With corporations beginning to grasp that sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are important to customers and for the long term future of businesses, company claims of achievements and action plans are everywhere, alongside, of course, accusations of greenwashing. Which is why it is increasingly important for businesses to have certifications against their claims, to enlist consumer and stakeholder trust. Whether it be Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, organic, B Corp, non-GMO or vegan, consumers and company partners are looking for the certification labels, especially within the tea and coffee industry.

Certifications are notably prolific in the tea and coffee value chains. With 17 percent of tea, globally, certified Fairtrade, organic or Rainforest Alliance, and 25 percent of global coffee certified by these or similar schemes, according to Ethical Consumer (ethicalconsumer.org). This may be due to the fact that many tea- and coffee-producing areas are in developing countries, as well as the way in which both products are marketed to consumers; the origin of the tea and coffee is often one of its main selling points and helps the consumers build a narrative of the product before deciding to make the purchase. By instilling this focus and painting a picture of where the tea or coffee grew and was farmed, it is natural for consumers to want to imagine it with fair working conditions, nature friendly processes and beneficial to its local area, socially and environmentally. Amanda Archila, executive director, Fairtrade America, explained, “Coffee and tea are two critical commodities for Fairtrade. Globally in 2021, Fairtrade worked with 872,916 coffee farmers, and 400,402 tea farmers and workers. Premiums earned across coffee and tea amounted to over USD $102 million. We partner with traders, roasters, brands, and retailers around the world to ensure Fairtrade is easily accessible to consumers.”

As one of the biggest players in the tea and coffee certification field, Fairtrade as an organisation facilitates equitable and sustainable trading for producers in developing countries, working with co-operatives, businesses and governments. It does this by enforcing a Fairtrade Minimum Price for when the market price drops, as a safety net for producers, as well as an additional fixed Premium payment to be paid on top of the market price, to be invested in producers’ local communities.

It is an organisation and certification that is seeing a lot of growth; “The number of certified tea farmers in the Fairtrade system has been gradually increasing over the past few years: up to 347,000 in 2021 compared with 319,500 in 2019, in diverse origins,” commented Amy Collis, senior sustainable sourcing manager, Fairtrade Foundation.

Archila added that recognition among consumers has also increased: “Since 2019, recognition of the Fairtrade label has jumped by 118 percent among US shoppers,” demonstrating the building consumer interest in certified products. Archila continued, “Gen-Z shoppers showed the highest increase in recognition of the Fairtrade label among all age groups: 18-24 year olds who recognised the mark jumped by 121 percent, from 33 percent in 2021 to 73 percent in 2023. And millennial shoppers (25-34) are the most frequent purchasers of Fairtrade products.”

Archila agreed that “in the broader world of sustainability products, consumer awareness is definitely in the mainstream. Eighty-six percent of shoppers recalled seeing a sustainability or ethical label on a product while shopping. We also see this consumer connection to sustainable and ethical products growing stronger in the future.”

While the Fairtrade certification is seeing growth worldwide, Collis explained that the UK is currently the biggest market for Fairtrade tea, holding a share of 62 percent of Fairtrade tea sold globally. Collis said this was due to strong commitments from retail partners, “with Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Co-op all having a 100 percent Fairtrade commitment on tea and coffee.”

Image: Kloth & Köhnken

Duncan Gray, head roaster and managing director, Bay Coffee Roasters, a west Wales, UK -based roastery, explained why the Fairtrade certification is important to his company: “Fairtrade is often far more than paying a good price to the farmer and also their workers, many of the Fairtrade cooperatives that we have worked with have community initiatives providing training and education for the families, health care and often other improvements to the local area.”

Consumers embrace organic

Bay Coffee Roasters’ other major certification that it champions, is organic, which often goes hand in hand with Fairtrade, with “over 50 percent of Fairtrade farmers [choosing] to go organic: tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas and cotton are among the products carrying dual Fairtrade and organic certification,” said Collis, as they both call for sustainable farming practices. “The nature of organic farming where farmers cannot rely on chemicals means that they generally have to care for their land, respecting its bio diversity and farming in a more sustainable way. Organic certification means that the farmers have to keep to their word,” said Gray. With organic farming, the emphasis is on techniques such as crop rotation, biological crop protection, green manuring and composting, and different regions have their own organic certifications, such as the EU and USDA Organic.

