21.3.2018 Press release
Earth Hour, the largest environmental event in the world, will soon again encourage you to switch off any non-essential lights to fight climate change. Paulig is participating in the action against climate change with all its might, as climate change will pose a serious threat to the availability of coffee and the livelihood of coffee farmers in the future. Paulig is committed to reducing its climate impacts by 40 per cent by the end of 2020. The company also wants to inspire people to take small actions to fight climate change in their own kitchens.

Climate change is the biggest threat to a high-quality coffee crop. If the predicted rise of 2–2.5 degrees Celsius in average global temperatures holds, the land area suitable for the farming of Arabica coffee, a favourite of many Finns, will decrease by 50% by the year 2050. In addition, the rising temperature will cause coffee beans to ripen faster, which will decrease the quality of the coffee.

“The availability of coffee and the status of coffee farming as a livelihood in the year 2080 are at stake. It is entirely possible that coffee will become a luxury product that only few can enjoy,” says András Koroknay-Pál, Head of Sourcing at Paulig.

Blend 2080 demonstrated coffee’s bleak future

Finns consume more than 2 million cups of coffee every day. This means ten kilograms in a year and 20 packages and 1,000 cups of coffee per person. What will Finns drink if the world runs out of coffee?

Paulig created a tangible example of the worst-case scenario by collaborating with an Australian coffee expert to produce the Blend 2080, a coffee without coffee. The product development took a long time, and it was finally settled that the blend would be made of malt, dried figs, fermented Pu’er tea and carob bean powder. The taste of Blend 2080 is a stirring experience: At Paulig, we hope that we will never have to create a product like this again. We want to offer the same coffee experiences to future generations that we can enjoy today. Paulig is committed to long-term climate action through concrete efforts and commitments.

Concrete action towards a brighter future for coffee

Paulig is involved in long-term climate action carried out through collaboration. The company is also active in society commitments and energy efficiency agreements to implement the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. In Finland, Paulig is a Climate Partner for the City of Helsinki, and one of the objectives of the entire coffee chain is to support 70,000 coffee farmers in adjusting to climate change by 2019 through the Coffee & Climate project. The project has really improved the conditions of coffee farming in the countries of origin. In future, Paulig will be even more involved in partnership programmes that will help coffee farmers to improve their income level and the well-being of the entire local community.

“We need good, reliable partners in order to guarantee the happy value chain of coffee. Through the partnership programmes, we commit to long-term improvement of local conditions and the livelihood of coffee farmers. We support farmers by, for example, training and agronomics education,” explains Koroknay-Pál from Paulig.

Paulig is committed to reducing its climate impacts by 40 per cent by the end of 2020. This can be achieved by investing in energy-efficient solutions and renewable energy. All Paulig coffees are roasted in Finland with only biogas. In late 2017, the rate of renewable energy used at the roastery in Vuosaari was increased to 100 per cent, and all waste produced by the roastery is recycled. The objective is that by the year 2025 all of Paulig’s packaging will be made out of renewable raw material.

“We have made a promise that by the end of this year, all coffee sourced by Paulig will come from verified sustainable sources. People want to know where and in what conditions coffee grows.”

Fight climate change in your own kitchen

Efforts to stop global warming are required from governments, enterprises, coffee farmers and consumers alike. There are small things you can do in your own kitchen to participate in changing the course of coffee’s future.

You should always make just the right amount of coffee to avoid unnecessary waste. Don’t keep the coffee maker on if you don’t need it; instead, switch it off after the coffee is ready. Recycle coffee grounds as bio-waste. All of Paulig’s coffee packages, both those containing aluminium and packages made entirely of plastic, can be sorted in the Rinki Oy plastic collection bins or, in the Helsinki region, in the plastic packaging waste containers arranged by HSY for residential buildings. You can also dispose of the packages with mixed waste, meaning that they will be burned and utilised in energy production. For more recycling tips, please visit the Paulig consumer service blog.

Paulig Kulma in Helsinki city centre and Paulig’s roasteries in Finland participate in the Earth Hour event on Saturday 24th March 8:30pm switching off their lights for one hour in order to fight climate change and ensure a brighter future for coffee. The last opportunity to try out Paulig’s Blend 2080 will take place at the Helsinki Coffee Festival on 20–22 April.

 

21.3.2018

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