During the last 35 years, coffee consumption has as much as doubled across the whole globe. In fact, 41% of people in the US drink coffee daily – with a 9% increase from 1999 to 2017*, and in China consumption is expected to grow to $45bn by 2020, up from $10.5bn in 2015**. As a result, unsustainable decisions have been made to meet the constant increasing demand and to maximise profits within the coffee industry.
Billy King, Director Sustainable Development, Kahlúa comments ‘We recognise that the way we consume, do business and ultimately live has to change. At Kahlúa, we believe that the quality and character of our product comes from the land where the ingredients are grown, so we are committed to nurturing that terroir and its biodiversity. With this programme, we have the opportunity to engage with communities we rely on for our ingredients and work together to ensure a strong and more sustainable future for us all.’
‘That’s why we have chosen to build this programme from scratch, in collaboration with the local NGO Fondo Para La Paz and the indigenous coffee communities in Veracruz. We are all part of the same journey, with a shared vision and a shared responsibility. Together we hope to have a positive impact on our business, the lives of the people in Veracruz and in our own unique Kahlua way, the world we all live in.’
As one of the most tradable commodities in the world, coffee has proven itself to be an extremely profitable industry. Yet, with the booming global coffee trend and its increased demand worldwide comes an obligation to protect the people and the fragile eco-systems Kahlúa so heavily rely upon. For example, rising temperatures, drought and flooding could shrink 88% of the world’s coffee growing areas by 2050***. Other concerns around the coffee industry include the clearance of the rainforest to make way for coffee farming, the usage of pesticides, and the extreme poverty for the farmers, who sometimes receive as little as 10% of the prices seen in retail.
Malin Stålnacke, Global Sustainability Manager, Kahlúa, adds: ‘The figures are startling and as the world’s leading coffee liqueur brand, we have a responsibility to make sure we work towards minimising and proactively prevent the negative impact that the farming, production and sourcing of coffee currently have on our planet. We’ve realised that there’s no simple solution to the problem and this is why we have developed our threefold programme approach, as an answer to how we would like to work on the many different aspects of this challenge moving forward.’