As discussed in ‘The Balance of Organic’ feature in the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal October 2023 issue, the organic market is seeing growth, with the tea market holding a value of USD $1.24 billion as of 2023, with a CAGR of 8 percent through 2033, while the organic coffee market estimates are even higher with a CAGR of 12.5 percent until 2028, according to market research companies FMI and Mordor Intelligence. Organic products are not only perceived as better for the environment and for the producers by the consumer, but they are also believed to be healthier, with less chemicals needed to grow and process them.

Gray added that they even have some customers who will buy only organic coffee, and whether that be for sustainability, ethical or health reasons, it is clear it is something that is important to many customers, or at a minimum regarded highly and as a bonus to their purchases.

Organic tea is something that it is ingrained in Kloth & Köhnken’s (K&K) identity, explained Sandra Nikolei, tea department/corporate social responsibility at K&K; “Organic farming can result in a better taste of a product as the plant grows slowly compared to most conventional products.”

Nikolei added that they are seeing much interest from their customers for organic products, but also for Rainforest Alliance-certified products. Rainforest Alliance, an even bigger scheme than Fairtrade and which now includes the UTZ label, is another non-profit organisation that promotes responsible business practices and strives to improve producer livelihoods and communities, especially in the face of the climate crisis. It does not do this with fixed pricing structures, but rather through policing production.

Image: Rainforest Alliance

“As we approach 2030 – a year experts mark as the potential point of no return – we must respond with unparalleled speed and scale to shift the course of sustainability transformation,” said Rainforest Alliance CEO, Santiago Gowland, “The hard truth is that the old sustainability models are good but not good enough.” The Rainforest Alliance certification has been going for 35 years, and, as of December 2022, has since achieved sustainability projects and certified farmers in 58 countries, worked with over 6,000 companies, and made Rainforest Alliance certified products available in 190 countries.

B Corp on the rise

Another major certification that is rising to the forefront of the tea and coffee industry, indeed most consumer industries as a whole, is B Corp. For a company to achieve B Corp certification, it must be verified by the ‘B Lab’ organisation, to “meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability,” B Lab explained. There are B Labs across the world, including UK Australia, East Africa, Europe, and North and South America, with 6,800 B Corp certified companies across 89 countries and 161 industries.

Duncan Gray that becoming a B-Corp is next on Bay Coffee’s agenda to achieve, joining the many tea and coffee companies certified as B Corps, such as Nespresso, Pact Coffee, English Tea Shop, Bigelow, and Pukka Herbs to name a few.

The cost of certifications

Many companies, including Bay Coffee and K&K, hold multiple certifications, particularly if they have a strong international presence as different certifications are more popular in different regions. K&K for one, lists Fairtrade, Fair Trade USA, Bio EU (organic), Bio Suisse organic, USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance, FairBioTea, and kosher, among theirs.

Different certifications cover different areas and demand different requirements from companies, so perhaps the more the better, it could be argued. There is such a variety of certifications available, many much smaller than the ones listed here, and it comes down to a company’s specific operational practices, locations, and community needs as to what certifications will have the largest impact on its environmental and social undertakings. However, it is the big names such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, organic, and B Corp that seem to be major drivers of consumer and customer interest and purchases.

Image: Bay Coffee Roasters

But there are also a lot of conversations around certifications in relation to pricing and verification. Consumers realise that they will likely pay more for certified products than they do for those without certifications. “For a pound bag of coffee, shoppers said they were willing to pay a price premium of up to 35 percent more for certified coffee over uncertified. Nearly four in five consumers said they were willing to pay more for a product to ensure that producers received a fair price,” explained Archila.

While it is understandable that there must be additional costs to ensure the producer is receiving a fair price, it does mean the more price sensitive consumer may struggle to choose the ethical option when making their purchasing decisions. This allows the mass produced and possibly unethically sourced tea and coffee companies to keep a sizeable share of the market. Collis detailed that “Fairtrade-certified organisations sell only around 4 percent of their tea on Fairtrade terms – this means they don’t benefit from being certified to the extent that they could. When shoppers choose Fairtrade tea, tea producers can sell more of their product on Fairtrade terms.”

So, while there is growing demand for certified products, and a certain amount of consumer willingness to pay extra for them, there may not be enough for producers to justify the additional expense if it is not being bought from them at the certified price.

Certifications are costly for the producer as well as sometimes for the consumer. “Significant commitment is needed from producers to achieve and maintain compliance with the Fairtrade Standards: but it isn’t always feasible for producers who are facing other challenges, such as rising costs of inputs, low market prices and the effects of climate change,” said Collis. Likewise with organic, there is a conversion phase where anything grown cannot be sold under the organic title with the benefits that come with it, until the transition is complete, and no compensation is offered for the expense or yield loss.

K&K is proud of its certifications and recognises their value, but also their limitations; “Certifications are necessary to help to make the world a better place. But often they are too cost intensive and too difficult to implement, for farmers, small businesses and for start-ups. They should be less complicated and should focus on an easy way to make changes. Imposing the same requirements on everyone in this world and origin is, from our point of view, unfortunately very European and unidimensional. It should be more individually adaptable. Many certificates are too bureaucratic and rigid,” explained Nikolei.

Therefore, while they are an important mark of credibility and of good intentions to inform consumers, having certifications is not the only nor final step to sustainability and ethical business practices. “Certification can only ever form part of a company’s sustainability efforts,” articulated Collis, they do not “replace the duties of state or business actors with respect to human rights or sustainability.”

• Kathryn Brand is an associate editor on T&CTJ, while still writing for several of Bell’s other magazines. She joined Bell Publishing as an editorial assistant at the beginning of 2022 after graduating from the University of East Anglia with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She may be reached at: kathryn@bellpublishing.com.

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The company, which owns brands across seven countries, has launched Caféière in a ten-million-euro investment to meet growing demand for quality, organic hot drinks.

With financial support from the European Union and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), La Caféière is exemplary of Ecotone’s global ‘Food for Biodiversity’ mission – through which it strives to meet high environmental and sustainability standards.

La Caféière has been installed with a roasting smoke burner which cuts C02 emissions by 30% compared with traditional methods. Through green energy, wetland water management, 100% LED lighting and photovoltaic roof panels, the plant is taking a global approach to energy efficiency.

The factory also operates a 0% landfill, 100% circularity policy. 85% of total leftover materials are recycled or reused in compost, and 15% are incinerated with energy recovery.

Through its commitment to producing exceptional organic coffee and tea, the factory will harness traditional production methods such as slow roasting to create unique aromatic balances. Three roasters and an R&D team work on site to ensure that the different vintage coffees are made to the finest quality.

More than 60% of La Caféière’s sales will now be through Fairtrade certified products. The aim is to achieve over 70% Fair Trade coffee and tea within two years.

The term “caféière” refers to a plantation of coffee trees, the shrub from which the coffee beans come. These plantations are originally islands of biodiversity, because the 80 species of coffee trees in the world thrive in rich and varied ecosystems.

To preserve biodiversity, the coffee cherries are hand-picked when ripe from high-altitude plantations and mainly come from organically grown and reared ‘Coffea arabica’ coffee trees in Central and South America and East Africa. The cherries are then washed and air-dried by partner producers to create a dense, transportable, and storable green coffee.

The coffee and tea sectors that supply La Cafétière are demonstrate agricultural practices, which go further than organic standards. This includes the diversity of plant species grown per plot (agroforestry), fair income for small producers, and positive action by partner cooperatives to combat deforestation in their areas.

La Caféière holds six certifications: Organic, Fair for Life, Fairtrade/Max Havelaar, Qualité Artisan, Bio Entreprise durable, and B Corp.

Local associations also work with La Caféière, such as a local ESAT for the social and professional integration of adults with disabilities, and the Bordeaux and Gironde food bank for the redistribution of products.

