What Does it Mean to be Rainforest Alliance Certified ™?
Kauai Coffee Company has long been committed to sustainable farming. In 2018 we earned the unique distinction of being the first Hawaiian coffee triple certified by leading sustainability advocates. 100% Kauai Coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified™, Fair Trade Certified, and Non-GMO Project Verified. In 2021 we updated our packaging to include all three certification badges.
What does Rainforest Alliance Certification Mean?
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization and global leader in sustainability certification, working with more than two million farmers in 70 countries worldwide. With National Coffee Day right around the corner, we're proud to share that 100% Kauai Coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified™ and provide more information about what certification means for our 'ohana and coffee fans around the globe. When you see the Rainforest Alliance Certification™ seal on Kauai Coffee and other favorite products, it means that the farmers or producers of that product follow more sustainable practices that:- Protect forests and biodiversity
- Improve livelihoods
- Promote human rights
- Help mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis
How do coffee farms qualify for Rainforest Alliance Certification?
Rainforest Alliance Certification requires an audit where third-party auditors evaluate farms against the rigorous requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard. If a coffee farm has met the requirements, products can be sold with the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal. At Kauai Coffee, we're proud of the sustainability practices we have in place and the goals we have set for the future. Here are just a few of the ways we practice sustainable farming today.- Drip irrigation: The 3,100-acre Kauai Coffee farm is one of the largest drip-irrigated coffee estate in the world, with over 2,500 miles of efficient drip tubing installed.
- Water conservation and soil health: Kauai Coffee Company diverts water from the drip irrigation system to the processing plant during the harvest. It is used to clean and remove the coffee fruit from the bean. After processing, more than three million pounds of coffee cherry pulp and mulch are composted and put back into the orchard as a soil nutrient, and the water used to clean and process the beans is filtered and reapplied on the farm.
- Cover crops and compost: Kauai Coffee Company is in the early stages of converting our orchard into a full cover crop operation, which has the potential to increase organic matter in the soil and reduce water requirements by 20%.