Happy Birthday, Earth! We couldn’t live without you—seriously! Our planet has been around for over 4.5 billion years and we want to honor that. This year’s Earth Day theme encourages us to invest in our planet by implementing innovative solutions for a sustainable future. How? By acting boldly, innovating broadly, and implementing equally. Read on to learn how we do coffee differently to support a better tomorrow.
As the first specialty coffee producer in a National Park, we’re committed to preserving the land we farm on. Regenerative agriculture provides a wide range of environmental and societal benefits. On Mount Gorongosa, we work with over 850 farmers who support the ecosystem using sustainable farming methods. They plant native hardwood trees alongside their coffee plants to provide shade and preserve the biodiversity around them. This counters climate change by reducing levels of atmospheric carbon and boosting soil health.
So what's the catch? There isn’t one. The farmers' crops are rainfed and grown without herbicides or pesticides. They compost coffee waste and use it to regenerate the soil for future seedlings. Their soils are healthier and it shows. Crops are more nutrient-dense and the negative environmental impacts seen in traditional farming practices are reduced.
Watch the clip below to hear what one of our Farmers, Tereselia, has to say about the impact she’s seen from intercropping.
We want to keep the focus on what matters most. That’s why we use regenerative trade to describe the way we do business. Regenerative trade puts impact first by paying farmers above fair market prices for their yield, regardless of quality, and contributing 100% of profits back to their communities, ecosystem, and local economy.
We purchase green beans directly from our farmers, without intermediaries, and dedicate time and resources to training, inputs, and infrastructure so they can continue to grow sustainably and earn even more over time. On average, our coffee farmers earn close to 10x the income they would have earned through the sale of crops like maize.
Regenerative trade also supports employment opportunities along the coffee value chain. Planting, harvesting, and processing happen right in Gorongosa. This opens up jobs for people from local communities in not just the coffee industry, but also in agricultural processing, eco-tourism, and construction.
By definition, regenerative practices should never end! That’s why 100% of profits earned from our coffee sales go back to supporting Gorongosa National Park. Our sole shareholder is the Gorongosa Trust which funds the Park’s human development and conservation activities. The Trust takes the profits from each blend and works directly with local stakeholders (including our very own farmers) on initiatives that benefit their communities, ecosystems, and local economy.
One of these community initiatives is girls' education. A key focus for us is closing the gender gap to create equal opportunities for everyone. Girls receive scholarships so they can complete school, and are encouraged to join programs like Girls’ Club. This supports The Park's ultimate goal of having 50% of its employees be women.
Our planet is huge, but the smallest changes can leave the greatest impact. That’s why coffee isn’t the only thing we're committed to doing differently. You can join us in celebrating earth today — and every day! — with these simple solutions.
100% of profits support people, wildlife, and the planet in Gorongosa National Park. Visit our Instagram page for a chance to win an Earth Day giveaway!