Blue Bottle Coffee Claims Carbon Neutrality, Plans Regenerative Agriculture

"The announcement follows a carbon neutrality pledge made in 2021 promoting the in-house sustainability scheme. In an announcement today, the Nestlé-owned company said that it reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 18.4% from a 2018 baseline, while compensating for remaining emissions by purchasing "high-quality" carbon removal credits. The company did not note any third-party carbon neutrality certifier in the effort, but said the 18.4% reduction followed Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) guidelines."

"According to the announcement, the three-year effort lowered emissions intensity across several hotspots, including a 25% reduction tied to green coffee sourcing, a 16% reduction in dairy-related emissions by switching to plant milks as a default, and a 67% reduction in electricity intensity through renewable energy in U.S. and Greater China. Blue Bottle coffee maintains roasteries in the U.S. and Japan, with more than 120 cafes split between the U.S. and Asia, according to the company's coffee shop locator tool."

""Achieving carbon neutrality is both a milestone and a mandate," Blue Bottle CEO Karl Strovink said in an announcement from the group. "It confirms what's possible when we take clear, collective action. But more importantly, it helps us focus on what's next: supporting regenerative agriculture - including improved farmer access to climate-adaptive coffee varieties - while also establishing the role of species beyond arabica"

Blue Bottle Coffee achieved carbon neutrality for the 2024 calendar year while offsetting remaining emissions with purchased carbon removal credits. The company reduced greenhouse gas emissions intensity 18.4% from a 2018 baseline following Science Based Targets initiative guidelines. Specific reductions included 25% lower emissions tied to green coffee sourcing, 16% lower dairy-related emissions by defaulting to plant milks, and a 67% drop in electricity intensity through renewables in the U.S. and Greater China. Blue Bottle plans investments in regenerative agriculture starting in Peru in 2026 and supports sector-wide climate resilience initiatives such as World Coffee Research's F1 hybrid trials.

Read at Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine