Coffee

Coffee prices are incredibly volatile and coffee farmers therefore have to contend with fluctuating income. This is why it is so important that Fairtrade minimum prices exist. Together with us, Fairtrade Max Havelaar is committed to ensuring that coffee is traded under fair conditions, resulting in a marked improvement in the working and living conditions of farming families and workers in the global south.

Coffee has been classified as a critical raw material by Coop since 2015. Sustainability is incredibly important to us when it comes to our own-label brands. As a result, all standard and speciality coffees from our own-label brands are certified in accordance with Fairtrade Max Havelaar (excl. Prix Garantie). Coffees from Prix Garantie are certified to Rainforest Alliance standard as a minimum. In terms of turnover, the percentage of Fairtrade coffee in our own-label brands is over 80 percent.

Reference prices for living income

We are going one step further, however, and are committed to living wages and income.As such, the Fairtrade-certified coffee farmers are paid the reference price for living income, which is above the Fairtrade minimum price. The current commitment applies to Naturaplan coffee from Peru and Mexico, as well as Naturaplan speciality coffee from Honduras.

Founding of the Coffee Centre of Excellence

Furthermore, we have founded a Coffee Centre of Excellence at Coop. This is where internal specialists establish our future coffee strategy. The team comprises specialists from various specialist areas (sustainability, packaging, sourcing, sensory perception, etc.) that play a role in coffee production. The aim is to further expand the existing, transparent supply chains for high-quality and sustainable coffee, and to establish long-term and personal trade relations with the coffee cooperatives.