La Caféière, is the next milestone in Ecotone’s journey to reimagine a sustainable future of food, driven by its brands: Destination, Naturela, Clipper, Bonneterre, Alter Eco, and Piramide.

Key figures for La Caféière

180 organic tea and coffee products

60 direct jobs

9500 m2 (including 8000m2 dedicated entirely to the coffee factory)

Coffee:

3200 tonnes of organic coffee received each year
5.5 million units of organic coffee sold annually
12 organic coffee origins, i.e., around thirty green coffee material codes
60% of coffee sales generated by fair trade labelled products
100 ref coffee products

Tea:

100 tonnes of organic tea produced each year
80 references of tea products
72% of tea sales made with fair trade labelled products

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While organic tea and coffee has been readily available on the market for some time, the category has seen, and is expected to see, continued growth as more consumers opt for products, they believe to be more sustainable and even healthier for them, and producers seek to improve their sustainability credentials and market positioning.

Nandini Roy Choudhury, client partner of food & beverages at global market research firm, Future Market Insights, writes in a report that the organic tea market holds a value of USD $1.24 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach a value of USD $2.69 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 8 percent during the forecast period. Meanwhile, the organic coffee market has a projected CAGR even higher, at 12.5 cent for the forecast period 2023 to 2028, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence.

Consumer interest in organic tea and coffee has been gaining especial traction since the pandemic, when wellness became a priority, and organic is often believed to be a cleaner and healthier option over regular products, due to the lack of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The sustainability benefits are also undeniable and consumers are seeking to make more mindful and conscious purchasing decision. Meanwhile, producers are heeding to this consumer pressure, and wanting to offer tangible sustainability claims to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and perhaps even justify a higher price point of their product.

Image: Equator Coffee

In terms of consumer demand and purchasing of organic tea and coffee, the geographical distribution is similar, with Europe dominating, particularly Germany, France, and the UK, according to FMI, and North America seeing similar figures in both organic tea and coffee. In organic tea specifically, parts of Asia, including China, are witnessing significant growth in consumption, said a spokesperson from Hälssen & Lyon. Whereas in organic coffee, global insights firm, Mordor Intelligence revealed Latin America is seeing the fastest growth.

Notably, the biggest producers of organic tea are similar to the biggest global producers of tea in general, countries such as China and India, however, the case is not the same for organic coffee. Samuel Klein, green coffee buyer, Partners Coffee, explained that, while Brazil produces a third of the world’s coffee, “Only a handful of Brazilian exporters are offering certified organic coffees.”

Ted Stachura, director of coffees, Equator Coffees, concurs; “Although there is some organic coffee cultivation in Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia, the world’s largest coffee-producing countries are not typically associated with organic production.” This is largely due to growers in such countries producing coffee on a mass scale, and the farming methods necessary to do so. Smallholder farms using semi-forested coffee cultivation, are often organic by default, in countries such as Ethiopia, Peru and Mexico, said Stachura, as well as Honduras, Guatemala, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda, added Klein.

Organic farming is broader and more thorough than a lot of consumers realise; it is about more than just limiting or eliminating chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. “Consumers who support organic farming practices are voting to not support the petrochemical industry. Producing chemical-based fertiliser has a negative environmental impact,” detailed Stachura. “Shipping these fertilisers internationally, as coffee producing countries typically do not produce this kind of fertiliser, incurs added environmental costs. Handling chemicals poses potential health risks to farmers and, in situations where producers lack training, application of too much fertilisation may result in runoff of these chemicals making its way to water sources.” The soil itself benefits from the lack of chemicals in the long term, increasing its biodiversity, structure, fertility, and resilience to environmental influences, leading to healthier eco systems.

“Organic farming also has the potential to sequester carbon dioxide in the soil,” noted Hälssen & Lyon’s spokesperson, “This can contribute to mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Organic’s financial & health benefits

Choudhury stated that consumption of organic beverages can help to support farmers on a smaller scale, in addition, “Sales of organic tea are projected to have a higher price realisation thereby improving the socio-economic situation of tea producers.” The organic certification encourages and even necessitates fairer, safer and more equitable trading for the producer that supports the tea or coffee growing community.

