"​Small in some aspects, but large enough to make a difference"

This past year was one of the most important ones when it comes to sustainability – and one of the toughest. The global challenges in the climate field are still as big, just as the need to improve the conditions for coffee farmers of the world. The situation was not helped by the pandemic that swept the world. All of this put great demands on us and our business, and in our view, we can and must contribute to a sustainable development in line with Agenda 2030.

We are small in some aspects, but large enough to make a difference in many areas. The coffee we purchase comes from approximately 40,000 farmers in about 20 countries around the world. Our daily production corresponds to 10 million cups of coffee that reach countless consumers in some ten markets in Europe and Canada. How we act and the fact that we choose and develop sustainable solutions are actually of great importance for a lot of people.

The corona pandemic has affected us as well the world around us, not least our customers in the Out of Home category (hotels, restaurants, cafés and workplaces), of which many have really struggled. We truly hope that the situation will improve for all affected. The pandemic has also had an impact on our sales, but what has not changed is our commitment and our investments in the sustainability field.

The pandemic increased the challenges in the producing countries. It affected our work within International Coffee Partners, where we together with seven other family-owned coffee companies improve the development opportunities for smallscale coffee farmers. We adjusted our operations during the year, and several measures were taken to help the farmers meet the crisis.

At home, we have continued to invest in energy efficiencies, renewable energy, climate-smart packaging and much more. These investments contributed to us further reducing our climate impact. We have also presented a new strategy with increased focus on a circular, fairer and more equal development. Large parts of the organisation have contributed in different ways, and it is going to be really exciting to be a part of the continuous work.

Our progress in the sustainability field would not be possible without our wise partners and our talented and committed co-workers. The work is an integrated part of our daily business – and we are doing it together. A huge thank you to all of you.

Kathrine Löfberg
Chair of the board and owner in the 4th generation