Why is a B Coffee Coalition needed?
Pascal: So, Malte, what is the B Coffee Coalition?
Malte: The B Coffee Coalition brings together certified coffee B Corps from around the world to tackle the challenges of the coffee industry together. The idea came about nearly two years ago in Brazil, during an exceptionally dusty, bumpy car ride between two coffee farms with Ana Claudia and Fabricio from Sancoffee. I asked them how and if they were engaged in the B Corp community. Fast forward, our two companies are now proud founding members of this global initiative. Our common denominator is the B Corp certification, it creates space for everyone, from producers to us roasters, and all the actors in between. I think it’s extremely cool that we’ve turned this vision into reality.
Pascal: Why do we want to be part of it?
Malte: Coffee is a global product, employing millions of people worldwide. As a Swiss SME, we are right in the middle of it. We are certainly very committed to making our impact positive within our ecosystem, but the big questions in the coffee world cannot be tackled and solved by us alone. That’s why we want to join forces with companies that think similarly and approach these challenges together.
Pascal: Absolutely. On our own, as a medium-sized company, we often reach limits in terms of influence and expertise. The Coalition opens doors to expert knowledge and new perspectives that ViCAFE wouldn’t have on its own. We learn directly from the most diverse companies in the sector.
There are dozens of coffee initiatives — why does the B Coffee Coalition create real impact?
Malte: The B Coffee Coalition brings together only coffee nerds with heart and companies whose business is exclusively dedicated to coffee. Together, we leverage this passion and entrepreneurial spirit to sustainably transform the industry, diving deep into the coffee “rabbit hole.”
Pascal: Exactly. With initiatives like Made in Zürich and its sustainability working group, we’ve gained valuable experience. Our most important learning from that: we don’t want to do just lobbying. At the end of the day, it’s about solving very concrete problems in practice.
Malte: That’s exactly why the Coalition has set two clear focus areas at the start. The first is Workforce. This is about creating meaningful work and fair conditions worldwide, from the coffee farm to the coffee bar. The second major focus is Prosperity. We look at prosperity holistically along the entire Coffee Value Circle: from economically stable, thriving coffee farms to a healthy, regenerative environment. We want the whole system to grow healthily along the value circle.
What are B Corps?
B Corps are companies committed to creating not just profit, but a measurable positive impact for society and the environment. It’s about using entrepreneurship as a force for good and adhering to strict, independent standards in areas such as governance, fair labor conditions, and ecology.
