VIENNA, Australia – Premium Viennese coffee brand, Julius Meinl, has officially joined the initiative for coffee&climate (c&c), marking a significant milestone in the alliance’s ongoing efforts to address the challenges of smallholder coffee farming families posed by climate change. With a more than decade-long track record, c&c stands as one of the most resilient networks in the coffee sustainability landscape, fostering collaboration among private and public partners to tackle the profound impact of climate change on coffee production.
As a key player in the coffee market, Julius Meinl’s entry in c&c adds substantial value to the alliance. The company recognizes the urgency of addressing climate change within the coffee sector. Julius Meinl’s commitment therefore aligns with c&c’s overall goal: effective responses to climate change, increasing resilience, and, ultimately, better livelihoods of smallholder coffee farming families.
Christina Meinl, a fifth-generation family member, expressed her dedication to this cause, stating, “As a family business, we have always run our company in a responsible way, and it is up to us to take an active role in creating and joining sustainable initiatives that will positively impact the entire coffee industry.
We have always strived to deliver the finest coffee blends to coffee enthusiasts worldwide and joining the initiative for coffee&climate reinforces our dedication to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices.”
Marcel Loeffler, CEO of the Julius Meinl Group, outlines the commitment of Julius Meinl: “We aim at spreading Vienna’s coffeehouse culture worldwide while ensuring a more sustainable and fairer future from farmers to consumers. This encompasses GHG reduction programs and circular economy initiatives and cumulates in dedicated activities with farmers and local communities in the origin. The Generations Program in Colombia and Uganda, aimed at promoting best practices and ensuring sustainable livelihoods, testifies the commitment. The ultimate goal is to ensure farmers can pass on their knowledge and coffee cultivations in a meaningful way to their next generations.”
Stefan Ruge, c&c Program Manager, emphasizes the significance of this partnership, stating: “Welcoming Julius Meinl as a new member provides an opportunity to extend our pro-active and collaborative efforts in addressing climate change challenges. c&c’s primary commitment lies in supporting smallholder coffee farming families. Collaborating closely with both, these families and esteemed scientific knowledge partners, we strive to develop robust, climate-resilient production systems. The purpose is to ensure coffee sustainability whilst enhancing food security and income diversification in these communities. With the dedicated support of Julius Meinl, we look forward to fortifying and expanding these impactful initiatives across our program regions.”
Amid climate change, the coffee sector faces a major threat, requiring close collaboration for resilient coffee livelihoods and fostering healthy landscapes. Julius Meinl, as part of c&c, will play a crucial role in this collaborative effort.
About the initiative for coffee&climate
The initiative for coffee&climate (c&c) is a pre-competitive partnership of private and public actors. Together they strive to support smallholder coffee farming families and their communities to effectively respond to climate change, increase their resilience, and improve their livelihoods.
