Available exclusively at 7-Eleven® stores, the new Nicaragua single-origin coffee from Matagalpa not only tastes good; it is a feel-good way to start the day. The recently introduced premium brew is the retailer's first coffee to be Rainforest Alliance Certified™.

The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that seeks to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods. Carrying the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal with the little green frog means 7-Eleven stores' new coffee is sourced from coffee growers whose farms are required to meet strict standards designed to protect the environment, conserve wildlife and promote the well-being of local communities.

This single-origin coffee, made exclusively from 100% Arabica beans harvested from Nicaragua's famed Matagalpa region, is a full-bodied, medium-dark roast with a delicious dark chocolate aroma and rich, sweet notes of cocoa.

"Our Matagalpa Nicaraguan coffee delivers a smooth, rich and robust flavor – it's a great tasting, premium cup of coffee without the premium price," said Nancy Smith, 7-Eleven senior vice president of fresh food and proprietary beverage merchandising. "And it does so with minimal impact on the environment. Nearly every major coffee-producing region of the world is under stress as changing weather patterns affect coffee production. By working with the Rainforest Alliance, we can help foster sustainable farming practices that protect natural resources."

"Our goal was to source a coffee that could carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and provide a great-tasting addition to our selection of fresh-brewed coffees," Smith said. "The Rainforest Alliance got its start in Central America, which also happens to be where some of the world's best coffee beans are grown. The Matagalpa Nicaragua coffee got rave reviews in taste tests."

All 7-Eleven coffee varieties, flavors and blends are exclusive, with roasting levels and specifications developed exclusively for the retailer. One of its customers' favorites is from another tropical Latin American country. The retailer's 100% Colombian coffee has had the fastest-growing sales this year. The global convenience store chain is the fourth largest coffee retailer in the US.