ÜBER UNS
ÜBER UNS
SUSTAINABILITY
Touton Specialties central vision is to foster lasting relationships based on transparency and quality in the origin countries and with our customers. We strive to put the people along the value chain at the center of our actions and provide them with innovative solutions to create added value from the origin to final customers.
Through regular trips to the origin countries, we have been able to build valuable relationships with producers and farmers on the ground in recent years. Thanks to these direct producer relationships, we can better understand and respond to their needs.
As a genuine link between producers and processors, from the field to the factory, the Touton Group has been managing responsible supply chains for cocoa, coffee, vanilla, and spices since 1848.
As field operators, we are involved at all levels of the value chain. Our vision and our collective action plan for a more sustainable and responsible agro-industry are based on our 175 years of experience in working alongside producer communities and tropical ecosystems.
COFFEE PROJECT WITH THE
ASOCIACIÓN CAFÉ DEL FUTURO
ABOUT THE ASOCIACIÓN CAFÉ
DEL FUTURO
PERHUSA is a Peruvian family-owned company founded in 1963. PERHUSA specializes in picking, sorting, processing, and exporting Peruvian coffee and works with producers from all coffee-growing regions of Peru.
Through PERHUSA, we became aware of the Asociación Café del Futuro, which we visited in 2019 and have been sourcing coffee from ever since. The cooperative, founded in 2007, is known for its high-quality coffee with selected varieties and a strong focus on certified coffee. The farmers primarily cultivate varieties such as Caturra, Bourbon, and Mundo Novo, which thrive in the high altitude regions of Jaén and San Ignacio.
To further strengthen our already close partnership with the Asociación Café del Futuro, it was an obvious choice for us to implement our first project in Peru with them.
BACKGROUND TO OUR INITIATIVE
In recent decades, the region of Jaén in Peru has developed into a coffee monoculture, leading to a heavy reliance on food from other regions by the local population.
Due to government restrictions in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, transportation costs and food prices skyrocketed. Many small farming families struggled with food security. This also affected many farmers of the Asociación Café del Futuro.
The year 2022 presented Peru with further challenges. High inflation, a shortage of fertilizers, and a significant increase in natural gas costs led to further uncertainties.
IMPLEMENTING
"SUSTAINABLE
VEGETABLE HOME
GARDENS"
With the clear goal of both increasing food security and promoting diversified agricultural practices, we decided in 2021 to implement 105 so called "Sustainable Vegetable Home Gardens."
Each family received 10 raised beds as well as seeds of regional vegetables such as radish, chili, cabbage, carrot, pumpkin, onion, spinach, beets, lettuce, and cucumber. They were provided with rakes and fertilizers, as well as training and informational materials on setting up the vegetable gardens. The soils were prepared in August 2021, the first seeds were sown in September 2021, and by December 2021, the farmers and their families were already benefiting from their own fresh vegetables. The farmers are provided with new seeds according to the season and are trained accordingly throughout the year.
To create a more far-reaching approach, we continued our initiative and increased the number of smallholder families from 105 to 206 families in 2022.
IMPLEMENTING
"COMPOSTING MODULES"
In 2023, we took another step forward and provided the farmers with 206 composting modules as well as efficient microorganisms for the breakdown of coffee pulp and organic waste.
This enabled the 206 coffee-producing families to ensure safe and healthy coffee and food production, and improved cash flow by eliminating the need to purchase chemical fertilizers or external inputs. All minerals and microorganisms were approved by the national certification authorities for organic products.
We are very much looking forward to continuing our close partnership and our projects with the Asociación Café del Futuro in the coming years too.
OUR PROJECT COFFEES
CERTIFICATIONS
Sustainable certifications can be a valuable recognition and verification
of good agricultural and labor practices.
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
The Rainforest Alliance is committed to creating a more sustainable world on a social and economic level, aiming to protect nature and improve the lives of agricultural and forestry producers. The core of their work focuses on forest and biodiversity conservation, climate protection, human rights defense, and improving the livelihoods of rural populations.
The Rainforest Alliance seal represents a better future for people and nature, adhering to strict standards based on a triple principle of ecological, economic, and social criteria. The measures include developing and implementing long-term conservation and community-building programs, training on best landscape management practices, providing access to sustainable financing, and opening new markets to expand their sales opportunities. The Rainforest Alliance also urges governments and businesses to take concrete action against deforestation and human rights violations and collaborates with unions to protect workers' rights.
Since 2020, UTZ has been part of the Rainforest Alliance.
FAIRTRADE
Fairtrade connects consumers, businesses, and producer organisations, transforming trade through better prices for smallholder farming families and decent working conditions for plantation workers. The standards include social, ecological, and economic criteria to ensure the sustainable development of producer organizations.
This includes empowering small farmers and workers by organizing them into democratic communities, promoting union organization, regulating working conditions, and banning exploitative child labor.
The ecological criteria include environmentally friendly farming, conserving natural resources, and prohibiting dangerous pesticides.
The economic goals include the Fairtrade minimum price. Coffee producers receive a minimum price to cover the costs of sustainable production, as well as an additional Fairtrade premium that is invested in social or economic development projects.
We have been officially listed as a Fairtrade trader on the Fairtrade Germany website. This enables smaller roasters, who may not find it feasible to obtain their own Fairtrade certification, to apply for a partnership. This way, they can promote the Fairtrade-certified coffee they purchase from us! Find out more about the Kaffee-Rösthandwerk here.
ORGANIC
Organic farming is an agricultural method that aims to produce food in harmony with nature. The organic seal guarantees respect for ecological balance and animal welfare, the preservation of biodiversity and soil fertility, and the avoidance of chemical and synthetic products. It also ensures transparency for the consumer.
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
We are very proud to present the Touton Group's 2023/24 Sustainability Report and invite you to explore our strategies for a more sustainable future in coffee and cocoa. The Sustainability Report highlights how our combined expertise as traders and supply chain managers of tropical commodities has enabled us to successfully overcome significant market challenges. Despite a volatile market, we remain committed to transforming our operations, ensuring compliance and driving sustainable growth.
Key points of the report include:
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Our climate strategy: Touton's official commitment to reduce CO₂ emissions by 2035. With 93% of our emissions coming from agricultural production, we are committed to improving the environmental impact of our direct operations. We also support our supply chain partners in their climate efforts through initiatives such as low-carbon transport, zero-deforestation policies and agroforestry.
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EUDR Readiness: Our methodology for ensuring compliance with the EUDR, supporting sustainable sourcing while maintaining operational efficiency.
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The Positive Agri Culture (PACT): Our new corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, inspired by Touton's vision for the future of trade and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. PACT promotes positive growth, resilience and trust in our supply chains.