McCafé Canada Announced it Will Only Serve Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee Beans

The QSR will only serve coffee beans that are 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance Certified to meet ethical-sourcing standards. Image: McDonald's Canada

TORONTO -- McDonald’s Canada recently announced it will now only serve coffee beans that are 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance Certified to meet ethical-sourcing standards. The new Rainforest Alliance seal can now be seen on McCafé cups across the country.

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The Rainforest Alliance Certified Arabica beans sourced by McDonald's for its McCafé coffee are grown and harvested according to strict standards to protect forests, conserve wildlife and support communities in coffee growing regions around the world. This commitment to ethical sourcing will be spotlighted on the McCafé hot beverage cups used in restaurants, which will sport the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal, so consumers can feel good about enjoying their McCafé latte, cappuccino, or brewed coffee.

"Having a partner like McDonald's and the McCafé brand is a meaningful way to help educate Canadians about how their coffee is grown and how everyday choices can make a difference," said Miguel Zamora, Director of Core Markets, Rainforest Alliance. "The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal on McCafé cups lets Canadians know the coffee inside the cup is from beans sourced in a way that supports farmers and their communities, and helps protect our environment," he also added.

In 2018, McDonald's Canada also became the first company in Canada to serve Canadian Angus beef certified sustainable by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

"Canadians are looking for brands to take a leadership role in making positive changes in the industry, and we're listening to that," said Catherine Crozier, Senior Director, McCafé Strategy, Marketing & Brand Innovation. "Our decision to serve 100 per cent ethically-sourced coffee beans is another step forward in our coffee journey. Rainforest Alliance certification provides our guests with the knowledge that when they choose McCafé coffee, their choice makes a positive impact on our planet," she also added.

The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working to ensure the long-term well-being of farm communities, forests and wildlife. To become Rainforest Alliance Certified, farms and farmers are audited annually against a rigorous standard with detailed environmental, social and economic criteria, designed to protect biodiversity, improve livelihoods, and foster a culture of respect for workers and local communities.

The Rainforest Alliance addresses social impacts through many means, including:

• Training coffee farmers in methods that boost yields and safeguard the health of the land for future generations.
• Promoting decent living and working conditions for workers, gender equality and access to education for children in farm communities.
• Improving incomes by using sustainable methods to increase yields and achieve cost savings through more efficient farm management; leveraging certification to help farmers reach new markets, negotiate better prices, improve their access to credit and earn a premium on their beans.

McDonald's Canada has been on a journey toward making its business practices more sustainable as part of an overarching goal to reduce its environmental footprint. Recently, the company announced plans for a "Green Concept Restaurant," with two restaurants acting as incubator locations to test new packaging options and recycling initiatives.

The Green Concept Restaurants are located in London, ON and Vancouver, BC and will test new sustainable packaging that have the potential to be rolled out on a larger scale in the future, including innovations such as a fully re-pulpable cup for cold beverages, and 100 per cent fibre straw-less lids

Globally, McDonald's has committed that by 2025, 100 per cent of McDonald's guest packaging will come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources. McDonald's is also committed to ensuring that 100 per cent of fibre-based packaging is sourced from recycled or certified sources by 2020.

Sourcing only 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans is one part of this journey, to help ensure the long-term wellbeing of farm communities, forests and wildlife.

SOURCE McDonald's Canada