Highlights of 2016
Sustainable Harvest® had a busy 2016, from bringing together the specialty-coffee industry at international events to increasing our impact at origin and connecting with the Northwest coffee community. Here are some of our highlights from the year:
Expanding transparent trade
Sustainable Harvest® imports 16.7 million pounds from more than 90 producer organizations in 13 countries in 2016. Among the sourcing highlights:
- Our first-ever offering from Indonesia! This coffee, from Tiga Raja Mill in Simalungun, Sumatra, is offered through a partnership with Australia’s Five Senses Coffee and will be available in our Current Offerings in early 2017.
- Connecting with growers from the emerging coffee origin of Yunnan through our new relationship with the Yunnan Coffee Exchange. Our first Yunnan coffee, from ManLao River estate, will be available in spring 2017!
- Opening new markets for producers from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Peru in Australia and New Zealand. Building on our Let’s Talk Relationship Coffee event in Melbourne in 2015, we help forge several new producer-roaster relationships in the region in 2016.
Launching the MVP program
Sustainable Harvest® launches a new program in 2016 promoting coffee producers in our supply chain who demonstrate loyalty and a devotion to quality. Among the benefits our MVPs receive are curated visits to coffee buyers, assistance in leveraging market tools, and preferred access at our Let’s Talk Coffee® events. This is put into action at Let’s Talk Coffee® Mexico, where MVPs are treated to an exclusive daylong program the day before the event’s start devoted to leadership training.
Increasing impact in Rwanda
It was a year of exciting growth and development for the Relationship Coffee Institute, the partnership between Sustainable Harvest® and Bloomberg Philanthropies providing training and market access to women coffee farmers in Rwanda. Among the highlights in 2016:
- Bloomberg Philanthropies expands the Relationship Coffee Institute with a renewed gift. Through the expansion, the program will reach 25,000 coffee growers in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo over the next three years. This will build on the first three years of the program that enrolled more than 4,000 women, increasing coffee productivity by 86% and income from coffee by 137%.
- Continuous growth of Premium Sharing Rewards, the innovative program that provides enrolled farmers points that they redeem (earned by producing high-quality coffee, following good farming practices, and actively participating in their co-ops) for assets of their choosing that improve their livelihoods. In the program’s biggest year yet, 3,559 women farmers in Rwanda earn assets through Premium Sharing Rewards.
- At the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, Michael Bloomberg tells the crowd of African heads of state and international business leaders: “We only serve Rwandan-grown coffee at Bloomberg facilities. It’s nice to do it, but bottom line is it also happens to be some of the best coffee in the world.” (His comments about Rwandan coffee start around the 4:08 mark of the below video.)
Question Coffee™ grows in Rwanda
After launching in Portland, Ore., in October 2015 in conjunction with B Corps’ B Inspired event, Question Coffee™ devotes 2016 to growing its presence in Rwanda as a giveback brand for Rwandan farmers. In addition to the Question Coffee™ Cafe, the brand expands its wholesale presence, including becoming the exclusive coffee provider of the new Kigali Marriott. Read the full story of Question Coffee™’s journey here.
Our Summer Fellows program turns 10
For 10 years, Sustainable Harvest®’s Summer Fellows program has introduced young professionals to Relationship Coffee during summers-long internships. In 2016 the Summer Fellows program marks its decade anniversary with an impressive crop of young talent. One significant accomplishment of the 2016 Summer Fellows, spearheaded by Kehong Jin, is the translation of Sustainable Harvest®’s cupping app Tastify™ into Chinese.
A key aspect of the program is the Summer Speaker Series, where thought leaders from a variety of industries share their professional insights with the fellows.
Let’s Talk Coffee® returns to Mexico after 10 years!
In October, Sustainable Harvest® brings together 250 stakeholders from 20 countries for our annual global supply chain gathering, Let's Talk Coffee®. After holding its first three events in Mexico, Let’s Talk Coffee® returns to Mexico for the first time in 10 years, bringing together stakeholders to forge inclusive business relationships, learn about pressing issues from top speakers, and become stronger as an industry. Relive the experience in the event’s recap video below, and check out coverage of the event from Barista Magazine.
Humbling recognition
Sustainable Harvest®’s work toward transparent relationships and inclusive business is recognized in several ways in 2016, including:
- A B Corp Best for the World award in the Best for Community category, awarding B Corporations dedicated to bettering their communities
- Sustainable Harvest CEO David Griswold’s inclusion in Mark Lefko’s “Global Sustainability” book, a collection of in-depth interviews from leading CEOs in sustainable business, including Richard Branson of Virgin Group, Paul Polman of Unilever, and Seth Goldman of Honest Tea
- The Golden Bean North America coffee-roasting competition awarding David Griswold its Lifetime Achievement Award (read more about the event and award here).
Liam Brody joins as President
At Let’s Talk Coffee®, Sustainable Harvest® announces Liam Brody as its new President, overseeing the company’s strategy, partnerships, and business development. Liam previously served as Senior Vice President at impact investing trailblazer Root Capital. (Read more about the hiring here.)
Moving into new digs
Sustainable Harvest® moves into a new office in the Pearl District Park Blocks, a short walk from the previous office in the Ecotrust building. The new office (322 NW 8th Avenue) offers a bigger space where we can more frequently gather the Pacific Northwest specialty-coffee community for cuppings, trainings, and events. Come visit us in 2017!