MelbourneNorg

Bean there, done that

Okay Perth Norgites, here's some Maccas news that should appeal to those who enjoy sustainable coffee:

In a move that will make choosing a sustainably grown cup of coffee easier for Australian coffee lovers, McDonald’s Australia today announced that every bean used to make the 50 million cups of coffee served annually at its McCafés, will come from Rainforest Alliance Certified^TM farms.

With 484 counters across the country, McCafé is the first major coffee chain in

Australia to source 100 per cent of its coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. The decision will benefit the environment, as well as coffee growing communities in Colombia, Costa Rica and Brazil where McCafé sources beans.

To be awarded the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal, farms must meet specific standards balancing all aspect of production, including protecting the environment, the rights and welfare of workers and the interest of coffee-growing communities. The standards were developed by the Rainforest Alliance, an independent, international environment organisation, and other conservation groups that comprise the Sustainable Agriculture Network.

Rainforest Alliance senior marketing manager, Sabrina Vigilante, said: “McDonald’s

Australia is making a huge commitment to coffee communities and the environment they depend on by embedding sustainably grown coffee into their business strategy.  

“Farms that have earned the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal are better managed, use less pesticides, offer better working conditions such as decent housing and access to clean water as well as education and medical care for farmers and their families. Wildlife and water, forests and soils must also be protected.

“Now more Australian coffee lovers can do their bit and contribute to sustainable futures for coffee farmers, farm workers and their families by grabbing a cup of coffee at McCafé,” she continued.

The decision to source all McCafé coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms means that in 2008, McDonald’s Australia will purchase 468,000 kilograms of certified beans.

“We believe that sourcing and serving coffee from sustainably managed farms is the right thing to do,” McDonald’s Australia COO, Catriona Noble  said.

“For our customers, the decision means they can feel even better about the great tasting McCafé coffee they love, while for our business it marks another important step forward in realising our commitment to sustainability and sustainable business practices.

“While in the first instance we will be sourcing only our McCafé coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, it’s our intention that from March next year we will begin sourcing our entire coffee bean buy of around 1.2 million kilograms from farms certified under the scheme. This will mean the coffee beans used to make every cup of espresso and filter coffee served at McDonald’s will come from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

“We’re proud of this decision and the positive impact it will have on coffee growing communities and the environment, however, like most businesses and individuals, we understand there’s more to do,” Noble continued.

“We’re committed to working with experts, as well as our suppliers and licensee community, to find better, more sustainable ways of doing business. In the same way we have improved our menu and included healthier options over the last five or six years, you can expect us to look to increase the sustainability of our menu – from farm, through supply chain, to customer,” she concluded.

Coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms will be launched across McDonald’s Australia McCafés tomorrow and follows successful launches in other McDonald’s markets including the UK and parts of Europe. More information can be found at www.mccafesustainablecoffee.com.

* John Cooke provides PR services to McDonald's in WA