Tucson, Arizona, Aug. 15, 2011 – Premium Organic Café LLC has announced the launch of its company and online retail store that sells specialty organic coffees, teas, chocolates, gift baskets and accessories. The business is owned by managing partners Lisa Ballehr and Kimberly Ring, who bring experience from the medical and marketing fields, respectively, and targets consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses. Features include the “Monthly Connoisseur Club,” a monthly pre-ordering service; the “Healthy Business Program,” a wellness initiative for businesses to provide employees organic coffee and tea; and the “Never Forget Gift Service,” where consumers pre-order gifts for family and friends a year(s) in advance and businesses can do the same for clients/employees.

“No one is currently selling these specialty products in one convenient online shopping experience,” explains Ring, “and it’s rare to have all three types of gourmet items readily available in a gift basket. We’re focusing on organic and Fair Trade certified products because our research indicated that coffee, tea and chocolate production is highly susceptible to unfairness, child slavery and environmental mismanagement. Organic products are healthier and the Fair Trade designation means a fair price is paid to the small family farmer, women are paid the same as men, there’s no child slavery involved and sustainability of community and the environment is the standard practice.  This is something we can put our hearts behind.”

Ballehr’s double undergraduate degrees in biophysics and biochemistry and interest in nutrition and wellness directly affects the products the company sources. 

“We search for people who are artisans at their crafts and create one batch at a time to ensure quality, nutrition and taste that is without equal,” explains Ballehr. “For example, one of our chocolate providers is a nutritionist who started making homemade, healthy chocolate for her clients and produces some of the most delicious chocolate bars on this earth.  Who doesn’t want to eat chocolate that’s delicious and good for you? Our products are truly the best-tasting out there and the fact that they’re organic or Fair Trade certified is a bonus for consumers.”

The company has its own private label coffees and teas to round out the current product selection. Its logo and private label designs were created by the boutique design division of The Lavidge Company (TLC), one of the top marketing communications firms in the U.S., located in Phoenix, Arizona. The labels showcase original art created by chief creative officer/creative director, Bob Case, one of the top scratchboard artists in the country. 

“We are very fortunate to have TLC as our partner,” states Ring. “Their creative is superior and they’re smart, down-to-earth people. We had a blast working with them and they hit a home run on our project.”

About Premium Organic Café
Ballehr and Ring share a passion for racing sportbike motorcycles and learned about their other shared passion for organic coffee, tea and chocolate over numerous trackside conversations. Ring reinvented herself as an entrepreneur after being laid off during the recession. She conducted research that revealed a confluence of growth potentials for several items that piqued her interest: online retail stores; specialty coffee, tea and chocolate products; and organic and Fair Trade designations. Ballehr desired an entrepreneurial venture to utilize her medical knowledge, business expertise and satisfy personal altruistic goals. The website will be expanded over the next few months with history and facts about all three products as well as information about organic and Fair Trade designations; it will also include a gallery of coffee, tea and chocolate art. For more information, visit www.premiumorganiccafe.com.