Coffee in Canada by Karthik

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

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Drink Coffee, Regrow Forests… A Business Case and 10K Race Merchants of Green Coffee reduces CO2e coffee emissions via subscriptions to its new Zero Footprint Coffee program. Merchants of Green Coffee & Mesoamerican Development Institute (MDI)

he heat is on… For every pound of coffee produced and consumed, more than 100 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions are generated. This is a conservative estimate based on Mesoamerican Development Institute (MDI)'s scientific research and it reveals that this everyday habit we share cannot be sustained without people and our warming planet paying the price. Zero Footprint Coffee is Merchants of Green Coffee and MDI's science-backed solution to this problem. For every one-pound bag of Zero Footprint Coffee, more than 100 pounds of CO2e emissions are sequestered in the regenerative forests right beside where the coffee grows. There are 20 million The fact that the Canadian coffee drinkers. emissions are specificIf just 10,000 of them ally being sequestered subscribe to Zero at the location of the Footprint Coffee right coffee farms and not somewhere else is what now, their habit will makes this program kickstart a critical coffee intrinsically sustainable reforestation program. and different from all other net zero strategies. Support for this hybrid coffee/reforestation program is needed immediately, so we're on a race and this is our business case. There are 20 million Canadian coffee drinkers. If just 10,000 of them subscribe to Zero Footprint Coffee right now, their habit will kickstart a critical coffee reforestation program. This is a race to reduce coffee emissions — so we can wake up feeling good about our morning cup, knowing our day starts with great coffee and enhances forest restoration in hard-hit, coffee-growing communities.

Our morning dose of caffeine has a big footprint Coffee is an everyday example of a heavy human footprint, causing deforestation and thus contributing to climate change. The math has been done. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest are lost every year to produce coffee, similar to other agricultural industries. In 2020 the Sustainable Coffee Challenge published that, “Coffee producers will have to triple their production by 2050 to meet demand and 60 percent of the area suitable to grow coffee in 2050 is covered by forest.” At this rate of increased demand coupled with deforestation, Honduras (home to Central America’s largest forests and where the Zero Footprint Coffee program’s research is based) is on track to lose all remaining forests within the next 30 years. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and human migration compound the issues. Given all of our data, we can extrapolate that no

coffee or organization today is having enough impact to prevent a global atmospheric temperature rise past 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. Gloria Steinem was right when she said, “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” The good news is that Canadians can immediately start solving this problem by choosing to embrace a coffee with an on-theground solution — in other words, by signing up for Zero Footprint Coffee.

Racing toward the forest-restoring coffee dream Cafe Solar® green beans (a.k.a. the forest-restoring coffee supply) are the heart and soul of this program and every bag of Zero Footprint Coffee sold supports Cafe Solar® in one way or another. The coffee is grown using a system called Integrated Open Canopy™ (IOC™), an at-source climate mitigation means of producing coffee. Its production involves renewable, solar-energy processing and carbon farming alongside coffee. This makes it more effective than all other net zero strategies. IOC™ coffee is designed to save and restore high-elevation forests in the Yoro Biological Corridor while producing a valuable product that contributes to the region. Its findings and methodology are endorsed by local municipalities, federal forest agencies, the National Science Foundation, multiple universities, and many conservation organizations.

(Zero Footprint) Coffee is our common ground In a divisive world, it’s comforting to have something in common like coffee. Zero Footprint Coffee allows the caring, everyday coffee drinker to independently subscribe and collectively support the reduction of CO2e. The subscription program and race to 10,000 subscribers is our grassroots initiative, engineered from the bottom up by our team of caring people on a mission to address climate change. Collectively, the first 10,000 subscribers, at a modest two pounds of coffee per month, will sequester 24 million pounds of CO2e emissions and restore 800 acres of forest — not to mention getting access to the “first 10K” swag and the significance that they were among the first coffee drinkers to act on this important issue. The first 10,000 subscribers also won’t be the last. Making coffee more sustainable will, by nature, require coffee supply chain stakeholders (big and small), governments, and consumers around the world cooperating on this issue, and this is the ultimate goal. Zero Footprint Coffee subscribers are clearing a path for all coffee supply chain members to get involved and benefit. Plus, they're putting pressure on finance groups and industry coffee

buyers to use their power, act faster, and be accountable for our shared future. As one of these first 10,000 subscribers, you’ll be a part of the group that leads the way for others to a more sustainable coffee supply chain. With Zero Footprint Coffee, you get great-tasting coffee, while actively fighting deforestation and climate change. Zero Footprint Coffee deliveries begin in December 2021. Available through online order only. Scheduled deliveries to your door can have a lower footprint than retail shelves.

