Resources

Coffee Development Report 2022 – 2023

Beyond Coffee: Towards a Circular Economy in Coffee

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is pleased to announce the launch of the Coffee Development Report (CDR) 2022-23, which provides key insights into a circular economy in the coffee sector. The aim of the CDR 2022-23 is to facilitate the readers with insights of the transformational potential of circular economy and regenerative agriculture in the coffee industry. Circular solutions from the 40 million tonnes of biomass generated every year offer sustainable opportunities for new products, jobs, and income streams.

This edition of International Coffee Organization (ICO) flagship publication presents novel research findings and detailed sectoral analysis supported by case studies to inspire collaborative actionable change for a sustainable coffee future. The CDR 2022-23 has been produced thanks to the contributions of a large team of coffee, technology and economics experts and practitioners in partnership with International Trade Centre (ITC), Lavazza Foundation, the Politecnico di Torino and the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee.

The Overview is now available for download, and it will be soon available in French, Spanish and Portuguese. The full Report, to be published shortly, will provide a deeper dive into current trends as well as challenges and opportunities that arise from the adoption of a circular coffee economy.


Making a Case for Circular Economy in the Coffee Sector

“Making a Case for Circular Economy in the Coffee Sector” provides insights on the work of the multi-stakeholders working group on circular economy in coffee, part of the ITC’s Coffee Guide Network. It is a collaborative effort co-created by International Trade Centre (ITC), International Coffee Organization (ICO), the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee (C4CEC). An extended version of this work will be included in the joint ICO Coffee Development Report on Circular Economy, launched September 11, 2024 at the ICO Global Leaders Forum in London.

The paper highlights key challenges and recommendations from a global survey for its potential transformational impact on the coffee value chain, with a strong focus on economic opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at coffee origin. Contributing authors from across the coffee sector make the case for how a circular economy has the potential to drive sustainable innovation and create new income opportunities from waste, supported in practice by the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee.

Global survey highlights :


4.2 out of 5 scale agreement that circular economy is a promising model for achieving environmental, economy, and social sustainability in the coffee sector


37% of respondents implement circularity in their activities


72% have limited to moderate knowledge about circular economy

Support this ongoing research by sharing your input through our global survey on Circular Economy in Coffee.

“The global coffee industry generates nearly 40 million tons of by-products from processing each year. Coffee by-products have unique bioactive compounds with potential in multiple sectors, from health and wellness, to regenerative agriculture, to packaging. This presents an enormous opportunity for opening new markets, regenerating soil health, and creating value addition at origin through sustainable innovations, using coffee by-products that otherwise go to waste.”