Further, there are evolving beliefs, especially among consumers, that the lack of chemical agents in the process results in a healthier product. “The reduction in chemical residues in organic food may result on long-term health benefits by lowering the potential risks associated with pesticide exposure,” explained Hälssen & Lyon’s spokesperson.

Image: Partners Coffee

The health claims for organic produce are still evolving, especially within the tea segment, with Choudhury stating that “compared to traditional black tea, organically cultivated tea contains more catechins such as epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and epicatechin.”

Roadblocks to organic production

So, if there are all these benefits to the environment, to the producer, the consumer, then why aren’t more tea and coffee companies producing organic? As with such things, the reason is multifaceted. Broadly, it is more expensive, both for the producer and consequently the consumer. The requirements and inspections for the certification are demanding, and costly, and it is by no means a quick or simple switch.

Partners Coffee’s Klein explained, “It begins with a multiyear period where no prohibited fertilisers, fungicides, or pesticides may be used. During that time the farm must develop and implement a documented plan to fertilise and treat the plants with organic inputs.” Throughout this conversion phase, any coffee (or tea) that is grown and produced must still be sold without the organic title, as the transition is not fully complete, with no compensation for the expense of the process or of lost yields.

Spencer Turer, vice president, Coffee Enterprises, added, “when organically grown coffees are not able receive the premium prices for the certification and are sold as non-organic coffee due to quality issues or reduced demand, the expense of producing the organic certified coffee is changed from an actual return on investment ratio to an outright business expense for meeting the social, environmental, and ethical standards of the producer.”

Lower yields are a common side effect of organic farming, especially in the short term, “as organic practices may not provide the same level of nutrient supply or pest control,” said the spokesperson from Hälssen & Lyon, resulting in additional unit costs of production. However, she also suggested that there have been successes where organic sections of farms have outperformed conventional sections, four-to-one, because the soil was more nutrient-rich and microbiologically diverse. But this is a long-term result that doesn’t offer immediate help to farmers in the short-term making the switch.

The added expense of the initial reduced yield is only the beginning, revealed Klein, “After coffee is picked there are strict handling requirements at virtually every stage of production. Different milling and eventually roasting equipment, or costly purge batches, must be used, followed by meticulous cleaning practices. Coffee must be carefully separated and documented with every movement, then production records must be audited frequently to identify accidental contaminations.

“The outcome of all of this is that, in most situations, producing an organic-certified coffee requires more labour and greater expenses while introducing new risk in terms of yields and pest management.”

The higher risk and expense for the producers, translate to higher prices for the consumer, which serve as a barrier for many, especially the price conscientious, and especially when inflation and the cost of living is soaring in many parts of the world.

“Many consumers and businesses demanding certified organic coffees expect them to be price competitive with the cheapest conventional coffees, which is unrealistic. I think for some customers it’s easy to justify a higher price because the value add is more obvious, but unfortunately, I think it means the quality of organic coffees on the market generally tend to be lower to compensate for price sensitive customers,” argued Klein.

Image: Equator Coffee

However, despite organic teas and coffees generally having a higher price point, they are both growing markets with burgeoning consumer interest. Even if consumers do not fully understand the complexities of the organic certification undertaking, they know it is better environmentally, often in quality, and possibly for their health too, so they know there is additional benefits that they are paying that bit extra for. In Turer’s judgement, “the price barrier [only] exists when the quality of the organically certified coffee, specifically the flavour, does not meet the value expectations of the consumer.” In other words, if a consumer purchases organic coffee or tea, and they experience good quality and taste, as well as the moral and environmental associations, then there is value for the money.

Do the benefits outweigh the challenges?

It could be argued that governing bodies ought to be doing more to support organic farming, to take some of the risk and cost off of producers and subsidise the products for consumers. Stachura believes that “governments in affluent coffee-consuming nations have the capacity to play a significant role in supporting and advancing regenerative organic farming practices,” and, perhaps, have the responsibility to do so if their country is the big consumer of that product in particular.

