Sheffield's Cafeology Launches Bird Friendly Coffee

Independent Sheffield coffee company, Cafeology, has joined forces with the RSPB to launch a ‘bird friendly’ brand designed to reduce destruction of the world’s rainforests.

Research has revealed that more than 104 million hectares of the world’s remaining Intact Forest Landscapes - an area three times the size of Germany - were degraded from 2000 to 2013*.

Some coffee farmers have contributed to this deforestation by using plantations grown in the open as the sun-grown plants mature quicker than shade-grown. Most coffee available in the UK today is sun-grown.

Now Cafeology has launched a high-quality shade-grown coffee, which takes longer to produce but has a superior flavour. The 100% premium Arabica gold standard coffee is being released to the retail and catering markets in both roast & ground and whole bean forms under the Love Coffee, Love Nature strap line.

The single origin coffee is sourced from Guatemalan producer group Asociación Civil Guaya'b - a cooperative of approximately 300 farmers in Huehuetenango near the Mexican border. The organic farming conditions are certified by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Their Bird Friendly® (BF) certification guarantees that the coffee is grown under sufficient shade to replicate as near as possible rainforest biodiversity, therefore protecting natural habitats.

The coffee is also the first to be certified by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), which will receive a donation from every sale

Bryan Unkles, Cafeology founder and director, said: “Guatemala is renowned for producing fantastic quality coffee, and this product being shade-grown enhances that further. Protecting and developing natural habitats is vital - the UK consumes a huge amount of coffee and it’s important we think about the planet and rainforests when we choose what to buy."

Geoff Brown, at the RSPB, added: “It is good to have great tasting coffee which helps wildlife.  Every time you make a cup you will be encouraging rainforest conservation and helping the RSPB give nature a home.”

The coffee retails at £5.89 for 250g (for both ground and roasted beans) with a donation from every tin going to the RSPB. 

*Data from the World Resources Institute, September 2014