VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It’s a way of getting your morning caffeine fix and getting your good deed for the day in at the same time.

A local coffee company is expanding the definition of fair trade.

Doi Chaang is a Vancouver-based, family-owned company, named for the village in northern Thailand where members of the Akha Hill tribe grow the beans.

The tribe owns 50 per cent of the company and has used the profits to transform their community in the five years it has existed.

“They’ve been able to build schools and infrastructure and grow electricity and water essentially for themselves from their own hard work because of the business model that we’ve been able to set up for them,” says Vice President of Marketing Anand Pawa.

A couple of months ago, the coffee was available at a number of locations locally including 7-11, but not without some controversy. Some accused Doi Chaang of selling out by partnering up with the convenience store chain.

Free sample bags of the beans are being handed out at the Burrard SkyTrain Station in downtown Vancouver this morning.