AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands – JDE Peet’s, the world’s leading pure-play coffee and tea company by revenue, today announced that Luc Vandevelde will step down as Interim CEO and Chairman of the Board of JDE Peet’s, effective today, due to unforeseen matters that require his immediate attention.
JAB Managing Partner and Chairman, Peter Harf, who has served as Non-Executive Director of the Board since the inception of JDE Peet’s, will assume the role of Interim Chairman of the Board, effective immediately. Scott Gray, who is currently CFO of JDE Peet’s, will assume the additional role of Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
Upon his departure from JDE Peet’s, Mr. Vandevelde will join JAB as a Senior Advisor focused on the FMCG sector.
In April, JDE Peet’s initiated a search process for a permanent CEO, evaluating both internal and external candidates. This process is nearing completion, and the company intends to provide an update to the market later this year.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Luc for his tenure with JDE Peet’s, from Lead Independent Director at the time of our listing to Chairman and Interim CEO. Although he can no longer dedicate the time necessary for an executive role at JDE Peet’s, we are pleased that Luc will advise JAB on its FMCG investments with the time he does have available,” said Harf.
“JAB has strong conviction in the long-term growth prospects of JDE Peet’s, and we are fully committed to our investment in the world’s leading pure-play coffee and tea company.”
GATWICK, UK – Nestlé Professional continues its focus on inspiring young people through its Choose Hospitality Pledge program, by partnering with Sodexo to deliver mass career workshops at Sodexo Live! venue partners, Hampden Park in Glasgow, Everton FC’s Goodison Park and Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s American Express Stadium. Alongside this, another workshop at St James’ Park in Newcastle which is due to happen in the autumn term.
The Choose Hospitality Pledge career workshops engaged up to 250 secondary school pupils across the three stadia locations during the summer term.
The Choose Hospitality Pledge was established to help breathe new life into the sector by inspiring the next generation of talent. Its mission is to transform perceptions of the industry and ignite a passion for hospitality careers among young people, thereby fortifying the talent pipeline and addressing the projected talent deficit.
Held at iconic stadiums across the UK, the workshops provided an immersive and inspiring experience for all the students. For example, students were offered the unique opportunity to participate in hands-on skills taster sessions, such as working as a team to lay banqueting tables, helping to develop good team working and communication skills.
A key highlight was the inclusion of a series of panel events which brought together speakers from both Nestlé Professional and Sodexo Live! as well as industry talent from the local area. Students were able to take inspiration from hearing stories about their experiences in industry and initiate conversation with each panellist in an in-depth Q&A and gain plenty of valuable insight.
At the Brighton workshop, attendees had the privilege of hearing from Steven Edwards, chef patron at Etch and winner of 2013 MasterChef the Professionals, as well as Elycia Rayner, 2023 Toque d’Or back-of-house finalist and chef de partie at Oxford University.
The students also were able to hear from industry organisations such as UKHospitality, Springboard and HIT on routes into the sector, from specialist college courses and apprenticeship programmes, to direct employment. The events were divided into two breakout rooms with interactive stands, where students were able to explore various facets of the hospitality sector firsthand.
Commenting on the success of the events, Katya Simmons, MD, Nestlé Professional, said: “The Choose Hospitality Pledge was established to transform perceptions of hospitality careers and address the industry’s recruitment challenges. We are delighted to have collaborated with Sodexo in hosting these exclusive career workshops.
“Our partnership exemplifies the collective effort of the Choose Hospitality Pledge in addressing youth employment, a critical issue facing our industry. Together, we are urging hospitality businesses to unite and collaborate, offering meaningful opportunities for the next generation.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers and students who participated in making these events a success. Your contributions have been invaluable in inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals.”
Sue Davison, Head of apprenticeships and Early Careers Talent Team, Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted that our Corporate Services and Sodexo Live! teams have been able to collaborate and support this fantastic initiative. At Sodexo we are passionate about encouraging young talent to join the dynamic foodservice industry and through these workshops we hope to inspire the next generation.”
