Results of the spring 2013 Cupping for Quality competition for Rainforest Alliance certified coffees, highlighting the linkage between sustainable farm management practices and cup quality.
Certifications
Recent actions by the new owners of Caribou Coffee (Joh. A. Benckiser Group, a private German holding company), seem to indicate a move towards away from sustainably-sourced and 100%-certified coffees. Just what I was afraid of.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has announced the first Bird-Friendly certified coffee from the Caribbean, from Spirit Mountain Coffee in the Dominican Republic.
McDonald’s buys more eco-certified coffee and has a stronger commitment to coffee sustainability than most big coffee companies.
In their latest corporate responsibility report, Nestlé has made it clear they are not interested in third-party coffee certifications, and that their way is better. Whatever that is.
Results of the December 2012 Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality competition.
Rainforest Alliance requires companies using their seal for less-than-90% certified content to increase that percentage over time.
Winners of the April 2012 competition covering Latin America, India, and Ethiopia.
Starbucks has been assessing the impacts of its CAFE Practices coffee sourcing program. While other big coffee companies trumpet their empty sustainability claims, Starbucks has been releasing these reports with a minimum of flag-waving and no attempt at greenwashing.
The Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality award is designed to recognize exceptional coffees carrying the Rainforest Alliance seal and to highlight the linkage between sustainable farm management practices and cup [...]
How much eco-certified coffee do the world’s major coffee roasters purchase?
All the coffee sourced by Caribou is 100% Rainforest Alliance certified. How this stacks up against other major coffee buyers, with a footnote on Caribou stock ownership.
(Updated) Finca Platanillo in San Marcos, western Guatemala is the first coffee farm to be verified by Rainforest Alliance (RA) for compliance with the Climate Module of the Sustainable Agriculture [...]
The Fair Trade USA/FLO break-up and its ramifications is seeping into the mainstream media. Recently, for example, the New York Times published an article on the debate on the future [...]
A recent announcement by Fair Trade USA qualifies as major news that changes the meaning of “Fair Trade” certification in the U.S., and which may mean changes to environmental standards for coffee certified as FT by Fair Trade USA.
