During the first quarter of 2011, nearly 40,000 metric tons of Utz Certified Good Inside coffee were sold — an increase of 25 percent compared to the same period last year. The high volume of the first quarter is a continuation of the growth path in 2010 when, in total, 121,000 metric tons of Utz Certified coffee were sold and 304,000 metric tons were certified — a growth of almost 50 percent compared to the year before. This makes Utz Certified the largest sustainability program for coffee in the world.
According to Utz Certified, one of the main reasons for the growth in certified demand is the approach of the program. The codes for coffee, cocoa and tea meet the requirements set by the market, and, at the same time, Utz Certified analyzes the major problem areas for farmers on issues that have the most impact on productivity and sustainability. This set-up demonstrates that corporate social responsibility does in fact have an (economical) value for both environment and farmers in origin as well as companies in buying countries.
Besides coffee farmers, Utz Certified also trains cocoa farmers to become professional and responsible entrepreneurs. The supply of sustainably produced cocoa will grow strongly in the coming period because of the growing number of Utz Certified cocoa farmers worldwide. Now, cocoa producers have been certified in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Vietnam, Nigeria, Uganda, Congo, Peru, Dominican Republic and Tanzania.
An important step was taken in making the tea sector more sustainable; as such, Utz Certified launched the Code of Conduct for Rooibos. This is the first internationally accepted standard that is specifically developed for mainstream sustainable Rooibos. All four producers and two processors that were included in the pilot projects have been certified.
At this moment, more than 160,000 small-holders and estates in coffee, tea and cocoa have been Utz Certified. This means the independent position of many farmers has been strengthened. Farmers are trained in the professionalization of their agricultural practices and operational management. This improves the quality of the product and allows them to produce higher volumes at lower costs. This, in turn, enables farmers to negotiate a better price for a better product and with this improve their standard of living. Moreover, farmers who work with Utz Certified in the global marketplace receive a premium for their crop and they don't have to pay for taking part in the program.
For more information about Utz Certified, visit http://www.goodinside.org.
Source: Utz Certified
