The latest food and beverage industry news and trend analysis

JDE Peet’s, the parent company of coffee brands including Jacobs, L’OR, and Peet’s Coffee, has unveiled a new "Nature Transition Plan" designed to secure the long-term viability of the global coffee supply chain.

The roadmap, titled Grounded in Nature, marks a significant industry milestone: JDE Peet’s is now the first food and beverage company globally to release a transition plan fully aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and the Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN).

Beyond Compliance

The plan outlines a shift from voluntary sustainability commitments to measurable, science-based actions. A core component of the strategy is a "deforestation-free" pledge that the company states will go "beyond compliance" with the incoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

While the EUDR mandates strict geolocation and legality checks, JDE Peet’s strategy aims to address the broader socio-economic drivers of deforestation, ensuring that smallholder farmers are not excluded from the market due to compliance barriers.

Key Targets of the Nature Transition Plan:

• Deforestation-Free: Exceeding EUDR standards by integrating social support systems for farmers alongside environmental compliance.

• Climate Resilience: Extending regenerative farming practices to an additional 200,000 hectares of land by 2030 to improve soil health and water retention.

• Responsible Sourcing: Achieving 100% responsibly sourced green coffee by 2028. The company currently sits at 83.2% (2024 data) and aims to close the gap through industry-recognized schemes and its own Common Grounds program.

Mitigating Supply Chain Risk

Laurent Sagarra, VP Engagement at JDE Peet’s, framed the initiative as a critical risk management strategy rather than solely a CSR effort.

Operational Framework: Assess, Address, Progress

The plan utilizes a three-tiered framework to tailor interventions across different production zones:

1. Assess: High-resolution mapping of supply chains to identify specific regional risks.

   
   

2. Address: Deploying targeted programs based on "production archetypes." For instance, strategies for Brazil and Vietnam will focus on reducing inputs in high-yield, mechanized systems, while initiatives in Latin America and East Africa will target shade-grown, rain-fed systems.

   
   

3. Progress: Transparent reporting against TNFD standards to track the scaling of proven solutions.

This announcement builds on the foundation of the JDE Peet’s Common Grounds program, which reports reaching nearly one million farmers across 29 countries since 2015.