Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Chocolate, Brown Sugar

This lovely Guatemalan coffee is grown by the farmers of Asociacion Chajulense, a coffee cooperative located in the municipality of San Gaspar Chajul in the Ixil region of Guatemala. The cooperative was founded in the middle of Guatemala’s brutal armed conflict to provide the people of Chajul with an economic resource to support their community. Coffee Exchange co-owner Bill Fishbein has dedicated the work of his non-profit, The Coffee Trust, to working with the community of San Gaspar Chajul and the non-profit has concentrated its sustainability efforts on education, healthcare, food security, economic development and capacity building. 

In 2014, when La Roya (the coffee “rust” fungus) devastated the Chajulense coffee crop, The Coffee Trust found itself needing to shift gears from promoting general sustainability, to finding very specific solutions to coffee farmers’ capacity to survive the pending devastation (Chajul lost 75% of its crop in 2014). Through the implementation of organic farming practices and the use of Effective Microorganisms (EMs)--which starved La Roya in the soil and killed it on the coffee plants’ leaves--Asociacion Chajulense was able to recover a majority of its lost production by 2019, with what is universally regarded as higher quality coffee. And now during the pandemic, when farmers are locked down and food is scarce, The Coffee Trust has assisted Chajulense coffee farmers with funds to create a new well (the old one was polluted) and providing corn.

Coffee Exchange has been a longtime supporter of The Coffee Trust and Asociacion Chajulense. Through fundraisers, including its now famous New Year’s Day 1st Cup fundraiser, the Coffee Exchange has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support The Coffee Trust, and where Coffee Exchange customers and staff managed a fundraiser to purchase the coffee farmers of Chajul with their own coffee roaster so they can roast coffee for their own local customers,  and raised over $25,000 specifically for the Roya Recovery Project.

Dark Blend

A unique blend of dark-roasted African and Latin American coffees crafted to stand up to the rigors of espresso. Full bodied, with intense flavor, The Espresso Blend maintains great crema, providing that sweet, yet robust and satisfying and redolent espresso experience.

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Floral, Lemon, Tea-like body

As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has some of the most esteemed and sought after coffees in the world. The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union, an umbrella cooperative from the Geodo region of Ethiopia, exports approximately 9.5 million pounds of coffee annually, which is farmed alongside bananas, forest canopy, maize, and other sustaining fruits.The Yirgacheffe cup, transcendentally clean, bright, sweet and elegant, draws you back time and again.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Dark Chocolate, Walnut, Round and Smooth

The Pangoa Cooperative, in the highlands of the western Amazon near the Brazilian border, not only harvests incredible coffee; they have also established a variety of programs to support their members. The Pangoa cooperative encourages ecotourism projects to help supplement farmer’s incomes, developed an educational fund program to loan members money to send their children to university, and additionally created a health services fund to assist members with their medical needs. Starting with only 50 farmers in 1977, the group went through very difficult times when the Shining Path militant group swept through the area driving away many of the region's farmers during the late 80s. Since that time the group has rebuilt and now delivers high quality, fair-trade organic coffee to market.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Chocolate, Black Cherry, Red Zinfandel, Earthy

Coming from a region with exceptionally high heat and humidity, Sumatran coffee is renowned for its full body and rich earthy notes. This popular lot comes to us from the Permata Cooperative, growing in the Gayo Mountain region, at the northern port of Aceh. Traditionally prepared to Sumatran standards, this deliciously earthy coffee ferments overnight to then be washed the next day. Afterwards, the coffee gets dried to 40% moisture, where the wet parchment is removed before further drying is achieved. This is a classic Sumatran style coffee incorporated with blends of varietals custom to the area.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Roasted Hazelnut, Smokey, Milky Body, Caramel

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Unsweetened Chocolate, Sharp Lingering Finish

As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has some of the most esteemed and sought after coffees in the world. The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union, an umbrella cooperative from the Geodo region of Ethiopia, exports approximately 9.5 million pounds of coffee annually, which is farmed alongside bananas, forest canopy, maize, and other sustaining fruits. The Yirgacheffe cup, transcendentally clean, bright, sweet and elegant, draws you back time and again.

Flavor Notes: Green Apple, Dark Caramel 

A barista favorite at The Coffee Exchange and consistent winner of cupping competitions, Fondo Paez is one of our most popular offerings. Cultivated by the largest indigenous group of coffee farmers in Colombia, the Paez (meaning the people), this lot is harvested in the remote, southwest highlands of the Department of Cauca. Uniquely developed by Colombians to be disease resistant against La Roya, this coffee is partly of the Castillo varietal. 

