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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“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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Clipper Teas, the natural tea brand owned by Ecotone UK, is expanding its range of organic infusions with three new flavours, to meet growing consumer demand for natural and organic teas with functional ingredients to support better health.

The new range of teas (RRP: £2.50) include:

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The line consists of seven unique SKUs that will complement Numi’s core line:

• Immune Boost – featuring echinacea, rosehips and dandelion to jumpstart the immune response and flush toxins from the body.*
• Immune Support – featuring elderberry, elderflower, thyme and Fair Trade Certified ginger to strengthen immune response and support and soothe the respiratory system.*
• De-Stress – featuring soothing spearmint, passionflower and kanna leaf to encourage calm and ease stress.*
• Throat Soother – featuring sage, marshmallow, licorice and Ceylon cinnamon for their anti-inflammatory and moistening properties.*
• Congest Away – featuring congestion-clearing ginger, peppermint and soothing Fair Trade Certified fennel.*
• Dandelion Detox – featuring dandelion root, nestle, milk thistle and burdock root to flush toxins and support liver function.*
• Sweet Slumber – featuring lavender and valerian root for their anti-anxiety and sleep-inducing qualities.*

“Numi’s Stay Healthy Line draws knowledge from herbalists and ancient traditions to create the most effective blends to support common health concerns,” said Reem Hassani, chief brand officer and co-founder of Numi Organic Tea. “In a time of such uncertainty, we were grateful to be able to turn to time-honored herbal remedies to strengthen and soothe the body and mind. In addition to containing pure ingredients, the botanicals featured in the Stay Healthy line are aromatherapeutic and delicious, so you can enjoy soothing flavours while taking care of your body.”

Each flavour delivers powerful benefits in line with current consumer trends: functional foods, immune boosters, adaptogens, sleep aids and respiratory support. All of the blends in Numi’s Stay Healthy Line are organic, ethically sourced, Climate Neutral, and use plant-based compostable wrappers, reflecting Numi’s commitment to making positive impact in the world.

Numi’s Stay Healthy Line will be available on numitea.com and amazon.com starting in March 2021, and nationally at natural and conventional grocers in fall 2021.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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A 25-year veteran of the natural and specialty food industry who has spent the last 17 of those years at Numi, Durkee has been instrumental in the company’s growth and organisational development. In addition to leading the Numi team and driving overall company strategy and culture, Durkee has managed strategic partnerships, financial planning and execution, sales and marketing initiatives, global supply chain developments, and product innovation. He travels abroad frequently and has worked intimately with customers and suppliers from more than 35 countries. Durkee holds an MBA from Saint Mary’s College and a BS in Systems Management from the University of San Francisco. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the DMBA programme at California College of the Arts.

Ahmed Rahim, Numi’s co-founder and new CVO, will continue his position as Board chair, guiding Numi’s regenerative work, innovation, and strategic partnerships. “Beyond the leadership and growth Brian has achieved, he has been critical in leading Numi through the difficult year of 2020,” said Rahim. “His skill at navigating Numi through the pandemic with grace and humbleness has kept the team focused on what matters. From the first day Brian joined us, he has embodied and helped co-create the vision of Numi. Brian holds our staff, customers, and collective stakeholders as the backbone of Numi, while driving forward the needs of the business. He approaches each day with a positive outlook and listens to the business’ needs with thoughtfulness and care.”

“Since Brian Durkee came to Numi as an Operations Director 17 years ago, he has grown professionally and developed personally into a remarkable, service-oriented leader,” said Reem Hassani, Numi’s co-founder and chief brand officer. “His passion and love for Numi and all it stands for has been the driving force behind our partnerships in Fair Trade and equity for workers, sustainability and climate action, and the strong team loyalty we’ve built over the years.”

Durkee has played a key role in several initiatives that Numi is known for. He led efforts to push the Non-GMO Project to change its standard on immersion packaging—which includes tea bags. Prior to that, only tea ingredients were included in the standard, allowing manufacturers of GMO-sourced bioplastic tea bags to claim Non-GMO Verification. In 2007, he helped co-create Numi’s Verified Fair Labor certification, a continuous improvement programme that ensures fair wages and safe working conditions where Numi’s tea is grown. He also worked with Ahmed Rahim to build OSC’s first Packaging Collaborative in 2013, setting Numi and other natural products brands on a path to bring compostable flexible film to market. Durkee’s focus on creating direct relationships that foster improved standards of living has led to deep and lasting partnerships, ensuring transparency and stability for Numi’s supply chain.