Klein feels, however, the argument that “economic stability and mobility for smallholder farmers is more urgent. I would like to see the two things promoted and supported in tandem.” He continued, “If organic production can support and increase farmers’ livelihoods, it’s absolutely a win. But if it reinforces an exploitative price structure, or expects farmers to bear unsustainable levels of risk, I think that’s a problem that needs to be confronted.”

While there is no doubt that organic farming is beneficial in so many ways, there must be support and incentives for tea and coffee farmers to make that switch for it to be viable to more than just the larger, commercial producers. But there are ways in which this can be mitigated. “Collaboration and innovation in the entire supply chain is key for helping to make organic tea more accessible and affordable for everyone involved,” explained the spokesperson from Hälssen & Lyon.

Not only can farms share knowledge and best practices, but share the costs of certification, particularly for smaller coffee or tea producers, among nearby farms. Klein also added that this challenge presents the opportunity for agricultural innovations. “People [are] learning new techniques of soil management or crop diversification specific to their farms which can improve yields with no or few synthetic inputs. If that innovation continues and expands, we might see significant improvements in the quality of organically produced coffees.”

There may still be challenges for organic farming, but they are seemingly worth confronting as the market reports demonstrate there is clear consumer demand for organic tea and coffee. Consumers may even be willing to pay that bit more for the certified products as it allows them to have a small part of environmental agency and responsibility over the way in which the products they buy are grown and produced. Stachura concluded, “As the world’s population grows, and the demand for food, including coffee, embracing organic and regenerative farming practices becomes imperative for human survival.” Therefore, we must continue to look for ways in which it can be remunerative, accessible, and equitable.

• Kathryn Brand is an associate editor on T&CTJ, while still writing for several of Bell’s other magazines. She joined Bell Publishing as an editorial assistant at the beginning of 2022 after graduating from the University of East Anglia with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She may be reached at: kathryn@bellpublishing.com.

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“When it opened in 2013, Proof Lab launched the second generation of Equator. It was the next phase of something we take a lot of pride in: introducing a new generation of coffee drinkers to who we are, to our years of expertise in sustainably sourcing, roasting, and serving incredible specialty coffees,” said Helen Russell, co-founder & executive chair of Equator Coffees.

“Everything we did, and still do every day, comes back to connection, to fostering a warm, vibrant, and inviting place for coffee lovers and casual drinkers alike,” said Devorah Freudiger, director of coffee culture who opened Equator Coffees at Proof Lab ten years ago.

To commemorate this milestone, Equator has partnered with artist, Fisher Monahan, to illustrate all four Marin Equator locations, including Larkspur, Sausalito, Mill Valley, and of course Proof Lab front and center in its iconic red.

In celebration of this anniversary and Pride Month, the LGBTQ+ founded coffee roaster will also host the Tour d’Equator: Pride Ride in partnership with Marin-founded Mike’s Bikes on Sunday, 25 June. Participants are invited to join Equator in donating to support the critical work of The LGBT Asylum Project. Funds will be combined with those raised by their monthly Cup for a Cause ($1 per pour over sold in cafes).

For more information, visit equatorcoffees.com.

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“Organic is one of the most robustly regulated agricultural label claims out there,” says OTA CEO and executive director Laura Batcha, “but it’s the deep trust producers and consumers have in organic that make it truly special. When NOP allows critical recommendations to update the organic standards to languish for years – in some cases decades – that trust starts to erode. We are encouraged to see this process finally moving forward and urge USDA to act with expediency. We are also extremely grateful to our allies in Congress who co-sponsored the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic (CIAO) Standards Act, bipartisan legislation to expedite the rulemaking process and ensure organic remains the most trusted claim on the market.”

The Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act represents the most significant assessment to date of USDA’s track record on advancing organic standards. The bill requires USDA to advance and implement recommendations from the organic industry in a timely manner and to ensure the continuous improvement of organic standards. It was introduced in the House in April 2021 by Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Rodney Davis (R-IL), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Ron Kind (D-WI) and has over 20 cosponsors.

Details on the listening session and how to submit comments can be found on AMS’ website.

