When Coffee Turns Patriotic

If you're like most adults, you probably drink a cup or two of coffee a day, and have a fair amount of options when it comes to what you want to drink. For those military personnel who are serving in various countries around the world, their options are probably a bit more limited. But since 2003, members of the military in select countries have been the fortunate recipients of Patriot Blend coffee courtesy of Newhall Coffee Roasting Company.

Company founder and CEO Mitch McMullen decided when he introduced Patriot Blend that he wanted to give back to the troops. So for every pound of that blend the California-based company has sold, they've sent a free pot of coffee to military personnel. According to this release, the company recently achieved a milestone of having sent, to date, the equivalent of 4 million cups of Patriot Blend coffee.

The blend, which is sold in grocery stores, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart, is a mix of three different Brazilian arabicas. The company partners with Operation Gratitude, a group that sends care packages to individual soldiers, to ship it to members of the military in places including Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Guantanamo Bay and aboard ships in international waters.

For the men and women serving in distant lands, items such as Patriot Blend serve as valuable reminders of home and the people who are waiting for them to return safely.