The workshops aligned with Provider Access Legislation (PAL) and Gatsby Benchmark 5, which offered pupils the chance to have meaningful interactions with employers.
Meadowhall Sheffield: Costa Coffee Exterior (credits: Costa Coffee)
SHEFFIELD, UK – Costa Coffee announces the reopening of its refreshed Meadowhall Drive Thru store on Vulcan Road, Sheffield. The modern store enhances the coffee experience with a variety of new and exciting features for customers. Focusing on convenience, the uplifted store introduces touch screen ordering and a dedicated collection point for those on the move.
This complements a refreshed counter and comfortable seating for those choosing to stay in. Costa Coffee’s expert baristas continue to serve those who prefer to enjoy the personal touch of counter service.
Making breakfast a delight, the store presents a new and tasty range of bakery items, freshly baked in-store daily. Customers can enjoy a selection of pastries, including flaky Cheese Twists and Pain au Chocolat, perfectly paired with Costa Coffee’s handcrafted beverages.
Beyond streamlined ordering, the refreshed store offers a bright and inviting atmosphere. Locally inspired artwork and modern furniture provides the community with an ideal spot to unwind with their favourite drink or snack.
Additionally, the store has become a prime destination for social gatherings and remote work, now featuring more charging points to ensure devices stay powered.
Daniella Pullard, Area Manager, Costa Coffee comments: “We’re thrilled to introduce a new way to experience Costa Coffee at our uplifted Meadowhall Drive Thru store. With a new bakery range, advanced ordering technology, and a revitalised interior, the updated Sheffield store is set to become a favourite community spot.”
VISTA, Calif., USA – NUZEE, INC., a Company that used to focus on specialty coffee and technologies, is expanding its sales and distribution channels in Asia for various types of consumer food and beverage products, fueled with its online sales platform utilizing the natural language search function, one type of artificial intelligence applications.
The Company announced that it has changed the senior management and the Board has decided to add a new line of business- selling and distributing maca infused food and beverage products in a number of Asian countries.
The recent adjustments of the executive officers and board members, among others, include: i）Ms. Jianshuang Wang appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Co-Chief Executive Officer, and ii) Mr. Randy Weaver promoted to the Co-Chief Executive Officer in addition to acting as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. The new Senior Management is experienced in corporate management and aims to integrate the company’s global resources to accelerate the Company’s sales and distribution and overall business development.
Ms. Jianshuang Wang joined a U.S. listed company (then WeTrade Group Inc., former ticker symbol “WETG,” and now Next Technology Holding Inc. under current ticker symbol “NXTT”) in 2021 and has been serving as the legal representative of its Chinese subsidiary and the director of its Hong Kong subsidiary. During her tenure, she has been responsible for human resources management and supervising the administrative and operational management.
Mr. Randy Weaver has held various senior management positions, such as the Chief Financial Officer at Microcomputer Memories, Inc., Chief Financial Officer at Bimbo Bakeries USA, President and Chief Financial Officer at Natural Alternatives International, Chief Financial Officer of Neptune Wellness Solutions, Inc. and President of Reinvention Unlimited, Inc. Mr. Weaver received an undergraduate degree from California State University- Northridge and a graduate degree from the University of Santa Monica.
Since July 2024, NUZEE has been undergoing its digital marketing, distribution and sales transformation and has extended its sales and distribution network to maca infused food and beverages, committed to reshaping the development of the online marketing, sales and distribution for consumer products.
Since July, 2024, NUZEE has successfully secured the exclusive distribution and sales right for all maca products produced by Jiangsu Kangduoyuan Beverage Co., Ltd., one of the leading maca production bases in Asia, including maca peptide coffee, macanoli fruit beverage, maca wine, maca purified powder, and other full-range products. Through a fully developed digital marketing plan, NUZEE is confident to achieve global sales growth and enable the Company to obtain greater enterprise value. However, there is no guarantee that these efforts will result in the anticipated sales growth or increased enterprise value.
