ORIGIN TRANSITION STRATEGY
raising the bar for the coffee industry: regenerative transition at scale
Under the Terra Genesis banner, we collaborated with Blue Bottle Coffee, a leading brand within the Nestlé Group, to develop origin transition strategies for supplier groups in four of the world’s major coffee producing countries: Colombia, Ethiopia, Mexico and Peru.
Services
context assessments
stakeholder engagement
capacity building
origin transition strategy
program roadmapping
financial modeling
impact modeling
Partners
Terra Genesis – USA
Blue Bottle Coffee – USA
Caravela – Colombia, Mexico
METAD – Ethiopia
Valle Inca – Peru
Red Fox – Peru
Project Context
Blue Bottle, a leading brand within the Nestlé Group, is committed to improving its coffee supply systems through targeted investments. They approached us to create tailored transition strategies for four key origins, understanding that each location requires a unique, holistic approach. Our objective was to identify critical intervention areas where Blue Bottle could maximize its regenerative impact in each origin, in a way that aligns with the company’s long-term sustainability goals.
Process
We initiated a collaborative process with key stakeholders to align on vision, goals, and approach. Regenerative agriculture primers and workshopping ensured a shared understanding of key concepts. In-depth context assessments identified opportunities, constraints and development potential in each origin, leading to the design of multi-year transition strategies and program roadmaps for each origin. Impact modeling was conducted to estimate the carbon and financial impacts of each of the programs.
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Stakeholder Engagement
Achieving lasting regenerative outcomes requires a long-term vision, commitment, and a shift to a new collaborative paradigm. It’s essential that all key stakeholders—particularly buyers and producers—are aligned on long-term goals, approaches and key aspects required to regenerate the agricultural systems they are working on. We engage all stakeholders in a foundational process that develops their ability to think and operate from a regenerative perspective. Stakeholder engagement is critical because it builds the trust, mutual understanding and healthy relationships that are required for long-term project success.
Context Assessment
The process of regeneration looks differently in every context, due to the unique opportunities, constraints, and potential that are present in every place. To design effective regenerative solutions, it’s crucial to develop a deep understanding of the specific place. Typically this work involves remote assessments, site visits, technical analysis, and ongoing engagement with local partners. A thorough context assessment helps identify key intervention points and guides the selection of practices best suited to achieving the desired outcomes.
Capacity Building
Regeneration requires thinking and working from a different paradigm. In order for project stakeholders to align and effectively work together, we engage them in a collaborative process that develops their thinking around what regeneration means in their context. This can take the form of webinars with primers on regenerative agriculture or development, or more in-depth workshopping that evolves everyone’s thinking about the work at hand. Since regeneration is an ever-evolving process, the capacities of the stakeholders need to evolve with the project.
Regulatory Compliance
A range of standards and regulations, such as the EUDR, promote sustainable practices and ensure accountability in regenerative agriculture, directly impacting producers’ operations and sourcing decisions. We support our clients in navigating these complex requirements, enabling them to align their practices with industry standards and maintain compliance while enhancing their sustainability efforts.
Transition Program Design
This is an integrated offering that results in the development of a context-specific origin transition strategy that provides insights into key intervention and impact areas, a multi-year program roadmap that outlines pathways from piloting to scaling, and an estimation of the associated program costs. Modeling is conducted to provide insight into financial implications and projected project impacts (e.g. carbon impacts). Developing a transition program requires in-depth context assessment, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and a long-term, aspirational vision and commitment.
Carbon Modeling
We are able to make projections of carbon impacts associated with the current reality of an origin or supply system, and contrast them to the expected impacts that might be seen following an intervention or transition program. The insights can be used to evaluate the potential of insetting vs more traditional offsetting approaches.
Financial Modeling
Financial modeling provides insight into the financial viability of a proposed cropping concept, production system or development intervention. The scope of the modeling may vary, ranging from establishing basic financial viability of a cropping concept, to establishing estimates for origin transition costs, feasible price points, price premium structures, and the cost of de-risking farmers during a regenerative transition.
Outcomes
Stakeholder Alignment on Regenerative Approach & Collaborative Development
Engaged key stakeholders to align on program vision, desired regenerative outcomes and development approach
Identification of Key Opportunities & Constraints Unique to Each Origin Context
Identified unique opportunities, constraints and areas with highest impact investment potential for each origin
Transition Strategies & Program Roadmaps
Developed transition strategies and program roadmaps tailored to needs, conditions and potential of each origin.
Insight Into Key Financial Implications of Transition Programs
Conducted financial modeling to demonstrate financial implications of transition programs
Carbon Impact Projections & Insight into Insetting Potential
Delivered high-level projections for carbon impacts associated with the proposed transition programs
Stakeholder Capacities to Engage With Regenerative Approach
Developed capacities of key stakeholders to engage with regenerative agriculture and development process
Explore our work
Raising the Bar for the Coffee Industry: Regenerative Transition at Scale
Blue Bottle Coffee
Developing aspirational, industry-leading transition strategies for coffee origins in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Ethiopia
Climate Resilient Design for Arabica and Robusta Coffee in Nicaragua
Lavazza
Cropping concept development through a collaborative process that involves farmers, exporters, and the roaster
Turning a Healthy Snack Company’s Family Farm Into a Regenerative Innovation Site
Artisan Tropic
Farm design that shows the possibilities of regeneratively grown cassava and plantain in diversified agroforestry systems
Collaborating With Timberland and Smallholders to Bring Cotton Back to Haiti
SFA Haiti
Partnering with smallholder farmers on the long-term development of regenerative cotton in Haiti. Resulting in the first shoe brought to market with Haitian cotton.
Leading Research on Scaling Regenerative Agriculture With Smallholder Farmers
Rockefeller Foundation | Regen 10
Series of studies that explore the financial viability of smallholder farming and pathways to scale regenerative agriculture through innovation & crop diversification
Innovating Conservation: Reconciling Orangutan Habitat With Regenerative Palm Oil
SOS Sumatra | Faith in Nature
Conducting a study to assess the feasibility of integrating wildlife corridors for orangutans with regenerative palm oil agroforestry in Sumatra