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Aldea Global will use the joint eight-year loan to construct and equip its new dry coffee mill with cutting edge technology, resulting in better coffee quality and productivity and an increase in incomes for 6,200 of Aldea’s farmers. The first phase of the project will focus on installation of the new dry mill, which will enable the association to increase its processing capacity while storing coffee in temperature controlled silos. In the second phase, a new wet mill technology will be installed to reduce water consumption, increase processing capacity and integrate management of the coffee processing chain from cherries to green coffee beans for export. This represents a paradigm shift for smallholder producers in Nicaragua, who traditionally undertake wet milling on their farms.

Founded in 1992, Aldea Global supports its coffee farmer members with access to markets, affordable finance, technical assistance in areas such as agroforestry for coffee through its mobile app Aldea Tech. Using technology and modern approaches to coffee production and processing, Aldea Global continues to support small producers to be more competitive in the market and to increase their earnings. The association also has a strong gender focus.

Warren Armstrong, chief executive officer of Aldea Global, said: “This joint investment from Oikocredit and IDH is truly welcome. The new state-of-the-art specialty coffee dry mill will increase milling yields and cupping quality and result in higher premiums for our fair trade members. The second stage wet mill will reduce environmental contamination from more than 4,000 small farmers’ wet mills located near streams by bringing their coffee cherries to process at Aldea Global. And process automation will highlight Nicaraguan coffee’s premium quality flavours: floral, citrus and dark chocolate.”

Miguel Tamayo Maertens, IDH Farmfit Fund’s investment director, said: “We are very pleased with the partnership with Oikocredit. With this co-investment project, we aim to strengthen Aldea Global’s positioning in the specialty coffee sector and support the association in providing additional value to its smallholder coffee farmer members. This will lead to improved coffee quality, increase farmer incomes and positively impact their lives.”

Jose Augusto Cordón, Oikocredit’s senior investment officer, said: “We are very glad to strengthen our support for Aldea Global, an Oikocredit partner since 2007, with this new long-term investment. The benefits for the smallholders are clear, with improvements in efficiency and quality translated into better incomes and higher environmental standards. In addition, our first collaboration in Latin America with IDH Farmfit Fund has been an excellent experience, and we hope to continue strengthening our cooperation with them.”

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The NEXTY Awards recognise the pinnacle of excellence in the natural products industry, highlighting brands and products that inspire a healthy, sustainable future for people and the planet. Nearly 600 products completed this year with over 700 category nominations, with only 78 selected as finalists. Brewed similar to tea, fully compostable Steeped Packs require no machines or specialty brewing equipment and are quickly becoming the sustainable standard in single-serve coffee.

“Steeped doesn’t take its Barista-Approved standards lightly and we’ve worked closely with industry experts to validate every aspect of the Steeped Brewing Method, from freshness and quality to extraction and shelf life. We are delivering consistency and authenticity for specialty coffee lovers in a sustainable single-serve format,” said Josh Wilbur, founder and CEO, Steeped Coffee. “We are proud to make quality coffee accessible to more people with our revolutionary, simple brewing method that helps reduce our lasting impact on the planet.”

The Natural Products Expo East is the industry’s largest event on the east coast, featuring more than 1,500 brands. Exhibitors showcase the latest innovations shaping the future of organic and natural food and beverage, personal care and supplements. The NEXTY Awards recognise the most progressive, innovative, inspiring and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Finalists are chosen based on the NEXTY criteria centered around innovation, inspiration, integrity, and impact.

Steeped partners with more than 300+ top roasters across the country to deliver sustainable quality coffee in each single-serve cup. The company’s original Breakwater Blend is made from 100% specialty grade coffee that is ethically sourced, with Fair Trade and USDA Organic Certifications, from the Tolima region of Columbia. Each Steeped Pack contains craft-roasted, freshly ground pre-portioned coffee that is triple nitro-sealed to guarantee each perfect  cup.

“Steeped Coffee’s single-serve brewing method is disrupting traditional coffee service for individuals, companies, and the hospitality industry,” said Wilbur. “We all have a role to play when it comes to protecting the world we live in and we take that responsibility seriously. That’s why our award-winning Guilt-Free Packaging that is certified commercially compostable  takes every possible step to ensure that your sacred coffee rituals go unnoticed by the next generation.”

