Change Please creates bespoke blend for Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has announced a partnership with Change Please, a coffee company which provides employment to the homeless community. The initiative will see the introduction of a bespoke blend on board all Virgin Atlantic flights from autumn 2019.
The coffee has been designed to meet changing flavour profiles at altitude, and will be served in Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses, and all Upper Class, Premium and Economy cabins worldwide.
Founded in 2015, Virgin StartUp Change Please tackles the number of rough sleepers within the UK through education programmes and barista training, enabling employment at the company’s multiple mobile coffee locations and fixed sites across the UK. Coffee provided on board will use beans from farms that support local communities; improving working practices and increasing farmers living wages.
The programme helps trainees open bank accounts, navigate housing and secure employment. Change Please has won several coffee awards including Great Taste Awards, “The World’s best social enterprise”, and in 2019 the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for promoting mobility.
Daniel Kerzner, Virgin Atlantic’s vice president, customer experience said: “At Virgin Atlantic, we’re renowned for being the airline that doesn’t serve ‘airline’ food or drink, and we’re excited to raise the bar again. Working with Change Please means we can take coffee culture to new heights, providing all of our customers with the best coffee in the sky. This unique partnership allows us to further enhance our customer experience, whilst positively impacting the lives of our local communities. It’s win-win and our customers are going to love it.”
Cemal Ezel, founder of Change Please, said: “Homelessness is at a record high and we all want to help but don’t know where to begin. I can’t think of a more suitable collaboration than with Virgin Atlantic, working together to serve the best coffee available in the skies. Passengers can enjoy award winning coffee on board safe in the knowledge they are making a difference to the lives of homeless people across the UK – and soon in New York, LA and San Francisco.”