Maca, is a plant of the deciduous family that originated in South America. Oval leaves, rootstock shape like small round radish, edible, maca is a natural food. It is rich in nutrients, high in unit nutrients, and has the function of nourishing and strengthening human bodies, and has the reputation of “South American ginseng.” The main growing areas are the Andes in South America and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Ms. Jianshuang Wang, Co- Chief Executive Officer of NUZEE，commented that, “NUZEE plans to transform to a leading digital marketing, sales and distribution company for consumer products. We have a professional team to help our business partners achieve greater value. In the future, we are planning to work with more business partners to develop business opportunities and create greater value for our business partners and shareholders.”
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., USA – Westrock Coffee Company reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. Scott T. Ford, CEO and Co-founder stated, “The second quarter of 2024 was an important quarter at Westrock Coffee for several reasons. First, it represents our second consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in Adjusted EBITDA – up 31.8% in the first quarter and now up 20.8% in the second quarter, while our Beverage Solutions Adjusted EBITDA margin improved almost 200 basis points, year over year.
And perhaps more importantly, the second quarter marked our first commercial sale of multi-serve bottles, and first commercial production of cans, from our Conway extract and ready-to-drink facility.
Also, given our updated sales ramp visibility for our Conway extract and RTD plant, we are narrowing our 2024 guidance range to $60 – $65 million of Adjusted EBITDA, while simultaneously reaffirming our preliminary guidance for Adjusted EBITDA of $115 million in fiscal year 2025.”
Westrock Coffee Company: Second Quarter Highlights
Consolidated Results
Net sales were $208.4 million for the second quarter of 2024, a decrease of $16.3 million, or 7.3%, compared to the second quarter of 2023.
Gross profit for the second quarter of 2024 was $41.4 million and included $1.5 million of non-cash mark-to-market gains, compared to gross profit of $35.7 million for the second quarter of 2023, which included $1.0 million of non-cash mark-to-market gains.
Net loss for the period was $17.8 million, compared to a net loss of $26.8 million for the second quarter of 2023. The $17.8 million net loss for the second quarter of 2024 included $4.4 million of transaction, restructuring and integration expense, $13.6 million of start-up costs related to our Conway, Arkansas extract and ready-to-drink facility, and $1.6 million of non-cash gains from the change in fair value of warrant liabilities. The $26.8 million net loss for the second quarter of 2023 included $2.9 million of transaction, restructuring and integration expense, $1.7 million of start-up costs related to our Conway, Arkansas extract and ready-to-drink facility, and $11.8 million of non-cash charges from the change in fair value of warrant liabilities.
Adjusted EBITDA was $13.7 million for the second quarter of 2024, an increase of $2.4 million, or 20.8%, compared to the second quarter of 2023.
Segment Results
Beverage Solutions segment contributed $163.3 million of net sales and $13.2 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $189.7 million and $11.7 million, respectively, for the second quarter of 2023.
SS&T segment, net of intersegment revenues, contributed $45.1 million of net sales and $0.4 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $35.0 million and ($0.4 million), respectively, for the second quarter of 2023.
2024 and 2025 Outlook
The Company is updating its guidance for Adjusted EBITDA, and the Company now expects Adjusted EBITDA to be between $60 million and $65 million in fiscal year 2024. Westrock Coffee is lowering the top end of its range to account for the Company’s current expectations regarding the timing of the commercialization of customers at its Conway, Arkansas extract and ready-to-drink facility. The Company is affirming its guidance for Adjusted EBITDA of $115 million in fiscal year 2025. Management will provide additional details regarding the 2024 and 2025 outlook on its earnings results call to be held today.
The Company is not readily able to provide a reconciliation of forecasted Adjusted EBITDA to forecasted GAAP net income (loss) without unreasonable effort because certain items that impact such figure are uncertain or outside the Company’s control and cannot be reasonably predicted. Such items include the impacts of non-cash gains or losses resulting from mark-to-market adjustments of derivatives and the change in fair value of warrant liabilities, among others.
