PRESS RELEASE/GROUP - 23/02/2018
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, February 23, 2018 – Sucafina SA announced today its new partnership with S&D Coffee & Tea, Inc., a leading manufacturer of coffee, tea, and related extracts, (planning) to reduce coffee’s water footprint at the processing level in Rwanda, with a special focus on a sustainable approach to water treatment.
During harvesting, East Africa’s wet mills process coffee from millions of smallholders, requiring vast amounts of water and also producing a large volume of wastewater. With leaking or flooding, some of the wastewater could return untreated to groundwater or local rivers, impacting the quality of water for communities downstream.
In this context, Sucafina along with S&D will pilot a sustainable approach to treat water at Kanyege Wet Mill in Rwanda – Rwacof’s washing station located in Nyamasheke, on the border of Lake Kivu. This project will focus on testing a low-cost environmental solution using a Vetiver grass system. The grass’ deep roots suck up the water, slowing down flow and infiltration into the soil. The remaining effluent, if any, will be stored in a small pond at the bottom of the wetland to evaporate. It is worth noting that this solution is efficient in erosion control and water conservation, soil stabilization, pollution control, wastewater treatment, and storm damage mitigation and prevention.
David Piza, S&D's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, states, "This water treatment pilot program in Rwanda is in line with our commitment to investing in the future - the future of coffee farming, improved water management and the safety of coffee communities."
This collaboration is managed by the Kahawatu Foundation – Sucafina’s Sustainability implementer, which supports rural communities in East African coffee producing countries to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability.
“We look forward to working with S&D to protect water resources for our communities in Rwanda and provide these communities with wastewater treatment best practices,” said David Behrends, Managing Partner & Head of Trading at Sucafina SA. “We hope this affordable solution can be scaled up more widely and eventually be rolled out to other wet mills in the region,” he added.
Notes for the Editor
About Sucafina Group:
Sucafina is a leading sustainable “farm to roaster” coffee company, with a family tradition in commodities that stretches back to 1905. Today, with more than 850 employees in 23 countries, the Group is a key player in the world of coffee. With its main trading base in Geneva, Sucafina sources coffee, often directly from farmers, to provide its partners with sustainable value across the global supply chain. Learn more at www.sucafina.com
About S&D:
S&D Coffee & Tea, a subsidiary of Cott Corporation, is a major manufacturer of coffee and tea for the foodservice, convenience and consumer packaged goods industries. S&D is also a leading producer of liquid extracts. In continuous operation since 1927, the company serves over 110,000 customers through national distribution and direct store delivery. Visit www.sdcoffeetea.com/
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