ofi, a global leader in naturally good food and beverage ingredients, including green, roasted, and soluble coffee, has published its annual sustainability report for its coffee business. At a time when the coffee industry is navigating persistent market volatility and escalating impacts of climate change, the Coffee LENS (Livelihoods, Empowerment, Nature at Scale) Impact Report highlights advances made by ofi’s global coffee operations and its partners throughout 2024 towards 2030 targets.
Among the notable achievements which are guided by and contribute to ofi’s overarching Choices for Change strategy, are the development of tailored support packages for 57,000 coffee farmers to boost yields and incomes, and the doubling of children in farming communities receiving educational support compared to the previous year. Additionally, ofi has generated greenhouse gas (GHG) digital footprints for nearly half of its direct coffee volumes.
Driving climate action with digital tools
These detailed carbon footprints are generated using a Digital Footprint Calculator (DFC), certified by The Carbon Trust[i] and built into ofi’s AtSource sustainable sourcing solution. This tool allows customers to access precise environmental data for their coffee purchases, facilitating collaboration on Scope 3 reduction strategies and commitments towards net-zero goals.
In Brazil and Peru, targeted strategies in selected farmer groups led by ofi’s local teams and guided by the DFC resulted in a 19% and 30% drop in on-farm emissions respectively in 2024, compared to the 2021 baselines, largely driven by smarter fertilizer use. In Vietnam, where fertilizer and crop residues are the main emission sources on coffee farms, ofi agronomist strained 1,300 farmers on climate-smart practices to work towards a 39% reduction scenario by 2028.
Vivek Verma, CEO of ofi’s coffee business, commented:
“Our digital tools are helping us refine our approach and deliver targeted interventions. However, real climate action happens when the world’s 12 million coffee smallholders[ii] have the means to adopt and apply more sustainable practices on the ground. It requires systemic investment in farmer resilience and income security to empower them as agents of change."
Investing in farmer livelihoods and social capital
Nearly 100,000 coffee farmers received support through agronomy training and access to inputs provided by ofi’s in-country field teams. Over 50 partnerships with customers, NGOs, and donors helped scale impact through sustainability programs in key growing regions.
In partnership with the ALDI SOUTH Group, ofi successfully concluded a four-year living income project in Honduras. To measure the impact of this project, a social capital impact valuation was conducted to assess the value of customized support delivered to approximately 1,000 coffee farmers. It indicated that for every dollar invested over the 4-year program, five dollars’ worth of social value was achieved, in the form of better productivity, market access and meeting certification standards.
Enhancing traceability and transparency
Reflecting on a challenging year for the coffee industry, Vivek Verma said:
“This report comes after another year marked by persistent volatility, geopolitical complexities, and the undeniable acceleration of climate impacts. Yet, these challenges are strong motivation for continued engagement and action, focused on resilience and responsibility. Our progress is reflected in the numbers, but also in our ongoing investment in data systems, traceability, and direct engagement at origin. Building these impactful foundations are fundamental to securing long-term quality and supply.”
Technical advancements included registering over 40,000 additional farmers to ofi’s direct sourcing network via its farmer information survey tool, bringing the total to 224,600. The expansion of the ofi Direct app in Brazil is now connecting 22,000 farmers directly with buyers, providing round-the-clock market access and bypassing middlemen.
Verma added:
“Expanding these on-the-ground connections gives us unprecedented transparency into the first mile of the supply chain. This allows us to meet more farmers’ precise needs and support customers’ requirements with sustainable, traceable products.”
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Access the full Coffee LENS 2024 Impact Report and its contribution to ofi’s overarching sustainability strategy Choices for Change here.
[i] The Digital Footprint Calculator (DFC) model by ofi has been certified by The Carbon Trust. Model outputs do not constitute a certified product/organisation footprint.
[ii] World Coffee Research 2024