Fanta and Warner Bros. Pictures announce partnership on Beetlejuice release, along with limited edition flavour and packaging (picture provided)
ATLANTA, USA – Fanta and Warner Bros. Pictures are announcing a global partnership ahead of the release of the highly anticipated movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – debuting in cinemas on September 6th, 2024. Manifesting the spirit of the mischievous demon, Fanta and Warner Bros. Pictures are coming together to bring a taste of the Afterlife to consumers across the globe.
Fanta® is summoning Beetlejuice with his own Limited-Edition Fanta® Beetlejuice flavour, with the packaging showcasing the titular character himself, played by Michael Keaton. The new product offers a unique flavour expression and the iconic black-and-white striped design associated with Beetlejuice, available for a limited time.
The full Fanta flavour range will receive limited time makeovers featuring the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice characters, including (range varies by market) Orange – Astrid (played by Jenna Ortega), Strawberry – Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder), Pineapple – Delia Deetz (played by Catherine O’Hara), as well as Grape – Delores (played by Monica Bellucci), Lemon – Wolf Jackson (played by Willem Dafoe) and Strawberry Kiwi – Bob (the Shrinker!) Products feature a QR code that can be scanned for access to exclusive physical and digital experiences, including the chance to win tickets to catch the new movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in cinemas.
Nothing evokes the upcoming spooky Halloween season like a trip to Winter River, where three generations of the Deetz family return to soon find their lives turned upside down when the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. Soon there’s trouble in both realms because, once summoned, it’s only a matter of time before Beetlejuice unleashes his very own brand of mayhem!
Halloween is one of the only celebrations where you can shake off the obligations that often come with other holidays, and it represents the opportunity to define your experiences in your own terms – from what we do to who we spend it with. This year, Fanta® is encouraging the world to ‘Summon What You Wanta’ by offering new ways to celebrate Halloween your way, with exclusive access to the season’s most sought-after new film – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – and through a range of consumer activations in September and October.
Dana Nussbaum, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures comments, “We are so thrilled to be bringing the wildly imaginative and ghoulishly creative Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to theaters this September and are proud to partner with Fanta® on this character’s long-awaited return to the big screen. Fanta® is a brilliant collaborator and has delivered a truly inventive spin on their product with a limited-edition lineup that pairs perfectly with visionary filmmaker Tim Burton’s iconic creation.”
Ibrahim Salim Khan, VP Global Category Strategy, Fanta at The Coca-Cola Company adds, “We’re excited for fans to try out our special new Fanta® limited edition flavour – an unmissable extension of the Fanta® range. There’s more to come with this iconic partnership, so keep an eye out for a series of Beetlejuice-themed experiences that will be rolled out throughout September and October, so you can get up close and personal with the film of the season.”
In addition to the new products, Fanta® is set to announce opportunities for unparalleled access to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, including virtual and in-person immersive experiences. The limited-edition Fanta® Beetlejuice products will grant access to a range of experiences, accessible by scanning the QR code and downloading the Coca-Cola App or arriving at the OneXP page, opening a world of activity, with further announcements on these exciting experiences due to be revealed soon!
The Fanta® Beetlejuice Beetlejuice range is available beginning 12th August in over 50 markets across the globe.
Fanta and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was created by WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy and supported by Burson, EssenceMediacom, GOAT, Hogarth, Subvrsive, and VML.
To commemorate its 69th anniversary, Natural Grocers® proudly introduces a limited-edition Pecan Caramel Pie coffee to its Natural Grocers® Brand Products collection (picture provided)
LAKEWOOD, Colo., USA – To commemorate its 69th anniversary, Natural Grocers introduces a limited-edition Pecan Caramel Pie coffee to its collection of Natural Grocers Brand Products. Fair Trade Certified and organic, this Always Affordable ground gourmet coffee is on sale ($6.99/10 oz) August 9 – September 7, 2024, while supplies last. Customers can stock up now and enjoy this toasty addition long after summer has passed.
Sustainability, quality and community are behind every Natural Grocers Brand Product, including this limited-edition variety of Pecan Caramel Pie flavored coffee.
