The decision: Though Pura Vida, a coffee company cofounded six years ago by a former Microsoft product manager, started as a tiny operation, it opted to build its own e-commerce system instead of buying off the shelf. Seattle's pura vid is a blend of business and philanthropy, a for-profit firm that gives donations to poor farm families in coffee-growing regions. It operates at breakeven and has funneled $1.2 million to the charities it supports since it began operation in 1999. But despite its benevolent mission, the company competes fiercely with Starbucks, Green Mountain, and other premium-coffee sellers. One weapon that cofounder and CEO John Sage has relied on is a good e-commerce system, which has helped increase sales from $100,000 in 1999 to the nearly $4 million projected for 2005.
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