KTKA

Topeka — A large group gathered on a Thursday night at the Blind Tiger Brewery in Topeka, for the screening of a film about the relationship between a Topeka coffee roaster and farmers in Tanzania.

PT's coffee is a part of the Gombe Coffee Project, so-named because of its proximity to the Gombe National Park, where Jane Goodall lived and studied chimpanzees.

"The co-op in Tanzania was going broke and they were considering ripping out all the coffee and planting grains," said PT's co-owner Jeff Taylor. "If they would have planted grains, the chimpanzees in the Gombe National forest would have come out to get the grains, so it could have ruined 30 years of Jane Goodall's work "

We first introduced you to PT's Coffee in April, when the Topeka company was named 2009 Macro-roaster of the year by Roast Magazine.

"They couldn't believe we hadn't entered before," notes Taylor. "We won the first time we entered, basically.

PT's and other companies began working with the farmers there a few years ago to develop high-quality coffee. The coffee companies then buy the product directly from the farmers.

This particular project, Taylor felt was worthy of documentation, so he approached Topeka-based Gizmo Productions, who sent filmmaker David Kitchner to Tanzania.

"The people there were just so excited to have Jeff there to tell our story and they were very gracious," said Kitchner.

"We're proud to be a part of the Gombe Project and the hope you enjoy the coffee it represents," says Taylor in the video created by Kitchner.

To find out more about PT's Coffee and to watch the Gombe Project video, click here.