SCA and World Coffee Research Launch New International Coffee Day Campaign

SCA and World Coffee Research Launch New International Coffee Day Campaign

26 September 2017 — This International Coffee Day, the Specialty Coffee Association and World Coffee Research are calling on the coffee community around the globe to support innovation in coffee science.

The two organizations have come together to launch “#thefutureofcoffee”, a campaign to drive awareness about WCR’s work and encourage the community to support the nonprofit by donating or becoming members. The #futureofcoffee campaign will run on social media and features a website and video. “Coffee as an agricultural crop faces an existential crisis,” says Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the SCA.

“World Coffee Research represents the best industry response to the pressing need for solutions to the myriad problems facing coffee and coffee producers around the globe, executed as a collaborative research support program. Only the continued strong support of the coffee industry and its leading companies, large and small, can set the stage for a viable coffee future.” Rhinehart was a founding board member of World Coffee Research, the coffee industry’s only collaborative, global scientific organization addressing coffee agriculture. There are two ways to support World Coffee Research through the #futureofcoffee campaign:

• Individuals and businesses may become WCR members by making a recurring donation in any amount or choose to make a one-time gift of $1000.
• Roasters and importers are encouraged to join WCR’s Checkoff Program, where roasters choose to donate a certain amount per pound or kilo of green coffee purchased from participating suppliers. Learn more about these options at https://www.futureof.coffee.

“Agricultural science is the tool that every major crop in the world uses to improve yields, quality, climate resilience, and farmer livelihoods,” says WCR CEO Tim Schilling. “Coffee is way behind, and we need to change that.” Between now and 2050, demand for coffee is expected to double, while the available land suitable for growing coffee may fall by half.

World Coffee Research has a major focus on coffee breeding—developing the next generation of high yielding, resilient coffee varieties, while increasing quality in the cup. The organization is conducting the first global research to drive best agricultural practices, minimize inputs and environmental impacts, and maximize farmer incomes. World Coffee Research has already delivered impressive results: In just five years, it has established over 60 new coffee varieties for evaluation, two global breeding hubs, and an unprecedented international network of research trials to test variety performance, agricultural approaches for climate resilience, and to track and control coffee disease/pest movement.

To learn more about this campaign, please visit www.futureof.coffee.

World Coffee Research is a 501 (c)(5) nonprofit collaborative research and development program of the global coffee industry to grow, protect, and enhance supplies of quality coffee while improving the livelihoods of the families who produce it. The program is funded and driven by the global coffee industry, guided by producers, and executed by coffee scientists around the world. worldcoffeeresearch.org

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is a trade association built on foundations of openness, inclusivity, and the power of shared knowledge. From coffee farmers to baristas and roasters, our membership spans the globe, encompassing every element of the coffee value chain. SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide through a collaborative and progressive approach. Dedicated to building an industry that is fair, sustainable, and nurturing for all, SCA draws on years of insights and inspiration from the specialty coffee community. For more information, please visit www.sca.coffee

Contact

Hanna Neuschwander, Director of Communications, WCR
+1 503 560 7828
hanna@worldcoffeeresearch.org

Vicente Partida, Director of Communications, SCA
+44 07415 098434
vicentep@sca.coffee