Little Blue Penguin Blend - Coffee for a Cause

What's tastier than sustainably sourced, freshly roasted coffee? Coffee that also benefits a great cause! This is why each year, we release a variety of “cause coffees” with a percentage of proceeds donated to a cause we are passionate about. 

This summer’s coffee for a cause, Little Blue Penguin Blend, is probably our most adorable one yet and benefits Birch Aquarium’s newest exhibit — Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins — opening July 12.  

Why Birch Aquarium and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters?

Birch Aquarium is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego. The aquarium's mission to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet is why we jumped at the opportunity to create this blend! Our core values, rich San Diego history and so much more aligned, and we are proud to share this coffee with you. 

Why Little Blue Penguins? 

*image courtesy of Birch Aquarium 

Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins follows the world’s smallest penguins on their journey from hatchlings to adults, highlighting the challenges they face in a changing climate while celebrating the features that make Little Blues so unique (and adorable). It's the biggest addition to Birch Aquarium in 30 years!

These adorable, pint-sized penguins really are blue — in fact, they're the only species of penguins with blue feathers! Little Blues’ are covered in about 10,000 of these uniquely colored feathers helping them stay warm and dry. They're the smallest species of penguin- standing at 8 to 10 inches and weighing about 2 to 3 pounds! These little cuties have been said to be the size of a California Burrito. 

*image courtesy of Birch Aquarium 

Little Blue Penguins’ bodies are fusiform (tapered at both ends like a torpedo) which make them ideal for swimming! Their scientific genus name, Eudyptula minor, means “good little diver” and that they are! When hunting at sea they dive about 800 times a day! 

*image courtesy of Birch Aquarium 

Native to the coastal dunes and rocky shores of Southern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, Birch Aquarium is the only aquarium in the Western U.S. to house this species of penguin, which are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) collaborative international program called Species Survival Plans (SSP). Though the conservation status of Little Blue Penguins is currently of least concern, the population continues to see threats and has dropped considerably. Since they call both land and sea home, penguins play an important role in measuring the overall health of our ocean. By paying attention to penguins, we can better understand and address some of the challenges that come with living in an ever-changing environment. Habitat loss, predation from pets, increased industrial fishing, catastrophic events like oil spills - all compounded by climate change challenges - are threats to Little Blue Penguins.

Through this blend, we hope to shed light on this adorable species while also helping raise funds for Birch Aquarium so they can continue doing the amazing work they do. The blend is available at all Bird Rock Coffee locations and online with $1 per bag sold donated to Birch Aquarium.

Shop the blend here: Little Blue Penguin Blend

*Little Blue Penguin facts courtesy of Birch Aquarium. 

We had the pleasure of visiting Birch Aquarium and, of course, brought our camera along to capture the beautiful work they are doing! Enjoy!