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With the influx of third wave coffee culture over the last decade bringing celebrity status baristas and intimidating café menus, Meritage Coffee founder Robert J Midyette saw an opportunity to streamline a new more simplified luxury coffee experience focused on home and office. The branding is void of the complexity and cultural baggage inferred by other coffees. The team is focused on delivering a superior coffee to refine even life’s most fleeting moments.

Midyette comments: “We seek to bring a truly superior product forward in the simplest and least complex way possible so that high end coffee is no longer relegated to being outside the cultural mainstream, and instead becomes the default expectation for all consumers.”

Meritage Coffee debuts with the introduction of four distinct coffees: Founder’s Reserve, New York Blend, Breakfast Blend, and Espresso Roast. Coffees are medium to bold roast with all sourcing information listed on the website. The Founder’s Reserve, Midyette’s favourite, is a bold roast and is a blend of Ethiopian Yigacheffe & Honduran Marcala. The coffee is 100% Arabica, Grade 1, Organic and Fair-Trade Certified.

Meritage Coffee sells for $16.95 per bag. The direct-to-consumer site also offers an easy subscription model that offers reduced pricing. All coffee is automatically delivered on the customer’s selected schedule, either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. There is no obligation, and it can be modified or cancelled at any time. To preserve coffee freshness, the blends are roasted in small batches and each bag is flushed with nitrogen to displace oxygen.

Meritage Coffee’s founder Robert J Midyette is a classically trained chef, wine enthusiast, and lover of coffee. He is a veteran corporate travel and hospitality executive with decades of global experience. Gleaned from his extensive travel globally, Midyette founded Meritage Coffee on the premise that superior quality and craftmanship can also be simple, obtainable, and inclusive.

Currently, Meritage Coffee is sourced from Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Honduras, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, and is roasted in New York.

For more information or to make a purchase, visit: www.meritagecoffee.com.

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The Pesticide Action Network UK reports that acute exposure to pesticides can be toxic to humans, so not only does the environment suffer, so do the farmers who are exposed to a high level of chemicals while spraying the crops. The surrounding communities are also impacted through chemical residues in the air and water. Starting the organic journey back in 2019, The Roastery’s managing director, Marcel Binley, travelled to Camocim in Brazil to visit organic coffee farms. It took 12 months of site visits and surveys for The Roastery to become organic certified. Deciding to make the move to selling only organic coffee was a pivotal move for the small coffee business as it means a significant increase in price of the crops and a dramatic decrease in the coffee they can purchase.

“Making the move to selling solely organic evidences our drive and ambition to become one of the major operators within the UK coffee industry,” said Marcel Binley. “It is an incredible achievement and shows the hard work and dedication that has gone into the production of our award-winning coffee.”

Since becoming fully organic, The Roastery has also moved to completely sustainable coffee packaging, along with becoming members of 1% for the Planet. The Roastery aims to continually strive to become as sustainable as possible as it continues to grow.

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Small batch roasted to, the new range includes Blue Goose’s speciality grade Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Whole Bean, grown as ‘garden coffee’ in the region of Ethiopia where coffee was first discovered (RRP £8.00)

Blue Goose’s new Organic Peruvian coffee delivers notes of chocolate, nuts and fruits. Wrapped up in a compostable pouch and certified organic, this coffee is grown by six smallholder farmers in Peru’s mountainous northern region (£7.50).

The new single-origin Organic Swiss Water Decaf Whole Bean and Ground coffee from Peru is reportedly rich, smooth and indulgent but, unlike the reported 80% of decaffeinated coffees on the market that undergo a decaffeination process that uses the same chemicals found in paint stripper, only spring water, temperature and time have been used to create this coffee without the caffeine kick or chemical trail (RRP £7.75).

Only speciality grade coffee makes it into the Blue Goose range, where the farmers dictate their price well above the Fairtrade Minimum Price.

For more information, visit: bluegoose.coffee.

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