Durkee’s impact-driven leadership and advocacy will shepherd in a new phase of growth for Numi as it continues its work using business for good and Activating Purpose in the communities it touches. Recent milestones for the company include the launch of its first compostable tea wrapper, achieving Climate Neutral certification, and mobilising Numi Foundation for Covid relief—delivering over 350,000lbs of fresh produce to Bay Area families in need.

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Clipper Teas, the ethical tea brand owned by Wessanen UK, has launched an Organic Tea Advent Calendar designed to surprise and delight tea lovers in the run up to Christmas.

The new SKU contains 24 tea bags with 12 different flavoured teas and infusions including festive favourites such as Orange & Lemon and Liquorice & Peppermint. Each tea bag is wrapped in a numbered sleeve for the 24 days leading up to Christmas and retrieved through an envelope-style opening in the box.

The Clipper Organic Tea Advent Calendar (£4.99, 48g) is available online at clipper-teas.com, via Amazon and in UK health food trade stores from this month. 

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PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans Fall Flavours Include:

• Pumpkin Latte: PJ’s signature Espresso Dolce, customers’ choice of milk, Pumpkin sauce, and lightly garnished with cinnamon.
• Golden Latte: PJ’s classic Latte made with Espresso Dolce, customers’ choice of milk, Spiced Brown Sugar and Golden Turmeric syrups – featuring a balanced blend of sweet earthy notes, warm spices, and garnished with a dash of ground cinnamon.
• Cinnamon Spice Velvet Ice: Soothing flavours of cinnamon, clove, and Mexican spices with PJ’s Cinnamon Spice Velvet Ice. This combination of Café de Olla cold brew concentrate, milk, spiced brown sugar syrup, Ghirardelli frappe powder and ice is topped with whipped cream and a dash of ground cinnamon.
• Numi Shots: PJ’s Numi Shots feature nutrient-dense organic teas, herbs, fruits, roots, and spices.

“We love knowing that our customers look forward to our autumn treats each year as much as we do,” says Reid Nolte, vice president of Brand Strategy. “This year, we’ve introduced some health-focused alternatives to our menu, lacing cinnamon and spices throughout so our guests can get their fall fix no matter what they choose to indulge in.”

For more information on PJ’s Coffee, visit: www.pjscoffee.com.

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Extract Tea comes in eleven core lines and one seasonal line. The tea is available as loose leaf and biodegradable string and tag pyramid bags.

Duncan Kendall, Extract Coffee Roasters’ managing director, commented: “we wanted to supply our customers with a range of teas with the same passion, artisan craftsmanship, sustainable credentials and community impact which we bring to coffee.

“After a long search it became clear that, unlike coffee, there is a real lack of story and transparency within tea. So we decided to create our own in order to take control of our supply chain and celebrate the farmer’s stories of individual estates and cooperatives.”

The new Extract Tea range includes organic and infusions of black, green and herbal tea, as well as exclusive lots from speciality tea farmers.

“Obviously we’re excited for people to experience our tea’s exceptional taste, but we also can’t wait to share the stories of biodiversity, organic techniques and community behind each tea.

“For example we’re proud to source our organic Darjeeling from the Arya Tea Garden in Darjeeling, India, which is one of the last remaining family-owned tea gardens in the area,” continued Duncan.

As well as being sustainably sourced, the new range sees a significant shift in Extract’s packaging. The coffee roasters have reduced packaging in the tea’s supply chain by over 80% and new pouch sizes mean 52% less packaging in cafes and restaurants.

The Extract team has also developed an exclusive tea training programme for its customers.

Dan Lacey, Extract’s trainer and south west regional manager, said: “More than anything, we want to make tea better. We want hospitality professionals to feel excited to share the inspirational stories of these teas with their customers and to have the skills they need to make a delicious drink every time.”

For more information, visit extractcoffee.co.uk/tea

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The annual Sustainability Awards for the tea sector encourage tea growers to not only deliver a delicious beverage, but also a healthy product that is socially responsible with a positive impact on the environment.

From water and sanitation to sustainable agriculture and farming, here’s how these tea changemakers are creating a sustainable future:

