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We believe in empowering our customers to make a difference with every sip, this is why we created our Farmer Dividend Coffee™ program.
Our unique Farmer Dividend Coffee™ program is our commitment to fair farmer compensation and equality. Making a difference, one sip at a time.
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Our mission to provide exceptional coffee, while supporting the people and communities who make it possible.
LET’S DISCUSS COFFEE CERTIFICATIONS
Sustainable certifications are standards set by independent organizations that coffee producers can choose to meet. These standards often involve environmental, social, and economic criteria. Some of the most well-known certifications include Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and Organic.
Certifications can provide several benefits to coffee growers. They often come with a price premium, which can help improve the income of coffee growers. They can provide access to new markets and consumers who are willing to pay more for sustainably grown coffee. The practices required for certification can lead to improved coffee quality and productivity, and better environmental outcomes. Although, some argue that it’s hard for the end consumer to track the transparency of their favorite brands. It’s always good to ask questions!
The cost of obtaining and maintaining a certification can be high, and this can be a barrier for small-scale farmers. Additionally, the price premium does not always cover these costs, and not all certified coffee is sold as such, meaning that farmers do not always receive the premium.
Moreover, the impact of certifications on the ground can vary widely. Some studies have found positive impacts on income and environmental practices, while others have found little to no impact. This variation can be due to differences in how the certification standards are implemented and enforced, and the local context in which they are applied.
Consumers often view sustainable certifications as a way to ensure their coffee purchases are contributing to positive environmental and social outcomes. However, there is often confusion about what these certifications actually mean and how they benefit coffee growers. Many consumers trust these certifications and see them as an added value to their coffee purchases. However, when consumers buy sustainably-certified coffee, they often have little way of knowing whether or how their purchase helps growers.
From the industry perspective, sustainable certifications are seen as a way to communicate a company’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. They provide a way for coffee companies to demonstrate that they are buying coffee in a responsible way. However, achieving these certifications can be challenging and costly, especially for farmers in poorer areas.
Monitoring and verifying sustainable certifications can be difficult due to the remote and often inaccessible locations of many coffee farms. This makes direct observation of things like worker and environmental health, standard of living, or income changes prohibitively expensive on a large scale. Additionally, global certification programs operate across multiple continents and dozens of countries, meaning evaluations must also contend with vastly different cultural, climatic, or regulatory contexts.
The effectiveness of sustainable certifications in improving conditions for coffee growers is a complex issue. Some studies have found positive impacts on income and environmental practices, while others have found little to no impact. The effectiveness of certifications depends on a range of factors, including the specific certification scheme, the local context, and the individual farmer’s situation.
The answer is complex. While certifications have the potential to provide economic, environmental, and social benefits, these are not guaranteed. The effectiveness of certifications depends on a range of factors, including the specific certification scheme, the local context, and the individual farmer’s situation.
As consumers, it’s important for us to not just look for the certification label, but to also understand what it means and what its limitations are. And as an industry, we need to continually strive to ensure that our sustainability efforts are truly making a difference for coffee growers. This is why at Love Preferred Coffee Co., we strive to be fully transparent, even documenting the receiving of all farmer tips and funds with numbers and signed receipts by the farmers we support, and various media types, like video.
Colombian Specialty
Coffee Experts
Our story is rooted in our Colombian heritage.
This topographical variation nurtures an array of microclimates that contribute to the incredible range of flavors found in Colombian coffee.
Our coffees undergo a meticulous selection process, led by Colombia’s top female cupper and our experienced quality team with generational expertise.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Reviews
“Received a bag as a gift from my nephew and I was hooked. Im a bit of a coffee “snob” and like to drink my coffee black without anything added to see how the basic roast tastes. I find this roast to be rich and flavorful plus quite aromatic. I love it! I enjoyed the gift so much i went ahead and ordered a couple more bags from LPC. And im sure ill be ordering more in the future. Thank you for this wonderful coffee!”
5.0
Sharon P.