McDonald’s USA has announced that 100 per cent of the ground and whole bean coffee in its United States restaurants is sustainably sourced, achieving its 2020 goal a year ahead of schedule.
Coffee for McDonald’s USA restaurants is verified sustainable through McDonald’s McCafé Sustainability Improvement Platform (SIP), a program developed in partnership with Conservation International, or sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.
“As we prioritise McCafé as a go-to coffee destination, we recognise that sustainability is important to customers, coffee farmers, and to helping ensure the supply of coffee for future generations,” says Marion Gross, Chief Supply Chain Officer at McDonald’s North America.
“We’re thankful for the dedication of all partners throughout the McDonald’s system and supply chain who together achieved this important milestone where we serve customers delicious, high quality, and now 100 per cent sustainably sourced McCafé coffee.”
McDonald’s says this signifies one step along McDonald’s journey to help build a more sustainable coffee future for people and the planet.
“McDonald’s achievement of sustainably sourcing 100 per cent of their coffee shows that sustainability can scale and it’s not just for niche or small businesses,” says Dr M Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International.
“For [more than] 25 years, Conservation International has worked with McDonald’s and today’s milestone is a clear signal to leaders everywhere on what can be achieved if business and conservation work together.”
Through the McCafé SIP program, McDonald’s invests in coffee growers and their communities for the long term. In 2018 across Colombia, McDonald’s – in partnership with supplying roasters – supported more than 3700 farmers through training, individual farm visits to provide technical guidance, community support, and premium payments to support farmer economic viability. In the Antioquia region of Colombia, McDonald’s sustainability efforts have helped reduce water consumption by 36,000 litres per year, plant 326,000 new coffee trees, and rehabilitated millions more.
McDonald’s also recognises that building a sustainable future is an important global issue that requires collaboration and action across the coffee industry.
“Sourcing coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms protects the environment as well as farmer livelihoods and the wellbeing of their communities,” says Alex Morgan, Chief Markets Officer at the Rainforest Alliance.
“As coffee growing regions increasingly feel impacts from climate change, McDonald’s sustainable sourcing efforts in partnership with Rainforest Alliance and through McCafé SIP preserve a long-term, sustainable supply of coffee.”
