Organic coffee is grown without synthetic chemicals, producing cleaner and purer beans which highlight the flavors of your brew without unnecessary flavors or additives. Organic farming also prioritizes soil health and biodiversity to protect our planet while benefitting local farming communities.

Concerns over industrialized agriculture’s damaging impact on both people and our environment sparked a movement toward more natural, chemical-free growing practices in the mid 20th century. Health-conscious consumers and environmental activists quickly adopted organic crops, driving sales of these foods and products and demand. With increased awareness, researchers also highlighted long-term benefits such as human health improvements, soil and water quality enhancement, biodiversity enhancement and sustainability benefits of this form of agriculture farming.

Coffee’s shift towards sustainability was driven by its conventional cultivation techniques which often employ pesticides and herbicides that pollute our waters and soil, negatively affecting wildlife as well as human health. Furthermore, deforestation on coffee farms contributes to localized habitat destruction as well as soil nutrients being lost over time.

With this knowledge in mind, Jim established his first company with the intent of producing high-quality organic coffee. Over time, Jim and his family have continued to expand and refine their business around bringing pure flavors directly to customers while supporting sustainable farming practices.

American and European importers and roasters showed great interest in organic coffee during its early 2000s surge, promising farmers they would pay a premium for certified organic beans. Unfortunately, reality proved otherwise; El Toledo Farm in Costa Rica already lost 80 percent of their harvest after switching over due to abandoning all chemical fertilization methods in favor of natural ones, forcing productivity levels to plummet significantly and thus no longer afford the premium promised them by buyers.

As a result, many organic producers abandoned their efforts and turned back to chemical use, an unfortunate reality considering the costs associated with transitioning to organic farming are prohibitively expensive for small and mid-sized farms. Furthermore, value-added processors like roasters and coffee shops must obtain certification so as to use the USDA Organic seal on their products (and avoid government sanction for mislabeling).

IFOAM was established in 1972 to act as a global platform for organic advocacy and standardization. Today, it boasts 160 member organizations from more than 80 countries around the globe that collaborate in setting organic standards which have become international benchmarks of agricultural sustainability. Their work allows coffee to be labeled organic while simultaneously building consumer trust through USDA Organic certification marks; furthermore Fair Trade Alliance promotes an holistic approach that emphasizes social responsibility alongside organic production.