Certification in the coffee industry and what you didn’t know
– PROTECT THE ORIGIN –
Coffee is one of the agricultural products with the widest range of certifications, from organic, fair trade, and sustainable certification, to quality, provenance, or origin certification. This recognition has different meanings and impacts on the coffee industry in general and stakeholders in particular. Join 43 Factory Coffee Roaster to discover some of the certifications in the coffee industry and what you might not know about them!
Certification in the coffee industry
Essentially, certifications in the coffee industry are often used to demonstrate that a certain type of coffee is grown, traded, and sold in an environmentally, socially or commercially sustainable manner. These certification bodies will be responsible for supporting and training producers in regenerative agricultural techniques, responding to climate change, and helping to connect farmers to international markets. On the contrary, the manufacturer must ensure compliance with the strict requirements and standards of the certification.
There are different types of certifications with the main focus on sustainability for the coffee industry. Some of the most popular certifications include:
– Fairtrade
– USDA Organic
– 4C
– UTZ
– Rainforest Alliance
Depending on the standards of each type of certification, the labeled coffee batches will carry different meanings. The UTZ certification, for example, launched in 2002 will focus on sustainable farming methods to bring more opportunities to coffee producers around the world. These certified batches of coffee will meet strict requirements including ensuring safe and healthy working conditions, protecting the environment and being free from exploitative or child labor practices.
Transparency of the private certification scheme
Although there are now many prestigious international coffee certifications, there is a rigorous testing process. However, businesses still create private coffee certificates. According to Humberto Florezi Filho – Managing Director of Falcafé in Brazil (a green coffee trading company operating in more than 70 countries), one of the decisive reasons why the business created its own certification program is because buyers demand more transparency. Through the separate certification of each business, buyers can know exactly which coffee lot is from which producer, processor or even the information of the farmers that cooperate with those businesses. Besides, the standards to achieve certification can also make users understand more about the type of coffee they are using.
His company also has its own certification. It’s called Falcafé Certified – a separate program used to certify high-quality coffee sold through direct trade. Thanks to the Falcafé Certified certification attached to each product package, consumers can identify coffee batches belonging to or cooperating with Falcafé. This also makes it easier for consumers to access and check the manufacturer’s information, making them increasingly necessary for the company’s brand. In addition, Falcafé certification brings great benefits to smallholders. When participating in certification, these farmers will be supported by the company to be able to market their coffee and receive a fair price.
Coffee certification builds long-term commercial relationships
Certification programs have a number of clear benefits for supply chain stakeholders. Consumers are becoming ever more discerning about the products they buy and are increasingly looking for certain brands that indicate how sustainable their coffee is. Environmental and social certifications can let customers of coffee roasters and businesses know that coffee has been grown ethically and responsibly. From there, they can reach a wider market, make consumers prioritize brand choice and increase the rate of returning to them.
In addition, certifications can also give roasters a certain amount of confidence in their suppliers. Based on the standards of each type of certification, enterprises can determine the quality, ethics, and responsibility of the manufacturer. This means they can safely commit to ordering coffee batches from certain producers over a long period of time. Enterprises have stable and quality supply, farmers ensure output and long-term profits. This win-win relationship will create a good foundation for a sustainable commercial relationship to develop the industry.
As you can see, certification programs can offer a number of benefits to producers, roasters and consumers. It will bridge the gap between stakeholders in the coffee industry, enable clearer, more transparent information and bring people economic, environmental and social values.
If you want to experience a transparent cup of coffee or contain sustainable values during the supply process, choose XLIII Coffee – A specialty coffee supplier developed from the forerunner 43 Factory Coffee Roaster!
Source: perfectdailygrind.
Related articles:
– Roasting curve – the variable that determines the taste quality of coffee
– Optimal solution for using water in Arabica coffee productio
SPECIALTY COFFEE