What will an immediate 10,000* subscriptions to Zero Footprint Coffee do?

Deliver exceptional-tasting net zero coffee to all participants at market rates directly to the door. See zerofootprintcoffee.com for delivery schedules and options.

Zero Footprint Coffee is our science-backed solution. Make a difference with every cup and sign up today at zerofootprint coffee.com.

ZERO FOOTPRINT COFFEE

All orders of Zero Footprint Coffee will strengthen investments in green technologies. Specifically, a Central American development bank will release $10 million in green technology investments for MDI’s off-grid carbonneutral processing factory with five hybrid solar/biofuel-powered drying towers in Honduras, a major coffee producer in dire need of support. *Based on 2 lbs of coffee/month for 1 year.

We encourage readers to learn more, including about a recent, much needed change to the Canadian investment law (45-110) and how it empowers Canadians. This article was sponsored by Merchants of Green Coffee.

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

P H OTO C O U RT ESY O F B R I G I T T E TO H M / U N S P L AS H

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Innovative Coffee Services for Today's Evolving and Hybrid Workplaces Van Houtte Coffee Services’ latest innovations for the changing workplace are helping organizations successfully re-engage their employees. Tania Amardeil

he coffee break is a quintessential part of office life. If there’s one thing that many of us have missed during the work-from-home era, it’s the sense of community and connection with colleagues that happens over a good cup of coffee.

Supporting staff in the return to work

Kim McKenna Senior Marketing Manager, Van Houtte Coffee Services

With employees coming back to workplaces and more companies adopting hybrid work models, it’s high time to celebrate the coffee break comeback. As some employees are hesitant to return to the office, it’s important to provide perks to motivate and welcome them warmly. “Reigniting employees’ engagement toward the organization and their colleagues is key, and for me, coffee is part of that overall experience,” says Marc-André Vézina, General Manager of Van Houtte Coffee Services (VHCS), Canada's leading coffee service provider. Workplaces are changing and so is the coffee break. VHCS has unveiled several innovations in the coffee service segment to support businesses with this new reality as organizations are rethinking office layouts, company culture, and employees' benefits program. These include coffee solutions for rotating or flexible schedules, with different brewer technology, cozy coffee stations, beverage variety, healthy snack and meal options, and the HomeBase Café Program.

Good coffee and food sparks collaboration “It was key for us as a partner to take a step back, understand the new reality, and support businesses with our Safety Brewed Together™ program and other solutions they needed to bring employees back to the workplace, or to maintain engagement levels for those

remaining at home,” says Kim McKenna, office lunch and coffee breaks, thanks to Senior Marketing Manager at VHCS. convenient, nutritious, affordable meals An important component of the new office designed by world-class chefs that can be work model involves rethinking office laycooked on-site using its Smart Cooker™, outs to foster teamwork, productivity, and and an app with personalized subsidies and creativity, and VHCS is helping its customers rewards. with creating these new collaboration hubs surrounding coffee. It’s about providing Coffee solutions for work-from-home employees with a comfortable concession staff stand experience with state-of-the-art brewers Employees working from home also need a and the coffee brands they love, combined coffee break, and VHCS has an innovative with ideally designed spaces that are favoursolution to keep them engaged, too. The able for product ive new HomeBase Café teamwork throughout Program is the coffee the workday, without brea k solut ion for employees having to remote teams. It’s a leave the workplace. teleworking coffee pro“It’s not just about gram that allows staff to It’s not just about delicious beverages and enjoy a monthly subsidy delicious beverages and a great coffee experience, from their employer to a great coffee experience, order coffee online at it’s bringing solutions to it’s bringing solutions to simplify the lives of our discounted rates and business customers, and have it safely delivered simplify the lives of our livening up their day,” to their doorstep. It’s business customers, and adds McKenna. With an effective way to help livening up their day. that in mind, VHCS also remote teams stay prosecured a partnership ductive and engaged. with KitchenMate, an innovative Toron“Reimagining your coffee program may not to-based food-tech company that created be the top thing on your list as an employer, but a flexible, self-serve, fresh-food kiosk for you want to make sure you have a good partner the modern workplace. VHCS’ customers that will take care of that for you,” says Vézina. can offer their staff the next generation of And there’s no better partner than VHCS.

