What Sustainable Coffee Means to Us
Sustainable coffee is a universal term today, but with all of the information and certifications available online and on coffee packaging it can be confusing to know what sustainability really means when it comes to your cup of coffee and we want to help make it simple. At Kauai Coffee, our commitment to sustainability means that we grow our coffee in a way that conserves natural resources and provides a safe, healthy and positive work environment for everyone involved in its production. Here is how we do it and what sustainability means to us.
Sustainable Farming
Coffee is a plant that grows in tropical regions around the world, and many of the places it grows are susceptible to the effects of climate change and deforestation. In the Hawaiian language, the word kuleana means responsibility. At Kauai Coffee, we believe it is our kuleana to take care of the land, respect it, and treat it well.
We’re proud to be the largest drip irrigation coffee estate in the world with over 2,500 miles of drip tubing. This efficient system applies water and fertilizers directly to the roots of the trees, so we do not have to spray or dust fertilizer on our coffee farm to grow sustainable coffee. To conserve water during the harvest, we divert water from the drip irrigation system to the processing plant where it is used to clean and remove the coffee bean from the cherry. Because we only use our water in processing, it is filtered and then reapplied to the coffee fields.
Cover Crops and Composting
Every year we produce nearly 4 million pounds of cherry pulp and mulch from pruning the coffee trees. This compost is put back into the land as a soil nutrient. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, this compost and our cover crops serve to retain moisture, reduce watering, weeds and herbicide use.
Kauai Coffee compost
Non-GMO Project Verification
We're so pleased to announce that our Single Origin Red Typica variety is our first coffee to receive NON-GMO Project verification and that coffee grown in our orchard has never been genetically modified. Learn more about Kauai Coffee's Non-GMO certification.Rainforest Alliance Certification
Kauai Coffee harvested after November 2018 has been certified by the Rainforest Alliance. This means that Kauai Coffee has met rigorous environmental, economic and social standards in agriculture and business practices. Look for the Rainforest Alliance Seal on our products beginning in 2020 and learn more about the agricultural requirements here.Kauai Made®
Kauai Made is a program created by the County of Kauai to officially represent the products made on Kauai, by Kauai people, using Kauai materials. Each company in the Kauai Made program has been reviewed and qualified to carry the Kauai Made logo on products based on authenticity and quality as a local product. When you buy Kauai Coffee your purchase supports local families and hard-working individuals on our island. Every time you buy your favorite Kauai Coffee from our website you can rest assured that your choice is a good one for your family, the environment and the hardworking men and women of Kauai who make it all happen.Related Blog posts
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