Larry’s Beans To Host Tours Of Green-o-vated Beanplant

Feb. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- RALEIGH, NC–If you ever wanted to see coffee roasting up close and for real, here is your chance. Raleigh coffee roaster Larry’s Beans is now hosting free tours of their Green-O-Vated Beanplant every third Saturday of the month beginning February 20. Tours will be from 12 noon to 2 pm and include a trip through the facility, coffee tasting, local food sampling, and live music.

Families, students, coffee geeks, and musicians alike are invited to experience the roasting facility’s activities.

“The tours will be fun, informative and educational,” said Larry Larson, founder and CEO of Larry’s Beans. “Not only will our visitors get a chance to learn about sustainability, but they will also get the chance to taste some of the best coffee available.”

The tour features environmentally-friendly techniques Larry’s Beans uses to roast Fair Trade Organic coffee. Visitors will see how the plant uses a giant “clearstory” to produce natural lighting, and view solar hot water tubes and open air offices that reduce electrical heating and cooling. Other tour highlights include Raleigh’s only biodiesel station, rainwater dual-flush toilets, biodegradable coffee bags, and of course Larry’s famous Veggie Bus that runs on recycled veggie oil.  

Visitors will experience a coffee tasting with chief roaster, Brad Brandhorst.  The tasting will include Larry’s Beans unique blends, such as “Bean Martin,” “Costa Lil Ricky,” “El Salvador Dali,” and “Cowboy Blend.”

Music lovers are invited to bring their instruments and accompany some of Larry’s Beans employees, who are members of local bands like Megafaun and Milagro Saints, at the tour’s end.

Doors open at 11:30am, tours begin promptly at 12 noon. Space is limited to the first 45 to sign up. E-mail info@larrysbeans.com with your name, phone number, and party size to reserve spots on the next tour. For more information, visit www.larrysbeans.com.

About Larry’s Beans
Since 1994 the mission of Larry’s Beans has been to find the best coffees in the world and roast them with precision and artistry. The company is a founding member of Cooperative Coffees, the first and only group of independent coffee roasters that buys green beans directly from Fair Trade coffee co-ops.
Larry’s Beans builds Fair Trade relationships with small farm cooperatives, buys only Organic, Shade Grown coffees and supports farming partners in practicing sustainable farming methods. Larry’s Beans cultivates relationships that benefit people, animals, and the environment. In 2006, Larry’s Beans was the recipient of the NC Sustainability for triple-bottom line business. For more information, please visit www.larrysbeans.com .