The company is committed to source 100% organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee for its private label brand and was the first national private label grocery line to execute to this high standard challenge since 2018.[i]
“Our 2024 Anniversary Coffee is from the same trusted supplier that has provided our entire selection of Natural Grocers Brand Organic Coffee,” said Raquel Isely, Vice President of Marketing at Natural Grocers. “It comes in BPA-free bags, and is certified organic and fair trade, from an employee-owned company which has demonstrated the same enthusiasm for taking care of their neighbors as they do for making great coffee since 1935.”
The 2024 Anniversary coffee blend is one of twelve variations of the company’s decadent, yet affordably-priced house brand coffees, each supporting the effort to expand the Natural Grocers Brand Products line.
Roasted in the USA from Globally Sourced Coffee Beans
Made from 100 % Arabica Beans
Organic and Fair Trade Certified
Made with Natural Flavors
No Artificial Flavorings, Colors, Additives or Preservatives Added
HAMBURG, Germany – Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) announces the opening of its first office in China, NKG Shanghai, located in the modern and bustling downtown area of Changning District, Shanghai. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in NKG group’s expansion efforts, aiming to better serve the rapidly growing Chinese coffee market.
NKG Shanghai features its own cupping lab, guaranteeing exceptional standards in coffee quality control. The company’s coffee warehouse will be strategically positioned in the bonded areas of Kunshan and Yangshan, facilitating efficient storage and distribution operations.
With a local presence in China, NKG Shanghai is poised to enhance its service offerings to customers across the country. The office will cater to a diverse range of coffee needs, from commercial to premium and specialty grades. This initiative aligns with the rapid growth in coffee consumption in China, driven by an increasing demand for high-quality coffee products.
“We are thrilled to establish NKG Shanghai as our first office in China,” said Emily Chua, COO of NKG Shanghai. “This expansion allows us to be closer to our customers, understand their needs better, and deliver tailored coffee solutions. We are excited about the opportunities this vibrant market presents and are committed to contributing to the growth and development of the coffee industry in China.”
Supported by the NKG Asia Hub, NKG Shanghai is committed to addressing the unique needs of all its customers in China. The company will leverage its extensive network and industry expertise to provide exceptional coffee solutions and foster strong relationships within the Chinese market.
About Neumann Kaffee Gruppe
Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) is a globally operating green coffee service group, focusing on coffee only. In more than 60 companies in 28 countries, more than 3,200 highly skilled employees are active in the sectors Export & Milling, Import, Farming, Agents & Representative Offices, and Services.
The caffeine comparative study by La Marzocco’s Accademia and CDR Coffeelab (image provided)
MILAN – There are many variables when talking about coffee, making it challenging to make a generic statement or rule. In this study, the Accademia del Caffè Espresso teamed up with CDR CoffeeLab to closely examine the caffeine content of several coffee beverages brewed with different extraction methods. One reads so many different things about coffee and caffeine; the recommended maximum amount is 400mg of caffeine a day, which varies from person to person.
The aim of this study is to visualize how much caffeine you find in different common coffee beverages, considering that it always depends on which initial matter you are using and how you prepare it.
1 Arabica Coffee:
Origin: Brazil Cerrado Mineiro
Altitude: 950 masl
Variety: Yellow Catuai
Process: Natural
3 Different Roast Levels:
Light roast
Medium roast
Dark roast
5 Different Brewing Methods:
Espresso extracted with 9 bar
Filter Coffee using the V60 dripper / gravitation method
Filter Coffee using French press / full immersion method
Moka
Cold Brew using Toddy home unit / full immersion and gravitation
Does roasted coffee contain more caffeine than green coffee?
The level of caffeine contained in roasted coffee is greater than that found in green coffee beans. This increase is only apparent; in reality, the caffeine does not increase during the roasting process. During roasting, coffee loses moisture, thus increasing the amount of caffeine by weight.
