At Supremo we make the claim that
we want  a more Organic cup of coffee for all. 

Why organic coffees?

Over the recent years

Over the recent years food and beverage consumption trends have changed and propulsed us all in an evolving World where people are increasingly aware of what they consume. Consumers express the need to better understand where their coffee comes from, how it was produced, or how good it is for the environment. As a result, in most developed markets, people today speak by the way they consume, not by raising their voices. This is forcing a sense of accountability from food producers, manufacturers, and retailers around the World. It is particularly more obvious when it comes to coffee, a produce grown thousands of kilometers from the consumer-centric countries where it is mostly consumed.
 
At Supremo we started to get involved in sourcing Organic coffees in 2014, building up the offering capacity of Fair Trade Organic coffees mainly in answer to the demand from our roasters customers. Today we pride ourselves in the fact that almost one out of two coffee beans we source is Organically produced, whether certified only Organic or combined with other certificates such as Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance. We have grown our involvement in such coffees over the past years with focus put on the reliability of the supply chains and ensuring ourselves, and our customer base, an access to all types of coffee qualities available from most Origins which produce Organic coffee.

Our expertise around these coffees is not solely commercially motivated. The recent years have seen a surge of cases of Organic coffees arriving in Europe with Glyphosate (a herbicide component) levels above the Maximum Residue Limit. We have taken it upon ourselves, and upon our Supply Chains, to improve our understanding of why some Organic coffees would show excessive traces of residues, thereby rendering the product dangerous and the sourcing unreliable. 

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate contamination in coffee poses potential health risks. This commonly used herbicide can find its way into coffee beans through contaminated soil or water. Research suggests a possible link between glyphosate exposure and several health issues, including an increased risk of certain cancers, hormone disruption, and negative impacts on gut bacteria, potentially leading to digestive and immune problems. Long-term exposure has also been associated with liver and kidney damage. To minimize the risk of glyphosate in your coffee, consider choosing organic brands (such as ours), seeking out products that have undergone third-party testing, and reducing overall exposure to glyphosate from other food sources.

 

With special thanks to Gabrielle Crowley, Community Outreach Coordinator at Drugwatch.

More info

Our Organic Team

In 2019 we set-up a Committee in charge of research. From surveying Origins to executing broad sample testing we could draw our own risk-map, allowing us to consider the future of our Organic coffee sourcing with the required confidence to do so, and with better knowledge of our own Supply Chains.

Since the beginning of 2020

We continued approaching the topic from various angles. As the Covid-19 sanitary crisis hit the planet at the beginning of the year we realised how important it was for end-consumers to have access to a safe and reliable cup of coffee. In order to meet the shift in demand (more volume of a better Organic coffee) we will soon be releasing our own Internal Policy, defining how we source and sell Organic coffees of the World. This will ensure all members of our Teams apply the utmost care in their day-to-day operations around Organic coffees, from the choice of suppliers, to contract documentation, quality approval, and delivery to our dear clients.

We also recently held a Webinar about the high prices for Organic coffees, and on why it is perfectly acceptable to pay more for such coffees. A recording of this webinar is available here below.
 
As the coming years will undoubtedly bring more learnings, and consumption patterns continue evolving, we, at Supremo, make the claim that we want to head towards a more Organic cup of coffee for all. 
In this section of our website, which is still under construction at the time of writing this article, you will find diverse information about Organic coffees. We wish you a pleasant browsing and please do get in touch would you have any questions or would you be looking at entrusting us with your sourcing of Organic green coffee. 
Link to the webinar
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