• Apeejay Tea – Apeejay Tea is working with 1,200+ small tea growers who are now part of the supply chain linked to 12 factories manufacturing tea. The company has given all of them a Supply Chain Certification. Manufacturers of green tea leaf from small tea growers is predicted to reach 5 million kg in 2019, up from 3.6 million kg in 2017.
• Sorwathe Ltd. – Sorwathe Tea Factory is situated in Rulindo District in Rwanda and employs around 2,500 workers a day and 2,500 tea farmers. Working with the Rwanda government, Sorwathe is investing in agriculture to reduce poverty and to target the lack of funds to plant tea, assist in the livelihood of the farmer and dependents of current land that are being converted to tea, and improve the lack of knowledge in organic tea cultivation.
• Finlays – Globally, Finlays has been involved in water stewardship programs with the aim to provide safe access to safe water. In Argentina, Finlays work within the Tabay river basin to ensure the flow of water throughout the basin. Their efforts are environmental (diagnosis, recovery of degraded areas), production (co-ordinate with government programs), and social (collaborate for management of roads, bridges and transportation).
• Eastern Produce Ltd. – In 2018, the EPK initiated its project for helping schools in Nandi County, Kenya gain access to water after realising how much rain water was wasted through existing systems. Through rain water harvesting programs, a total of 12,600 pupils and students have more sustained access to water. 21 schools have benefited from a sustained and self-sufficient water resource and absenteeism rates have reduced.

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The classic tea collection consists of traditional Sencha, Hojicha and Genmaicha as well as herbal blends, which mix in various herbs to complement the Japanese tea bases to create rich, aromatic fragrances and refreshing tastes.

The tea leaves are grown and handpicked at a farm located at the bottom of Mt. Fuji, taking in all the nutrients from sunlight and water running from the mountain to nourish the soil. All blends are certified organic by JAS, meaning their tea can be enjoyed with the peace of mind knowing there are no pesticides or chemical fertilisers used in the cultivation process. As well as promoting the use of organic tea leaves, Akebono Tea encourages sustainable relationships between customers, producers and nature, as they purchase the tea leaves directly from tea farms.

Inspired by the city of Tokyo, where the company started, Akebono Tea blends together the old and the new. Their goal is to create unique Japanese tea by mixing traditional tea and herbs and creating a new perspective as a brand by incorporating tradition and modernity, two aspects which can be found in the city of Tokyo.

About Akebono Tea

Akebono Tea, founded by a young female entrepreneur Misato Tanaka, is the world’s first and only organic tea brand specialising in Japanese green tea bases. As a brand their mission is to create teas full of nourishment and rejuvenating factors so that their customers are able to live a better and healthier lives by enjoying Akebono Tea to thrive on the inside and outside.

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The new design delivers a consistent English Tea Shop look and feel across the 55 countries it trades in, as the company aims to deliver a unified brand behind a story of sustainability.

Since 2010, English Tea Shop has been working in collaboration with small organic farms in Sri Lanka and 20 other countries to source ingredients, grown without chemical fertilisers or pesticides. Its popularity has soared as people have fallen in love with both the quality of its teas and the provenance story behind them.

The company buys limited, sustainable quantities from each farmer, paying them a premium on top of the Fairtrade price, and works to improve the wellbeing of the farmers and their families. It’s also working towards full organic certification for its entire range of products.

CEO, Suranga Herath said: “Our brand has become synonymous with a taste and values that people want. We wanted to create a consistent visual identity across the globe, to help people recognise the products more easily, and during this process we’ve come to recognise that our farm-to-cup story is not simply an ethos we believe – it can become the unifying concept for the brand.”

Echo’s new designs tell English Tea Shop’s strong sustainability story and in-pack illustrations telling the brand’s farm-to-cup story.

“We chose those to reflect the Sri Lankan tradition of celebrating colour in all its glory,” said Nigel Ritchie, founding partner and creative director at Echo. “They build on strong established codes – for example, red for English breakfast tea, and dark blue for Earl Grey – adding bold combinations to highlight the rich ingredient combinations. The wellness range features slightly lighter colouring, indicating the more delicate flavouring of the range.”

Typography, copy and imagery all work together on these packs to deliver a clear sustainability story. The hand-drawn lettering of the brand mark has been refined to make it easier to read. On-pack wording is tighter and more direct, with more emphasis on the ingredients. Each pack also features a strapline summarising the brand story: Your Tea Loving Community.

The new teapot icon holds figures of a man and a woman nurturing tea plants, while mandala designs created by French illustrator Margaux Carpentier burst from the centre of the packs, celebrating each product’s organic ingredients. The new in-pack illustration shows an ocean connecting a farm and factory on one side, and an English tea shop on the other.

Herath concludes: “Our rebrand goes beyond revitalising our packaging; it changes how we communicate and connect with all our customers. Our commitment to celebrating communities from ‘farm to cup’ is absolutely central to who we are as a company, so it was very important to us that this comes across in our packaging and communications. That’s what Echo have delivered here and we can’t wait to show our new look and feel to our customers around the world.”

Initially this new brand and packaging design is rolling out across the 28 teas in the Your Everyday range, the 15 Your Super Goodness teas and the 11 teas in the Your Wellness Me range.

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