Partnerships at the core of Paulig’s coffee sourcing: Concrete measures taken to help coffee farmers adapt to climate change
Climate change is a major threat to the future availability of coffee, which is already clearly visible in the everyday life of farmers. Consumers are also worried about climatic change, and as much is evident in their attitudes. According to the survey carried out by Kantar TNS, 54% of respondents prefer to buy environmentally friendly coffee, and 74% of Finnish coffee-lovers think it is important that coffee farmers are given training in sustainable farming methods.
Paulig has done systematic long-term work to promote the well-being of the environment throughout the whole supply chain. More attention is paid to environmental issues both here in Finland, where coffee is roasted cleanly using biogas, as well as the countries of origin. Paulig has several partnership programmes in the countries of origin with International Coffee Partners, Coffee & Climate, Fairtrade and coffee export companies. These partnership programmes enable us to invest in profitable and sustainable farming and help the coffee farmers with their practical challenges. For example, coffee farmers receive support and training in business skills, good agricultural practices and other farm matters.
The partnerships are also extended to improve the well-being of the whole community. For example, in Nicaragua, Paulig has worked together with the export company Mercon to renovate the school in San Jose de la Luz and provide the means to obtain clean drinking water. In Costa Rica, Paulig has a farmer community, in collaboration with the export company Volcafe. As a part of the cooperation, the companies have analyzed drinking water of the farmer community in the Pérez Zeledón area and the quality of water at the coffee mill.
We have helped nearly 100,000 coffee farmers through our partnership programmes
Over the years, Paulig has helped more than 100,000 coffee farmers through its partnership programmes. Paulig currently has partnership programmes in 12 countries. The latest projects have been started during the past few years in Africa, South America and Central America.
“We buy more than 50 million kilograms of green coffee annually, of which approximately 20% comes from our partnership programmes and the rest is from sustainably certified sources. This corresponds to the annual production of more than 75,000 average-sized coffee farms. This means that our decisions and sustainability efforts have a genuine effect on the country of origin. Our partnership programmes have enabled us to improve the profitability and sustainability of coffee farming. For example, in Guatemala we have helped, with our partner Volcafe, the producing families to reduce their labor costs, reduce the time they spend in the field and give them a chance to have other sources of income. We’ve also helped them to change the mindset and think in the long term regarding the good agricultural practices linked with the financial, agronomic and administrative principles for sustainable profitability. These early results are just the beginning of an important development in the communities and we’re truly committed to making it happen” says Paulig’s Supply Chain Director Katariina Aho.
“Being able to share values and vision for the bright future of coffee is the highest importance in the long-term sustainability of both businesses. Volcafe has found a great synergy with Paulig as we’ve understood their challenges and needs, and Paulig has relied on our field expertise and has trusted us as a partner. They have not only supported but helped build the Volcafe Way” says Carlos Ortiz, Global Manager for Volcafe Way, and continues:
“We also share the disruptive need of wanting to change the status quo of the coffee industry and stop thinking in the short term when coffee is a long-term crop and business. These partnerships help ensure the long-term business success of the producers, of Volcafe and Paulig; while having a positive impact on the communities and stakeholders in the supply chain.”
“When I started farming coffee, I was unaware of the business side of it. I didn’t know the cost of production, nor how to intervene my plantation to extract the most value and benefit out of it. These partnerships have helped me to receive the knowledge and techniques to farm truly as a business, and I am thankful for seeing the improvements and feel more proud of my work now. I’m also grateful because I can see that I will have more income in the near future”, tells Guatemalan coffee farmer José Teletor Camaja.
In addition to the environmental work done in the countries of origin, Paulig also invests in sustainable development in all areas of its operations.
“For example, we are committed to ensuring that all of our coffee packages will be made from 100% renewable raw materials by 2025,” explains Katariina Aho.
Paulig uses 370 billion verified sustainable beans per year
Paulig’s sourcing policy make the company a forerunner. As one of the first large roasteries in the world, Paulig only uses verified sustainable coffee beans. Paulig produces more than 100 million packages of coffee annually. In Finland, the coffee is roasted cleanly, using biogas. If the 370 billion coffee beans sourced by Paulig from sustainable sources were lined up, they would go around the globe as many as 68 times.
Newly launched Origins Blend Guatemala coffee contains coffee from our partnership program community in Guatemala. José Teletor Camaja’s coffee farm is part of the community.
More information on Paulig’s sustainability efforts is available at: paulig.com/sustainability
If you are interested in interviewing a coffee farmer or our other partners in countries of origin, please contact:
Pirjo Hästbacka, Communications Manager, Paulig, +358 50 356 8359, media@paulig.com
About Paulig
Paulig is a family-owned, international group in the food industry that is noted for its high-quality brands and services. The company’s key areas are Paulig Coffee, Paulig Foods and Paulig Snacks. Our brands are Paulig, Santa Maria, Risenta, Gold&Green and Poco Loco. Paulig has 2.000 employees in 13 countries and its net sales in 2017 were EUR 929 million. www.pauliggroup.com
Paulig Coffee constitutes 38% of Paulig’s net sales and it’s the market leader in Finland and the Baltic countries. In Russia Paulig Coffee is the second-biggest supplier of roasted coffee. Paulig supplies its products and services to the retail trade, the Foodservice sector and workplaces through the Paulig Professional business unit. The company's coffee roasteries are located in Vuosaari in Helsinki, in Porvoo in Finland and in Tver in Russia. Paulig Coffee roasteries produce over 100 million packages of coffee or roughly 50 million kilos of coffee per year.
