LUC stands forland use change, such as clearing forests to make way for coffee cultivation. This is one of the main causes of increased carbon dioxide emissions globally, as forests act as important carbon sinks.

To reduce our climate impact, we switched to 100% certified coffee back in 2014. This means that all the coffee we purchase meets strict environmental requirements and that the risk of deforestation has been significantly reduced. Since the switch, no forests have been cleared in connection with our coffee production.

This transition has yielded clear results. Greenhouse gas emissions linked to soil preparation in our value chain have been reduced by a full 60%. Today, LUC accounts for 26.1% of coffee’s total climate impact—a figure we are working to reduce further.

Since 2014, 96.6% of our coffee has been verified deforestation-free, with a target of 100%. Deforestation-free coffee means that no valuable natural areas have been sacrificed to make way for new coffee plantations. Instead, the coffee is allowed to grow in natural environments, side by side with other plants and trees. This is a crucial factor in preventing large carbon dioxide emissions and helps to protect biodiversity and ecosystems. Coffee bushes that are allowed to grow naturally among other plants thrive better and contribute to better soil health.

CO2e emissions: 26.1%

All our coffee is certified by Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade. Our organic range is also certified by the EU leaf and KRAV. When you choose certified coffee, you can be sure that it has been produced with care for both people and the environment, and that it has been audited by an independent third party. The certifications include protection of human rights, fair income for farmers, efforts to combat eutrophication, preservation of biodiversity, protection of water resources, and healthy soils. In addition, the certifications combat child labor and discrimination.

Certified coffee farms are required to use water efficiently, purify water so that it can be reused, and reduce their energy consumption. In addition, we support the transition to regenerative farming methods, such as increased use of organic fertilizers, intercropping systems, buffer zones, and agroforestry. This leads to reduced chemical use and improved carbon storage in the soil.

CO2e emissions: 61.5%

Coffee’s journey from cultivation to cup is long and involves several different modes of transport: road transport in the country of cultivation, sea freight from the country of origin to the port of Gävle, road transport to our roastery, and finally distribution to stores or restaurants. 

We calculate how much fuel is required for our sea transport and purchase the corresponding amount as renewable fuel. This means that we cover 100% of our sea transport needs with renewable fuel using the Book & Claim accounting principle. The fuel, liquid biogas (LBG), is produced from manure from Europe and is certified by ISCC*.

We are affiliated with Fossil Free Sweden’s Transport Challenge, with the goal of only performing and purchasing fossil-free domestic transport by 2030. Today, over 80% of Arvid Nordquist’s transport* is carried out using renewable fuels through available solutions. *Based on the number of tons multiplied by the transport distance, according to industry standards.

CO2e emissions: 6.2%

Roasting plays a crucial role in determining the taste of coffee. It also requires a lot of energy and takes place at high temperatures. In addition, roasting can give rise to air emissions in the form of particles and gases, which affect both the climate and local air quality. That is why we have taken, and continue to take, concrete steps to
reduce our environmental impact from roasting.

Since 2017, all our coffee has been roasted using biogas, a renewable energy source that has reduced emissions from the roastery by 85-96% compared to LPG. Since 2009, production has been powered entirely by wind and water-based energy, certified with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation’s “Good Environmental Choice” label. Every year, we are audited by independent environmental auditors. 

Our roastery is environmentally certified in accordance with ISO 14001, which means that we work continuously to reduce our environmental impact and have external auditors who verify our work.

CO2e emissions: 0.1%

Our coffee packaging is made from renewable, plant-based raw materials, a bio-circular residual product from the forestry industry. The packaging consists of 95% ISCC-certified raw materials (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification). Applying the mass balance principle ensures that the amount of plant-based plastic material used corresponds to the amount in our packaging. This means that our packaging is almost completely fossil-free, even though each individual package is not necessarily made entirely from plant-based material.

One of our priority areas is to switch to packaging made from so-called mono-materials, manufactured from a single type of plastic, which makes them significantly easier to recycle compared with traditional multi-layer packaging that requires separation of materials. We are actively working with our suppliers to enable such a transition and expect to be able to launch mono-material packaging on the market within the next few years.

CO2e emissions: 6.1%