Revolutionary Starbucks Scientists Unveil Climate-Proof Coffee Innovation
Starbucks pioneers climate-resilient coffee varieties to combat the threats posed by climate change, ensuring a sustainable and secure global coffee supply chain
The coffee plant, especially the arabica variety which is highly favored, is known to be unpredictable in its growth. This poses a significant challenge to the coffee industry and the farmers who depend on it.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), a financial institution that caters to Latin America and the Caribbean, coffee crops thrive under specific conditions of temperature, light, and humidity. Presently, these conditions are predominantly found within the designated coffee belt region in Latin America, as highlighted in a recent IADB report.
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However, the bank cautioned that the area suitable for cultivating coffee could decrease by up to 50% due to rising temperatures by 2050. On a positive note, the IADB pointed out that certain countries may be able to accommodate coffee production as a result of the changing climate. Nonetheless, in order for coffee to continue thriving in its current locations, significant changes need to occur.
A coffee tree in Hacienda Alsacia.
Starbucks, a major purchaser of global coffee, is actively working on creating new arabica varietals that can thrive in a rapidly warming world. Over the past decade, Starbucks agronomists have dedicated their efforts towards breeding coffee trees that yield abundant fruit in a shorter span of time. Additionally, these trees are being developed to withstand the detrimental effects of climate change, such as the devastating coffee leaf rust disease.
After evaluating numerous varieties, the company has identified six that meet the company's standards for taste and flavor. A catalog showcasing Starbucks' new collection is provided to farmers at the Hacienda Alsacia coffee farm in Costa Rica, which serves as an educational and research hub. The catalog highlights the distinctive flavor profiles of each plant, ranging from melon, honey, and sugar cane to citrus, herbal, and floral notes. Moreover, it offers comprehensive insights into the plants' growing attributes, such as the altitudes where they thrive, their size and structure, and the timeframe for initial production.
Climate comes for coffee
"Instead of the usual three or four years, the harvest of some of the varietals we have been working with and testing is now taking place in a two-year cycle," disclosed Michelle Burns, Starbucks' Executive Vice President of Global Coffee, Social Impact, and Sustainability. If everything goes according to plan, this accelerated timeline means that Starbucks and its suppliers can enjoy a higher volume of coffee in a shorter span of time, resulting in a victory for all parties involved.Starbucks, a global chain with approximately 36,000 locations worldwide, heavily depends on the dedicated efforts of around 400,000 farmers from 30 different countries. Unfortunately, like many other coffee farmers around the world, they are facing significant challenges in adjusting to the impacts of global warming.
Starbucks director of global agronomy, Carlos Mario Rodriguez at the Hacienda Alsacia coffee farm.
Joshua Trujillo/Starbucks
Suzanne Shriner, the president of Lions Gate Farms in Hawaii, which is not a supplier for Starbucks, has been greatly affected by climate change. She explained, "The rainfall patterns have become increasingly irregular, and when it does rain, the severity of the storms has a detrimental impact on our plants."
Farmers in Hawaii are collaborating with World Coffee Research, a nonprofit organization that has joined forces with the industry, including Starbucks, to find a remedy for the extensive issue of coffee leaf rust in the area. Shriner emphasized the need for comparable advancements in breeding techniques and expressed a keen interest in closely monitoring the Starbucks initiative.
Climate change poses a threat to more than just coffee crops. Other agricultural products like cocoa and grapes can also be severely impacted by drought, freezing temperatures, or heavy rainfall, leading to reduced yields. Additionally, the unpredictability of extreme weather makes it even more challenging for farmers to effectively plan for and adapt to these changing conditions. However, arabica coffee, the sole variety used by Starbucks, is particularly vulnerable to these risks.
Fighting leaf rust
According to Miguel Gomez, a food marketing professor at Cornell's Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the cultivation of arabica coffee necessitates the development of more resilient varieties capable of adapting to changing climates.
Starbucks has been working on developing new coffee varietals.
According to Joshua Trujillo from Starbucks, the existing arabica plants are not resilient to water stresses and are prone to diseases like leaf rust, especially in the presence of abnormally high temperatures.
According to Monika Firl, senior advisor for Fairtrade International's coffee program, although a coffee rust-resistant tree may seem appealing to farmers, it will not solve the multitude of issues caused by climate change. Firl emphasized that there is no singular solution that can address climate change for farmers.
Nature adapts more swiftly than laboratory science, Firl remarked. Breeds tailored to flourish in specific conditions may struggle in different environments, rendering a solution effective only temporarily, not for the foreseeable future.
Firl believes that, for coffee to be sustainable, a departure from the industrialized coffee farm model is necessary. "We must return coffee to its origins in the forest," she suggested, in order to foster a thriving ecosystem.
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In 2021, Starbucks pledged to invest in the preservation and restoration of forests, in addition to setting climate-related objectives. Burns referred to the company's breeding program as a continuous process, emphasizing their commitment to exploring new varietals in order to adapt to climate change.
While robusta and liberica coffee types are known to withstand challenging conditions better than arabica, coffee producers tend to avoid them due to consumers' preference for the taste and aroma of arabica, as highlighted by Cornells Gomez. The aim is to develop arabica-like varieties that possess greater resilience, akin to other coffee types.
Securing the coffee supply chain
According to Starbucks' latest annual report, the potential risks to our supply chain include the rising costs and limited availability of high-quality arabica coffee beans, which could potentially have a negative effect on our business and financial performance.
Various factors, including adverse weather conditions, limited water resources, and crop diseases, can significantly impact the prices and availability of coffee. These challenges can lead to increased costs for Starbucks when purchasing coffee or even a complete shortage in supply. The report cautioned that climate change could potentially intensify these issues. Prior to creating their own resilient coffee varieties, Starbucks had been providing farmers with climate-resistant seeds developed by external sources, with some modifications made by the company.
According to the company, Starbucks has given away a total of three million seeds in the past five years. Additionally, as part of its objective to distribute 100 million trees by 2025, Starbucks has provided approximately 70 million coffee rust resistant trees to farmers.
