STiR coffee and tea magazine

Volume 4, Number 5

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46 STiR tea & coffee industry international / Issue 5, 2015 (October/November) LBP UpShot Mother Parker's Eco-Cup That's the surprising finding of new research on the full en- vironmental impacts of coffee throughout all steps of its life cycle from farm to processor to consumer to waste disposal. Life Cycle Assessment of coffee consumption: comparison of single-serve coffee and bulk coffee brewing was released this spring by PAC, the Packaging Consortium. This life cycle analysis (LCA) was researched by Quantis Canada, a recognized global leader on LCA. It examines the full range of environmental impacts of growing coffee, transporting it, processing it, and its use and disposal by consumers – includ- ing on ecosystems, climate change, and water. The research found wasted coffee and electricity consump- tion during brewing and heating are the key parameters in the comparison between single-serve coffee and brewed bulk cof- fee, rather than packaging. It identifies three key benefits of single-serve coffee over traditional brewing of bulk coffee. • Single-serve coffee uses an exact serving of fresh coffee in a controlled process – leading to minimal coffee wastage. • Drip brewed coffee making is consumer controlled – con- sumers are more likely to prepare more brewed coffee than they need with the leftover coffee going down the kitchen sink. • Bulk brewing systems typically use a hot plate to keep the coffee warm and can use more energy than single-serve systems. Sustainability matters How important is sustainability to customers? "Sustainability means a lot of different things to different people," said LBP's Denniston. "How you verify that a company or product is sustainable depends on many factors. Often there are no set standards to measure or verify sustainability and that is a challenge," he said. Additionally "customer's perceptions are frequently not aligned with reality," according to Denniston. NMI observed as early as 2008 that "while numerous com- panies are attempting to gain credibility as good corporate citi- zens, consumers are overwhelmed by the myriad of communi- cations and are, at times, unable to distinguish the legitimacy. Some companies who are doing relatively little with respect to CSR (corporate social responsibility) are perceived as just as responsible as those spending millions of dollars incorporating sustainability into their businesses." NMI periodically queries a consumer panel of 150,000 par- ticipants in the US and 23 countries. The institute's well-respect- ed Sustainability Consumer Trends Database is considered the most comprehensive tool to measure integration of personal and planetary health across their lifestyles. NMI discovered that sustainability really matters. Accord- ing to NMI 86% of the public believes "we live in a wasteful society" with 84% reporting they now "save and reuse things." NMI's 13th Annual State of Sustainability in America survey found 71% of respondents more conscious of their impact on the environment and they are "trying to be more environmen- tally friendly." The response is up from 64% in 2011. Companies with a reputation for corporate responsibility find the general public is more likely to try their products and services (60%), more likely to talk to family and friends about the company (46%), and less concerned about the price of their products (30%). Sustainability is not just a desired activity, but a necessary strategy," according to NMI. "The bubble not only burst on the economy, but it burst on consumption. While the new economy has been a wake-up call, it has also fueled a realization that our consumption habits were less fulfilling than hoped," observes NMI. Almost all products and services going forward will need to consider consumer motivations regarding eco-friendliness. NMI predicts products that help consumers reduce their en- vironmental impact (without compromising price, quality, and convenience) will become more prevalent. "The sourcing and 'end life' of packaging will become signif- icantly more relevant as the product life cycle and waste impact are increasingly becoming part of consumers' purchase deci- sions," according to NMI. Return on investment Is there a return on investment (ROI) for companies that make sustainability central to their purpose? Denniston makes the point that efficient manufacturing is just good business. "LBP is vigilant in the selection and improvement of mate- rials and processes used for our products, aiming to minimize our environmental footprint while maximizing product per- formance," he said. "We practice environmental responsibility across the entire supply chain which enables us to provide solu- tions that are both responsible and economical," he said. Steve French, managing partner at NMI, sought to measure the return on investment in the institute's latest report: "Some uncertainty arises for companies in how to measure what type and how much of an impact, if any, these sustainable initiatives are having," he said. "In essence, are these sustainable initiatives having a positive impact on the environment or the company and how can the impact be measured? Even further, have these initiatives transformed consumer perception regard- ing the company and, if so, are they measurable changes?" French found a measurable return in several case studies. Another indication of favorable returns for sustainability fo- cused companies is the July acquisition of LBP and its US, Chi- nese, and Polish manufacturing facilities by the Pritzker Group. The price was not disclosed but Pritzker has a reputation for plucking jewels that it burnishes to a high gloss with its signifi- cant financial resources. *Cedar Grove Composting results in a sustainable, recycled, nutrient rich soil amendments made from decomposed organic waste. Products are tested to com- ply with either ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 (standards for bio-plastics, co-polymers) or ASTM D6868 (plastics used as coatings on compostable substrates). Those that disintegrate are certified compostable.

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