the offices with the cupping lab in the middle. It’s there in the heart of the space where the staff comes together to break bread once a week and taste the fruits of their labor.

As a novice to coffee roasting, I have been doing my best to learn more about the product I sell. I was shocked to hear how little the coffee farmers make off something that is part of every day for most people. At the last Kickapoo quarterly meeting we attended, they explained their efforts to raise standards on pay for farmers who are making much less today than decades ago. At the time, companies who strive for Fair Trade prices spent $1.90 per pound, but Kickapoo Coffee’s minimum price was 70% higher at $2.75. With a plan to raise every year with inflation, they are already up to $2.85 while the commodity price is under a dollar.

For many, the origin of their coffee is just a name on the label. For the people who work at Kickapoo, they are more cognizant of each story, region, and farmer since 50% of the staff has traveled to the source. They have met the people who carry 2,000 handpicked cherries down a mountain to be processed and dried. Kickapoo not only understands what coffee farmers endure every day but are committed to providing a better wage for their hard work.

On the consumer end, they are guaranteed the freshest beans since Kickapoo’s selection varies from season to season like produce at the store. They roast in small batches and mail it out the next day to ensure the best product, shipping around 6,500 pounds of coffee a week. On our tour of the roastery, they highlighted all the tools they utilize to make consistent and flavorful coffee. From vintage cast-iron roasters to UV lights that read moisture content, it’s clear that these coffee scientists know what they’re doing.

On top of all that, they invite wholesale buyers like Press Coffee to the roastery four times a year to learn from their own staff and guest speakers. We appreciate their dedication to not only the origin of the bean but also to the final destination of their coffee. If you want a peek inside, they host monthly cupping classes (think wine tasting) that are free and open to the public. We highly recommend a drive through Driftless country not only for the scenery but to expand your coffee tasting palate.

We currently carry Driftless Morning and Ethiopian Idido Yirgacheffe by Kickapoo Coffee Roasters. You can purchase their beans through us by the pound or half-pound, ground or whole bean. Otherwise, let us do the work for you and order a press for one, two, or four.