Sustainability in Coffee

Organic

World Cup Roasters has been certified under federal standards by an independent organization to roast organic coffee. Organic production means growing coffee without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. As fruit bearing trees coffee plants are heavy feeders, so organic farming is extremely difficult. As demand for organic products increases the farmers have increased the quality of products offered. Some of the benefits of organic farming include less need for chemicals in the growing countries, less chemicals in river runoff, and safer coffee handling for farmers.

Shade Grown

This is a method of planting and growing crops under the shade of larger forests. It eliminates the need for clear-cutting shade trees, thus maintaining a protective environment for birds and other wildlife. It also creates a richer soil, decreases the need for many chemical additives, and helps the land avoid topsoil runoff during the rainy season. The standards for "shade grown" have been set by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center as: a minimum of 10 native species and minimum shade coverage of 40% of the land.

Fair Trade

The coffee market is the second largest commodity in the world. Many times during its history the supply has exceeded the demand and the prices have dipped well below the cost of production for the farmers. Fair traded coffees ensure that more of the money ends up in the hands of the farmer for better care of the plants, environment, and farm workers. The extra money may be spent on schools, medical facilities and other local projects to benefit the community.

Relationship Coffees

World Cup has committed relationships with a few direct farm contacts in specific growing countries. This way of doing business has given us the ability to give specific information on how we would like our coffee processed, when we desire it to be shipped, and other quality standards we look for in our beans. The farmer benefits from a fixed price for their coffees that is higher than what they would receive in the open market. The farmer also creates a brand name for their coffees and increases their understanding of the end user. Many of these farmers build schools, housing and health facilities, and even soccer fields for their workers. World Cup supports these farmers for their efforts to maintain a good working environment and care for their workers.