To confirm this hypothesis, after measuring the caffeine concentration in green coffee, the coffee was roasted with three different roast levels, and the theoretical caffeine content in the roasted coffee was calculated considering only the weight loss. Subsequently, the caffeine concentration in the roasted coffee was measured experimentally. The measured values and the calculated ones coincide, confirming the hypothesis: the darker the roast, the greater the moisture loss, and consequently, the higher the caffeine concentration.
Table 2: Brew ratio and coffee volumes considered for each extraction method. These volumes were used in the caffeine calculation for each cup. (data provided)
Knowing the amount of caffeine you consume by drinking coffee is not that simple because the concentration in a cup depends on many variables. The variety of coffee used and its origin are fundamental. The Arabica and Robusta varieties are numerous, and each has a different amount of caffeine inside. Even using the same starting product, the amounts of caffeine we find in the beverage can be very different depending on the extraction method chosen, the brew ratio, and the degree of roasting of the beans.
In this study, 18 coffees were analyzed. All were obtained using the same green coffee but with three different roast levels and six different extraction methods. In Figure 2, you can see the amount of caffeine measured in the different beverages with various roast levels (the coffee volumes associated with these beverages are reported in Table 2).
(data provided)
Espresso is the preparation method that concentrates not only the aromas and sensory characteristics but also the caffeine. In the case of espresso (30 ml, with a brew ratio of 1:2), we obtained amounts exceeding 120 mg of caffeine per coffee, values up to six times higher than a cup (150 ml) of filter coffee. Similar results to filter coffee were obtained with the French Press, while higher values were recorded with the Moka.
Special attention to cold brew coffee. This cold-extracted beverage can be obtained in various ways: by percolation/dripping or by infusion with cold or room temperature water and with more or less prolonged times (from 6 to 12 or even more hours) and with different brew ratios.
In this study, they used the Toddy Home Cold Brew System with an infusion time of 6 hours and two different brew ratios: a more concentrated one with a ratio of 250 g of coffee in 1 liter of water and a more diluted one (ready to drink: 60 g of coffee in 1 liter of water). The caffeine amount in the cold brew ready to drink is comparable to that of filter coffee due to the similar brew ratio and beverage volume. The caffeine extraction in the case of cold brew occurs thanks to the prolonged contact time between the coffee and water at a temperature of 20-25°C, resulting in a higher concentration of this substance in the final beverage than in filter coffee, where the extraction temperature is higher but the contact time is shorter.
For the cold brew ready to drink, they considered a 150 ml cup of beverage, while for the cold brew concentrate, a 30 ml cup which can then be further diluted with ice, milk, or plain cold water. Therefore, the calculated caffeine values are similar to the cold brew ready to drink.
Does a more roasted coffee have more caffeine?
With a darker roast, the percentage of caffeine in the beans increases slightly by weight, but the caffeine differences measured in light and dark roasted coffee do not justify the differences found in beverages. Furthermore, in the case of filter coffee, the increasing trend of caffeine values in beverages obtained with the same extraction method but different roasting levels (from light to dark) is not observed.
In a dark roasted coffee, there will be more caffeine available for extraction, but it is not certain that the extraction method used can extract all the caffeine present in the ground beans. Surely, the contact time between water and coffee and the water temperature during coffee preparation influence the amount of caffeine that will be in the beverage. The water passes through the coffee with more or less difficulty, determining a greater or lesser concentration of caffeine in the beverage obtained.
This explains why they find an anomalous trend of caffeine concentration in the case of filter coffee. This extraction method turns out to be less efficient than the others examined in this study, justifying the variable trend of caffeine concentrations found in the different prepared coffees.
If the extraction percentages are calculated (mg caffeine in the beverage / mg of caffeine present in the coffee), the Moka turns out to be the method that can most effectively extract the caffeine present in the coffee beans. Thanks to the water temperature of over 90°C and the extraction time, this extraction method is particularly efficient in extracting caffeine. Despite this, due to the much lower brew ratio than espresso, the Moka coffee cups have resulted in a lower caffeine concentration than espresso.
In Figure 3, it is shown how the caffeine concentrations in the beverage and the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) are connected, emphasizing the importance of extraction in caffeine concentration. Obviously, the values do not completely coincide because the TDS also includes other substances not proportional to caffeine.