To learn more about rewarding your staff with a positive coffee experience in the new hybrid work model, visit vhcoffeeservices. com/hybrid-workmodel. This article was sponsored by Van Houtte Coffee Services.

Canada’s Evolving Coffee Industry Mediaplanet spoke with Robert Carter, President of the Coffee Association of Canada, to discuss the impact of the coffee industry on Canada’s economy and where the industry is headed post-pandemic.

P H OTO C O U RT ESY O F N A J I B K A L I L / U N S P L AS H

Marc-André Vézina General Manager, Van Houtte Coffee Services

Tell us about Canada’s role in sustainability in the coffee industry. It’s part of our mandate through the Coffee Association of Canada to provide support as much as we can to the origin countries that we import from. The association has taken the initiative and the lead in bringing global coffee associations together under one global group. We’re taking the lead on bringing Britain, France, Sweden, Germany, and Japan together for regular meetings to discuss bigger issues such as sustainability and fair wages for farmers and people in the origin countries we import from. We recognize that on the global stage, Canada may not be as influential overall. Our mandate is to work with other global associations on these important topics and bring all of our resources together to address some of these critical issues like sustainability. The end goal is to ensure that we have a viable industry for future generations.

How has the pandemic changed in-home and out-of-home coffee consumption? Overall, coffee consumption as a whole didn’t change if we look at the top-line level. The frequency and volume of coffee

consumption remained stable. What took place was a dramatic shift from out-of-home coffee consumption to in-home coffee consumption. With stay-at-home orders and restaurants having to close down, out-ofhome consumption shifted dramatically to in-home. We saw a dramatic increase in the purchase of coffee machines for the home, but not just basic drip coffee machines. A lot more consumers were purchasing single-serve coffee machines and espresso machines. Consumers were really upgrading their coffee machines and the types of coffees that they were preparing in-home. Coffee consumption remained stable, but there was a significant shift in terms of how consumers were accessing their coffee.

What is Canada doing to rebuild the out-of-home coffee market? The Coffee Association of Canada has a piece of global-leading consumer research based on data collected from going out and speaking to consumers on a very frequent basis. Historically, we’ve done this research once a year. When the pandemic hit, we shifted and began conducting this research every two months to really understand consumers’ feelings about both in-home and out-ofhome consumption. We’ve taken that research and armed our members with an understanding of what the barriers are for consumers to get back into out-of-home consumption and into coffee shops, along with understanding what coffee shops and quick-service coffee players need to do to make sure that people are comfortable understanding how to attract more consumers. We’ve taken an aggressive position in understanding those motivators that get consumers back out into the marketplace and help our restaurant membership and the industry overall so they can start to capitalize on the restaurant industry’s rebound.

Where do you see Canada’s coffee industry headed as we head into the new normal? The coffee industry is really evolving and there’s a lot more innovation taking place. We’re seeing great innovation on the producing side. We’re also seeing great innovation on the consumer-facing side. For example, cold brew and nitro cold brew coffee have really started to explode. The coffee industry is shifting from traditional types of coffee to much more innovative coffee beverages and flavourThe coffee industry is ing. The industry is also shifting from traditional attracting younger consumers — coffee is no types of coffee to longer just your parents’ much more innovative favourite drink. coffee beverages and Not only from the flavouring. The industry producing side, but from is also attracting younger the consumer side, we’re going to continue to see consumers — coffee is no innovation help drive the longer just your parents’ industry forward.

favourite drink.

How is the Coffee Association of Canada progressing alongside the coffee industry? We’ve really made an effort to evolve the association to be reflective of the changing dynamics of the market. We recently launched a new council called the Innovation Council. The members are 40 years of age and under and their role is to identify where the coffee market is headed, while making sure that the association is representative of the new realities in the coffee world. The council is also responsible for getting younger people involved in the association as well. The association has gone through some dramatic changes in the last couple of years to be much more reflective and inclusive to the industry as a whole.

Learn more about everything coffee from bean to cup at coffeeassoc.com.