Fair Trade / Organic

Light Blend

Full bodied, with a crisp perfectly balanced body, acidity and flavor. A very special light blend, with a backstory:

We used to sell Jamaican Blue Mountain, the most expensive and sought after coffee in the world, renowned for being both crisp and full bodied, yet given its price couldn’t sell enough fast to keep it fresh. One day a regular customer asked for some JBM for a special occasion and, alas, we were fresh out. "Then blend up something that tastes like Blue Mountain. I need it tonight." he said. So, whereas all Coffee Exchange blends had been combinations of light and dark roasted  beans,  this time we took a light coffee known for its crispness, and another known for its full body, and voila! the next day the guy came back exclaiming  "that was exceptional. It was Jamaican Blue Mountain. Had to be. Can you replicate it?" and so a blend was born. "Kind of Blue," the name of Jazz's best album by Miles Davis, is our simultaneous reference to what many call the world's best-tasting coffee.

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Milk Chocolate, Malt, Hint of Citrus

The Cafe Organico Marcala (COMSA) Cooperative was founded in 2001 with a vision of creating new and alternative development opportunities for small-scale coffee farmers in the region of Marcala, Honduras.  The organization originally brought together 69 small-scale farmers of Lenca origin who were interested in selling their coffee collectively under the umbrella of a rural credit union.  Today, COMSA is 1200 members strong.  The collective demonstrates effective, regenerative organic practices that are both improving productivity and protecting plants from common diseases driven by individual farmers who experiment with their own organic practices, milling, and drying areas ensuring the quality of their crops 

Medium Blend

A blend of  Central American coffees brews a light, smooth, mellow cup with medium body and a distinct tangy flavor with a long soft citrus aftertaste. This is our official “House Blend,” served every day at the Coffee Exchange for over 36 years. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Rich Dark Chocolate, Black Pepper

Available in three different roast profiles. The Full City Roast is a full bodied coffee, with notes of milk chocolate, and malt, that is just a little bit citrusy. The French Roast has a round body with darker chocolate notes, and a hint of black pepper. Then for those who want to go one step darker, we also offer this coffee as an Espresso Roast, the darkest in our dark roast repertoire. Very dark, tarry, and heavy-bodied. 

The Comsa Cooperative, founded in 2001, grants liberty in individual farmers to experiment with their own organic practices, milling, and drying areas, to ensure quality control of their crops. 

Medium Blend

Slightly darker than the Narragansett Blend, our Breakfast Blend is richer and fuller, with a medium bodied smokiness that satisfies, and certainly isn't just for breakfast anymore. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Dark Blend

Big and bold, yet smooth and smoky, Full House Blend was designed to suit Ashley Adams of poker fame, to provide that welcomed caffeine jolt, without the usual jitters. The darkest in our dark-roast-blend repertoire, this is a Coffee Exchange classic. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Dark Blend 

Named after our famed Rhode Island waterway, Blackstone River was originally blended to assuage our loss to La Roya of longtime favorite Dominican French Roast. The blend of dark roasted Central and South American coffees delivers a big round satisfying punch with a sharp cherry finish.

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Light Blend

Named for a customer from Brooklyn whose unique self-designed blend has been in rotation since 1981. “The Kid” is tangy, full bodied with a rich, winey flavor. This combination of exotic Indonesian coffees, hearty South American coffees and a dash of African coffees creates what one former manager at Coffee Exchange described as having a “quirky bohemian spirit.” 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Light Blend

When we opened our business in the 80s, “decaf” coffee tasted like, well,  decaf. So with a couple of Chemex automatics, a half dozen clipboards, and a supply of what was available in Swiss Water Process decaffeinated coffees, our father, Mel Fishbein, set out to craft a decaf Swiss Water Process blend that tasted like "REAL" coffee. The result, (after five years of testing): Mel’s Private Stock - Decaffeinated™.” Mel's” has been our house decaf  ever since, brewed daily for over 36 years at Coffee Exchange.

100% Water Process Decaf

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Dark Blend

Described for over 36  years as “surprisingly smooth for such a dark blend,” this special blend of Latin American coffees is characterized by an emphasis on dark roasted beans and is perhaps the most well known of Coffee Exchange’s famous dark blends, with an appropriate nod to Full House Blend. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Medium Blend

A tamer version of "The Kid," with a mellow sweet-berry finish. Its earthy high tones accent the spicy notes and creamy body. Rounded out by a hint of old world dark roast, this blend will remind you of the feel and charm of Wickenden Street in Providence - complex and lively, full of the joy of community, and reminiscent of those special moments when everything seems to come together. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Light Blend

Our Mocha Java Blend is inspired by the classic Mokha Java blend of Yemeni and Javan coffees. We have taken the flavor profile of this classic and created our own unique version by using our fair trade organic selections to produce a creamy yet fruity, light blend delight.

