The recently published Snapshot Report 2021 of the MSP Global Coffee Platform (GCP) shows a clear trend towards increased sustainability in the coffee industry. Although purchases of sustainable coffee by leading retailers have increased, there is still a long way to go. 

The MSP Global Coffee Platform (GCP) is committed to a sustainable coffee sector to promote farmer prosperity and nature conservation. Periodically, the GCP publishes the Snapshot Report to determine developments in the coffee industry and purchase behavior. The GCP Snapshot Report 2021 was recently published and shows a clear trend: Eight of the leading roasters and retailers in the coffee industry have increasingly relied on certified and sustainably produced coffee in their purchases over the past year.

Purchases of sustainable coffee by these companies increased by 55% in 2021, reaching a total volume of 1.2 million tons, a 29% increase compared to 2020. For instance, the 126,104 tons of coffee purchased by the US beverage company Keurig Dr. Pepper’s are 99% compliant with sustainability criteria, while the 986,980 tons purchased by the Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé’s are 82% compliant. The supermarket retailer Tesco even meets the sustainability criteria to 100% with its 6,836 tons of green coffee.

According to Annette Pensel, Executive Director of the Global Coffee Platform, joint efforts are essential for transformative change in the coffee industry. In this way, it can be ensured that the economic viability of sustainable coffee cultivation is combined with a living income for workers, while at the same time nature can be protected and climate change can be effectively combated. Although developments over the past year are already moving in this direction, as evidenced by the 2021 Snapshot Report, further such efforts are now needed.