Africa

African coffee is brewed and celebrated worldwide for its rich and unique flavors. Our extensive sourcing network reaches smallholder farmers in Congo, Ivory Coast and Uganda, as well as estates in Tanzania and Zambia. Managed by our teams of expert agronomists and sustainability professionals, these farms supply specialty customers internationally with sustainably grown, traceable coffees.

Female farm workers ploughing crop field

Democratic Republic of Congo

Both arabica and robusta are traditional export crops for DRC and now specialty production is bringing new investment, interest and hope to the Kivu provinces – the main growing region. As the country’s largest coffee buyer and exporter, we offer high-quality fully washed coffee, alongside specialty honeys and naturals, and organic cascara, produced at our seven washing stations. A stronger focus on quality also rewards the farmers with higher premiums.

Smiling farm worker picking red coffee beans in the Republic of Congo

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast is an important producer of full-bodied robusta. ofi has grown to become the country’s largest green coffee buyer and 4C certified exporter, benefitting the livelihoods of around 90,000 smallholders each year. Our state-of-the-art dry mill in Abidjan is equipped with modern machinery geared towards producing superior quality beans and customized grades for buyers.

Close up shot of red coffee beans on tree branch

Tanzania

This 2,000-hectare certified green arabica coffee estate is located in the mountainous Songea Rural District of Southern Tanzania along the Ruvuma River. Certified by Rainforest Alliance/UTZ and 4C, the estate employs many people from the local community and has invested in social infrastructure. We are proud to be the first business in Africa to have a site achieve the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard.

Uganda

Considered the birthplace of robusta, Uganda is home to what is thought to be one of the rarest examples of naturally occurring coffee trees anywhere in the world. Over a third of the country’s population depend on coffee to make a living, making it a product of vital economic and social significance. Our Sironko processing mill produces specialty grade, fully washed arabicas, sourced from the farmers spread across the high slopes of Mt Elgon.

Pile of red coffee beans with sky background

Zambia

The Rainforest Alliance/UTZ certified arabica estates are located in the stunning Mafinga Hills of Zambia’s Northern Province, favored for its microclimate, rich volcanic soil and rainfall. As well as improving production facilities and processes with an emphasis on quality, we’re investing in the communities beyond the estates to improve access to education and healthcare, and support smallholder farmers.

Female farm worker driving a tractor filled with red coffee beans

Read ofi news

Press Release Apr 30, 2024

ofi cocoa shares how transparency and traceability are driving sustainability impact for food & beverage sector

ofi (olam food ingredients), a global leader in naturally good food and beverage ingredients, says developments in data and technology – from granular deforestation mapping and child labor monitoring to AI-powered carbon measurement tools – are accelerating progress towards its Cocoa Compass sustainability ambition. It is also providing food and beverage companies with enhanced traceability and transparency ahead of new regulations in Europe and beyond.

The latest Cocoa Compass highlights based on 2022 data include:

New analysis showing over 30,168 farmers in ofi’s cocoa supply chain are earning a living income^[1], putting the business on track to reach its 2030 target of 150,000 cocoa farmers earning a living income.
A 395% increase in the number of children receiving education support in 2022, compared to the 2018 baseline.
A 15% increase in the number of households covered by ofi’s Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS).
6 million trees distributed by ofi, working with its customers and partners, for agroforestry and income diversification, from 2018 to 2022.
79% of farms in ofi’s sustainability programs have been polygon mapped^[2]

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Indonesia Mission Director, Jeff Cohen, said: "We are proud to be working together with ofi and the Hershey Company to encourage cocoa farmers to adopt more sustainable agriculture practices—like diversifying their crops and allowing more trees to remain on their land—which will strengthen their resilience against climate shocks and improve their livelihoods^[3].”

Articles Apr 25, 2024

Assessing Natural Capital costs in coffee operations

How do you differentiate between the environmental impacts of organizations across different geographies, local conditions, products, local regulations etc.?

For several years, ofi has been working towards assessing the true value (cost or benefits) of some of our operations on the ground. Our latest case study on Natural Capital Valuation: Assessing Natural Capital costs in coffee operations, delves into year-on-year monetary impact of our select coffee growing operations in five origins.

Globally, an estimated 12.5 million to 25 million smallholder farmers depend on the coffee industry for their livelihoods, according to figures from Fairtrade¹ and the FAO². However, the majority of these farmers face significant challenges including limited access to formal agronomy training, inadequate resources, small farm sizes and insecure land tenure. These factors often hinder the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, which are crucial for preserving Natural Capital over the medium and long term. As a result, coffee production often imposes a cost on nature in the form of GHG emissions, degradation of soil structure and fertility, depletion of ground and surface water, and loss of natural ecosystem services critical to agricultural production.

To address these challenges, we employ Natural Capital valuation techniques, which leverage environmental economics to assign a monetary value (US$) to our impacts and dependencies, encompassing carbon emissions, water usage and ecosystem services. Quantifying Natural Capital in this way enables us to assess and mitigate risks while fostering investments that promote a positive impact on landscapes and ecosystem.

We evaluated twenty AtSource+ coffee farmer groups sourced from five different origins³ to assess their GHG emissions and water use related Natural Capital Costs (NCC). Reporting on the NCC is based on each metric tonne of product which makes the cost intensities very sensitive/ dependent on farm level yields. Thus, understanding the underlying yield dynamics is also crucial for interpreting these NCC footprints effectively.

Articles Apr 24, 2024

Helping farming communities meet their own health and nutrition needs

The combined expertise of our local sustainability teams with partners such as Funcafé, TechnoServe, Côte d’Ivoire's National Nutrition program, USAID (United States Agency for International Development), and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) delivers solutions to improve access to clean water, healthcare services and supplies, and nutritious food.

Initiatives range from using geo-location to identify and screen for infant malnutrition in farming communities in Côte d'Ivoire - where one in five children experience stunted growth and development - to fortifying key staples with vitamins and minerals in our processing facilities.

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