Ethical Coffee and our Group

With an increasing awareness of the impact upon our environment Norfolk County Services and Drinklink & Catered 4 have joined together to provide all secondary schools and other prominent Norfolk County Services sites (including Gressenhall Museum, Norwich Castle Museum and County Hall) with biodegradable, compostable and recyclable products.

As part of this pioneering scheme we have introduced a range of ethically sourced coffees including Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance from all the coffee growing regions around the world.

Fairtrade - What is it?

www.fairtrade.org.uk
The Fairtrade Foundation is a registered charity founded in the 1980’s by, among others, Oxfam, Christian Aid and Cafod designed to offer a credible, independent consumer guarantee for products that help producers in developing countries get a better deal from international trade.

The producers are comprised of disadvantaged farmers and small holders organised into democratic and accountable co-operatives who apply the Fairtrade premiums paid for their products for the benefit of their members. Also the Foundation actively works with the co-operatives to improve the social, economic and working conditions of its members as well as ensuring they receive a decent minimum wage together with improvement in worker health & safety and environmental protection.

Organic - What is it?

www.soilassociation.org
The UK Soil Association ensures a system that uses sustainable agricultural processes free from pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, producing coffee in harmony with nature and enhancing soil health.

Rainforest Alliance - What is it?

www.rainforest-alliance.org
The RFA works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food. From large multinational corporations to small, community based co-operatives, we involve businesses and consumers worldwide in our efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global market place where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. We set standards for sustainability that conserve wildlife and wild lands and promotes the well-being of workers and their communities. Farms and forestry enterprises that meet our comprehensive criteria receive the RFA certification seal.

Caffeine and Ethical Coffee….

Caffeine is a natural substance that occurs within Arabica and Robusta coffee. Arabica coffee contains around 1.5% caffeine with Robusta having around 4%.

There are primarily two methods for decaffeinating coffee - chemical decaffeination process and Swiss Water ® Process. The majority of decaff coffee, about 80% globally, is decaffeinated with a chemical known as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, both of which absorb caffeine. The beans are simply soaked and the chemical solvent (containing the caffeine) is separated.

The Swiss Water ® Process is a 100% chemical free coffee decaffeination process using fresh water and a carbon filter. A premium price is paid for this desirable decaff coffee. For more info log onto www.swisswater.com