The non-profit partnership International Coffee Partners (ICP) has announced its new Chair: Rui Miguel Nabeiro, CEO of Grupo Nabeiro/Delta Cafés, Portugal. He is taking over the role from Kathrine Löfberg, Chair of the Board at Löfbergs, Sweden, who was in office for the past six years.
After several years of development, the Swedish-based coffee roaster Löfbergs is now presenting a world first in the form of coffee packages in mono-laminate. The benefit of the new packaging is that it can be recycled instead of incinerated, which creates prerequisites for a circular economy. The climate impact is reduced with 55 per cent compared to previous packages.
There is a need for increased justice in the value chain and we work with that in several different ways. For instance, certifications. We imported the first container of organic coffee to Sweden in 1995. Today we are one of the world’s largest buyers and roaster of organic and Fairtrade coffee today.
Working with certifications means that an independent party controls the farm, that the produ
The coffee industry faces great challenges, and many coffee farmers are struggling every day to survive financially. It is threatening the livelihoods and makes fewer young people see a future as coffee farmers, which in the long run can decrease the access to coffee. We work in many ways in our own value chain, for example through supplier follow-ups, development projects and certifications. But
A fair growth on commercial terms, where fundamental human rights are respected, is a prerequisite for sustainable development, and to contribute to a more fair, performance-driven and transparent value chain is at core in our sustainability work. We aim to be a driving force when it comes to creating better possibilities for coffee farmers and their communities around the world.
The circular transformation must extend outside of our own business to make a real difference. We want to involve both coffee farmers and consumers, and everyone in between, on our journey ahead. But we do not have all the solutions yet, and we have to work innovatively both internally and externally to find them.
Sustainability has always been important for us at Löfbergs, ever since we started in 1906. It permeates our entire business and everything we do. We are proud of how far we have come in some areas, but there is still left to be done in others. Our aim towards continuous sustainability improvement characterises our whole culture.
Through purposeful efforts and large investments, Swedish-based Löfbergs has successfully reduced its climate impact with 90 per cent over the last three years. The results are presented in the sustainability report that the family-owned coffee roaster releases today.
"Era of We thus gives the coffee farmers a voice and enables them to differentiate themselves with independent brands. That way, they are also empowered to set the price of their products themselves. It fundamentally changes the rules of the game."
A transparent coffee industry for the benefit of the farmers who grow the coffee. That is the ambition of Era of We, a new digital platform that gives coffee farmers the opportunity to set prices and create their own brands, and everyone can participate. In 2021, Löfbergs Group joined Era of We as the first roaster, launching the platform in Sweden. Now the turn has come to Denmark.
Kajsa-Lisa Ljudén has been appointed new Head of Sustainability at Swedish-based Löfbergs Group. Kajsa-Lisa has ten years’ experience of sustainability work and is currently working as sustainability strategist at the family-owned coffee roaster. She succeeds Eva Eriksson, who is retiring after 34 years at Löfbergs.
The sustainability project Rescued Coffee began a year ago, a cooperation between Circle K and Löfbergs with the purpose to minimize unnecessary waste of coffee beans. Four batches of Rescued Coffee has been launched during the year, which means that 26 tons of coffee that risked being wasted has been drunk up instead.
The Steering Committee of the initiative for coffee&climate (c&c) has appointed Kathrine Löfberg, Löfbergs, Sweden, as the new Chair. She follows Nanda Bergstein, Tchibo, Germany, while Mario Cerutti, Lavazza, Italy, continues as Vice Chair.
The Swedish-based coffee group Löfbergs is behind the initiative Circular Coffee Community with the purpose of eliminating all waste related to coffee. A unique test will now determine if residues from Löfbergs’s coffee roastery can be used to produce nutritious garden soil. If the test is successful, the coffee residues can replace fossil peat and decrease the emissions of greenhouse gases.
A sustainable development requires co-operation. We also get better by learning from others. At Löfbergs, we are engaged in a number of networks and initiatives to influence the social development and share knowledge and experience regarding sustainability with others.
Löfbergs believe in inclusion and diversity and want to offer their co-workers a workplace, where everyone no matter their gender, age and origin can be themselves, contribute, and develop. A safe, inclusive, and developing culture with a diversity perspective makes the company smarter and more profitable.
A fair growth on commercial conditions, where fundamental human rights are respected, is a prerequisite for sustainable development. To secure the supply of coffee for tomorrow, Löfbergs are working together with a number of players to improve the coffee farmers’ living conditions, development possibilities, and ability to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Coffee is amazing! The smell and the taste of it, that it gives us energy, and wakes us up. Coffee is a social glue that brings people together. But we also know that coffee could mean so much more. The coffee’s full potential is not being used today. Löfbergs want to change that and contribute to a 100 per cent circular production and consumption of coffee, totally waste-free.
Löfbergs are determined to be in the forefront and contribute to a sustainable future. The starting point is to minimise the negative effect and maximise the positive. The perspective has always been to build for coming generations.
It´s about the power of doing things together. That goes for sustainability as well of course. Here Kathrine Löfberg, chair of the board, and Anders Fredriksson, CEO, share their thoughts on Löfbergs´ sustainability work.
