Dansk
Buy organic coffee and avoid everything you do not want in your cup
As consumers, we often choose our products based on what and how much we get for our money. But when it comes to organic coffee and organic coffee beans, instead, turn it around and think: What is it that I do NOT get for my money. For ecology is about choosing chemical pesticides and fertilizers to stay away from your coffee. That way, you take care of both yourself and the planet you live on.
Coffee beans, or coffee berries as they really are, grow on bushes. Small, white flowers bloom on the coffee bushes, which subsequently turn into the coffee berry itself.
Organic coffee without pesticides
In the production of organic coffee, the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers is prohibited. Pesticides are all the various chemical substances that are sprayed on the coffee plantation to protect the coffee bushes from pests, weeds and fungal diseases.
In general, pesticide residues in food and beverages produced in the EU are low. There are strict requirements for the limit values, and the most dangerous pesticides are illegal to use in the EU countries’ food production. Elsewhere on the planet, the rules are more lenient and there are glaring examples of life-threatening pesticides found in Brazilian coffee.
The unequal rules and the lack of transparency it entails is one of the main reasons why ØNSK recommends buying organic coffee. Coffee beans are grown in what is called the ‘Bean Belt’, which is a wide belt around the equator. The coffee-producing countries are thus outside the EU, and therefore they are also subject to some other rules for the use of pesticides in conventional agriculture. For organic farming, EU rules apply worldwide if the products are to be sold with EU organic labeling. Independent and designated inspectors are responsible for visiting the organic coffee plantations and ensuring that the plantations comply with European standards for organic production.
Products from abroad can also bear the red Danish Ø mark if the goods are processed or packed in Denmark. This process is controlled by the Danish organic control, and when ØNSK’s organic coffee varieties are roasted and packed in Copenhagen, the coffee bags bear the Danish Ø mark.
Whole organic coffee beans or ground coffee
ØNSK now has a wide selection of organic coffee. The latest addition is Café de Alturas, meaning coffee from the heights.
Elevations are synonymous with good coffee, as in the mountains it is a little cooler and a more stable temperature. If the temperature gets too high in the coffee plantations, the coffee berries develop too quickly and do not manage to get the deep and complex taste we know from quality coffee.
Organic coffee often gets blamed for not having the quality that conventionally grown coffee has. But Café de Alturas is proof of the opposite. They work continuously with development projects on the farms to lift the quality to new heights. The small cooperative also has a laboratory and coffee roastery, where the coffee is tested and quality assessed.
You can get both Café de Alturas as medium or dark roasted and ground or whole organic coffee beans.
You can also find the entire ØNSK selection of organic coffee here.
Farmer sprays with pesticides. Image by John Lameth from Pexels
Ecology is better for nature and the environment
Fertilizer is a remedy that causes plants to grow by adding nutrients to the soil around them. Fertilizer is usually divided into two main categories: natural fertilizer and artificial fertilizer. Natural fertilizers consist exclusively of organic materials – urine, faeces, garden waste and other natural materials. Fertilizers, on the other hand, are chemically produced. Chemical fertilizers became popular as early as the 19th century . The advantage of fertilizers is the ability to adapt the nutrient content of the fertilizer to the soil, and chemical fertilizers come in a form that the soil can easily absorb.
Organic fertilizers are absorbed more slowly, and therefore organic coffee farmers need to be more patient. However, the longer process is an advantage for the coffee planters’ immediate environment and nature. Organic fertilizers have a soil-improving effect that strengthens the soil’s micro-life by increasing the content of soil, earthworms and microorganisms. At the same time, the slow process means that organic farmers only have to fertilize once a year. Therefore, one should not be equally afraid of overdosing on fertilizers that can destroy nearby aquatic environments.
One way the organic coffee farmers make natural fertilizers is actually quite circular. As previously described, coffee comes from a berry. Inside the berry are two beans. The berry itself is a residual product in coffee production, which is typically not used at all in conventional agriculture. On organic farms, on the other hand, the berry is composted together with other organic material; such as livestock leftovers and fallen banana leaves. A lot of worms lie and process the organic material, which eventually turns into a good fertilizer product.
Earthworms make sure to pull organic fertilizer into the soil. They are essential for organic farming. Photo of Sippakorn Yamkasikorn from Pexels.
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Building infrastructure for organic fertilizer at coffee farmers
At ØNSK, we strive to promote forms of production that benefit nature and people. Out of our turnover, 1% goes to green development projects with the coffee farmers. Watch the video where we build infrastructure at Leonel to be able to make organic fertilizer.
In the video we visit organic farmer Leonel Valladares. Leonel gives us an insight into how the organic fertilizer processes take place and how natural fertilizers are most often created on organic coffee farms. We are very proud that Leonel’s coffee is a permanent part of ØNSK’s coffee subscription.
Volcanic soil is ideal for ecology
It is said of Nicaragua that it is the land of lakes and volcanoes. Since volcanic soil is eminent for absorbing and retaining water and minerals, the soil in Nicaragua is enormously fertile. Therefore, the country is the ideal place for organic production of quality coffee.
ØNSK’s organic coffee capsules
At ØNSK you can also get organic coffee capsules. The coffee is pesticide free and fertilized with organic fertilizer so you can enjoy a clean and good cup of coffee. The coffee capsules also consist of organic material that takes into account both the climate and the environment. If you have a Nespresso machine at home, the coffee capsules from ØNSK are the environmentally friendly and sustainable choice.
Danes love ecology
The overall sales of organic foods continue to set new records year after year. In 2020, sales have reached $ 100 billion for the first time, and Denmark is at the very top in first place and is therefore world champions in ecology. In Denmark, sales of organic food constitute a market share of 11.5 percent, which is enough to be in the organic lead.
In a consumer analysis carried out by Landbrug & Fødevarer, which appears on the right, you can see the Danes’ most important reasons for buying organic. In addition to choosing pesticide residues, it is also important for consumers of ecology to take care of the environment and drinking water, increase animal welfare, protect the climate and much more. If you are one of the consumers who is enthusiastic about organic products, you can see our entire range of organic coffee here or some selected coffees below:
Source: lf.dk – Consumer analysis conducted for L&F, 2019