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Dark Chocolate, Black Pepper, Round Body

The Cafe Organico Marcala (COMSA) Cooperative was founded in 2001 with a vision of creating new and alternative development opportunities for small-scale coffee farmers in the region of Marcala, Honduras.  The organization originally brought together 69 small-scale farmers of Lenca origin who were interested in selling their coffee collectively under the umbrella of a rural credit union.  Today, COMSA is 1200 members strong.  The collective demonstrates effective, regenerative organic practices that are both improving productivity and protecting plants from common diseases driven by individual farmers who experiment with their own organic practices, milling, and drying areas ensuring the quality of their crops. 

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Lemon, Red Fruit, Vanilla

This lovely Guatemalan coffee is grown by the farmers of Asociacion Chajulense, a coffee cooperative located in the municipality of San Gaspar Chajul in the Ixil region of Guatemala. The cooperative was founded in the middle of Guatemala’s brutal armed conflict to provide the people of Chajul with an economic resource to support their community. Coffee Exchange co-owner Bill Fishbein has dedicated the work of his non-profit, The Coffee Trust, to working with the community of San Gaspar Chajul and the non-profit has concentrated its sustainability efforts on education, healthcare, food security, economic development and capacity building. 

In 2014, when La Roya (the coffee “rust” fungus) devastated the Chajulense coffee crop, The Coffee Trust found itself needing to shift gears from promoting general sustainability, to finding very specific solutions to coffee farmers’ capacity to survive the pending devastation (Chajul lost 75% of its crop in 2014). Through the implementation of organic farming practices and the use of Effective Microorganisms (EMs)--which starved La Roya in the soil and killed it on the coffee plants’ leaves--Asociacion Chajulense was able to recover a majority of its lost production by 2019, with what is universally regarded as higher quality coffee. And now during the pandemic, when farmers are locked down and food is scarce, The Coffee Trust has assisted Chajulense coffee farmers with funds to create a new well (the old one was polluted) and providing corn.

Coffee Exchange has been a longtime supporter of The Coffee Trust and Asociacion Chajulense. Through fundraisers, including its now famous New Year’s Day 1st Cup fundraiser, the Coffee Exchange has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support The Coffee Trust, and where Coffee Exchange customers and staff managed a fundraiser to purchase the coffee farmers of Chajul with their own coffee roaster so they can roast coffee for their own local customers,  and raised over $25,000 specifically for the Roya Recovery Project.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes:  Garden Peas, Chocolate, White Grape

Located on the shores of Lake Kivu, in the eastern region of DR Congo, SOPACDI was founded in 2003 and started exporting coffee in 2008. At 1460 – 1900 meters above sea level, SOPACDI is situated in an ideal region and at high altitude to grow high quality coffee. It was the first organization of small scale farmers to achieve Fair Trade and Organic certification in Eastern Congo, and the first to export specialty grade coffee. The Congolese gained independence in the 1960’s, and with that a decline in stability began, with constant conflict and civil war over a period of years. Many farmers fled and abandoned their farms during that time. Today, although the situation remains unstable, many farmers are looking to rebuild their lives through agriculture. In 2015, SOPACDI had 7,451 farmer members whose spirit is stronger than ever, working together to provide  sustainable livelihoods.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Berry, Chocolate, Earthy

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Honey, Malt, Sweet Blackberry

A few years ago the growers of the Comsa Growers Cooperative started to experiment with preparing part of their overall crop as a Honey Processed coffee. With practice, comes excellence. The Coffee Exchange has offered this coffee in the past and this year’s crop is better than ever. Please join us in supporting the growers of the Marcala region in Honduras by enjoying this wonderful cup of coffee.

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Full Bodied, Smoky

Mountain Water Process

Coffee Exchange decaf coffees have been decaffeinated by an all water process which uses no chemicals. Green beans are soaked in water, separating the caffeine and flavor elements from the coffee bean. After filtering through activated charcoal, the beans are returned to the filtered hot water, where the flavor elements are reabsorbed by the coffee.

Medium Blend

A blend of light and dark Chajulense (Guatemalan) coffee, medium bodied, with a hint of lemon and creamy  bitterness reminiscent of dark chocolate, and appropriately named for the famed ruins of the tremendous Mayan Civilization preserved in Northern Guatemala. 

Blended with fair trade organic coffee beans

Fair Trade / Organic

Flavor Notes: Peach, Cocoa, Winey

In our ongoing effort to bring our customers women’s coffee projects, Coffee Exchange is reintroducing our Nicaragua Las Diosas. Dedicated to more than just growing coffee, La Central Cooperativa Las Diosas (The Goddesses) is a dynamic network of community based cooperatives run by women and supporting true development and respect for women’s rights. The cooperative is located east of Managua in the department of Estelí where much of the land is devoted to tobacco production and largely controlled by male producers. Las Diosas consists of four smaller cooperatives, each managed by its own Directiva (female Board of Directors). Fiercely independent and determined to succeed in the coffee industry, the 250-member cooperative has made much progress since their founding in 1996, both in terms of sustainable commercial relations for their coffee sales as well as the promotion of issues such as women’s education, housing and health.