Coffee & Tea Products
Lavazza - Italy's Favourite Coffee
Founded by Luigi Lavazza in 1895, Lavazza coffee fast became phenomenally successful in Lavazza's native Italy and, later, throughout the world. Today the company remains under the control of the Lavazza family who continue to maintain the company's long-standing reputation for quality products and great taste.
Douwe Egberts
Founded by Egbert Douwes in 1753, Douwe Egberts began life as a small shop, in small village in Holland, selling coffee, tea and tobacco. His son, Douwe Egberts took over the business in 1780 and turned what had been a small shop into a national trading company. Over time the company came to be the most prominent of its kind in Holland, acquiring many of its former rivals in the process. In 1978 Douwe Egberts was itself acquired by the Sara Lee Corporation who divested the company of its tobacco brands in 1998.
Today Douwe Egberts is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and Douwe Egberts' product range is enjoyed by millions.
Sustainable Coffee
¡Tierra!
Working in conjunction with The Rainforest Alliance, Lavazza launched the ¡Tierra! project in 2004.
The objective of the project was to provide support to small-scale indigenous growers and producers in Columbia, Peru and Honduras. The project's goal was to devise new systems to improve their standard of living whilst also helping them compete on a global scale.
In 2005 Lavazza met the committments of the Rainforest Alliance by ensuring that the process had minimal impact on the environment. Since then Lavazza and the Rainforest Alliance cite the sucess of the ¡Tierra! project in their continued drive to promote the concept of ethical, sustainable coffee production.
Fair Trade
Fair Trade is a global movement which seeks to combat third world poverty and provide a better deal for farmers and producers in the third world. When you buy goods bearing the Fair Trade mark you are guaranteed that it was produced and sourced through ethical, sustainable means.
The Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a charitible organistion involved in conservation and the promotion of sustainable and ecologically-sound cultivation, crop-production and farming. It also strives to ensure a better standard of living for workers in developing countries by working hand in hand with growers, producers and companies. Companies who are endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance - such as Lavazza - must adhere to the principles of sustainability and meet strict standards set by the Rainforest Alliance.