(data provided)
In general, it can be stated that you consume a greater amount of caffeine when using a dark roast coffee. However, the reason is not linked to the coffee itself but to the extraction that is more efficient in dark roasted coffee.
About Accademia del Caffè Espresso
Housed in the old La Marzocco factory, Accademia del Caffè Espresso is a cultural hub focused on understanding and promoting espresso. Today Accademia contains La Marzocco’s corporate museum and historical archive, an indoor coffee plantation, research and education laboratories, and the Officine Fratelli Bambi – a workshop dedicated to the craftsmanship and artistry, producing bespoke espresso machines.
About CDR
With its product line called CDR FoodLab, CDR is a leading provider of innovative analysis systems for the food and beverage industry. Its solutions help professionals in the food industry improve quality control and optimize production processes. With a strong focus on research and development, CDR FoodLab continues to introduce tailored, innovative technologies to meet the specific needs of various sectors within the food and beverage industry.
CDR CoffeeLab is a product of the CDR FoodLab line by CDR – for more info click here.
KÖLN, Germany – 4C, as a leading organization in sustainable coffee certification, has been awarded a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund for a groundbreaking project aimed at enhancing social auditing and the identification of human rights violations for both external third party certification bodies and internal monitoring by the certificate holders.
Over the next 24 months, 4C will develop a holistic and socially sensitive auditing methodology, including practical tools and supporting materials to enhance the detection of human rights violations during on-site audits. This project will be executed in collaboration with partners such as Meo Carbon Solutions, ISCC and a number of 4C cooperating Certification Bodies.
Key Objectives and Activities led by 4C
The primary goal is to improve the identification, assessment, and management of social risks and human rights violations. Initial efforts will focus on stakeholder consultation and needs assessment to design effective auditing and capacity-building methodologies.
Activities will include:
Baseline assessment with Certification Bodies and auditors on current auditing techniques and challenges.
Consultation with 4C Managing Entities and ISEAL community members
Revision of the Internal Management System (IMS) and creation of templates for internal risk assessment
Developing a hybrid auditing approach and tools combining in-person and e-learning methods
Elaborating a comprehensive training package (including a training pilot with Certification Bodies and Managing Entities) to support the capacity building of auditors and improve the internal management and monitoring system of the MEs.
Integration into 4C System and results dissemination.
Innovation and Impact
The project emphasizes a participatory approach, ensuring the inclusion of voices from affected communities. Auditors will be trained to recognize, and document nuanced human rights issues while maintaining confidentiality and objectivity. The initiative aims to integrate these improvements into the 4C Certification System, enhancing its social impact.
By improving social auditing techniques that support transparency, risk mitigation and stronger grievance mechanisms, the project aspires to foster greater accountability and continuous improvement in the internal and external detection of human rights violations. Certified entities, auditors, and local communities will benefit from increased capacity to detect social risks, ultimately leading to better protection of human rights across the coffee supply chain.
With the grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, 4C ’s project represents a significant step towards detecting human rights issues in the coffee sector
By enhancing social auditing processes and integrating community voices, the initiative aims to create a more transparent and accountable certification system, ultimately improving the wellbeing of coffee farming communities worldwide.
This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, which is supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and UK International Development from the UK government.
About the ISEAL Innovations Fund
The ISEAL Innovations Fund (‘the Fund’) is ISEAL’s grant making-facility, co-developed and funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO since 2016, which supports the exploration of innovations that help sustainability systems deliver more value to their stakeholders and effectively drive improvement over time, and at scale. The Fund launched a second phase of work in 2023. Grants in phase two (2023 – 2027) are made possible through financial support of SECO and UK International Development from the UK government. This grant empowers sustainability systems to develop innovative partnerships, approaches, and scalable solutions. It offers technical support, guidance, and promotes cross-sector learning within and beyond the ISEAL community. The fund focuses on innovation, relevance, replicability, beneficiary engagement, monitoring, collaboration, and value for investment.
