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Sustainability

As a division of Keurig Canada, Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc. has an unwavering commitment to sustainable practices and products. Both Keurig Canada and Van Houtte Coffee Services are actively engaged in finding new and innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint, improve the lives of our supply chain families and communities, and provide our customers with quality products that meet our ecological standards.

Find out more about our commitment to sustainability below, or visit KeurigGreenMountain.com to discover their global initiatives.

  • Our Commitment: Van Houtte Coffee Services

  • Our Commitment: Keurig Canada

Our Commitment: Van Houtte Coffee Services

At Van Houtte Coffee Services, we're dedicated to providing you with the best quality of coffee and care in a way that is both good for communities and good for the environment. We've developed initiatives to reduce our fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, create more sustainable business practices, and provide our consumers with quality coffee that is sourced, roasted and distributed in responsible ways.

REDUCING FUEL CONSUMPTION & GHG EMISSIONS

Our initiatives include:

  • Transitioning to lighter and less powerful trucks that are more fuel-efficient.
  • SmartDriver training to our drivers to help them reduce their fuel consumption through energy efficient driving and maintenance practices.
  • All of our vehicles being equipped with GPS so we can monitor idling, speeding and route efficiency.
  • Gradual conversion of our fleet to propane vehicles, allowing a 25% reduction of GHG emissions for each vehicle converted (46 vehicles have been converted to date).
  • Increasing train usage for long distance shipments, which produces 10 times less GHG emissions than a truck.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES

Our initiatives include:

  • Using 100% post-consumer content recycled office paper in all of our branches.
  • Recycling unusable coffee machines and equipment (354 000 pounds estimated annually).
  • Developing pilot projects for K-Cup® packs energy recovery across Canada.*

  • *Toronto and Vancouver: used K-Cup® packs are sent to local waste-to-energy facilities.
  • British Colombia and Montreal: used K-Cup® packs are sent to cement plants to be used as an alternative to coal for energy production.

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING & PRODUCTS

Our initiatives include:

  • 24% reduction of polymer-based materials used in fractional packs.
  • Vast selection of Fairtrade Certified, Certified Organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified products.
  • Auxiliary responsible products.
  • Commercial brewers that have a lower environmental impact than the leading pour-over coffee brewer.*

  • *Life Cycle Assessment Study (LCA). The LCA Study was commissioned by Keurig Inc. and conducted according to ISO 14040/14044, including a review by an independent third-party panel of experts.

Our Commitment: Keurig Canada

At Keurig Canada, we're dedicated to improving the world through our business. As passionate individuals with a strong sense of responsibility, we've put in place several initiatives that aim to build a resilient supply chain, create sustainable products, and give back to the communities we're connected to around the world. Brewing a Better World Together.™

BUILDING A RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAIN

We’re actively engaged in addressing challenges within our supply chain communities. We listen to local voices to identify the most pressing social, economic and environmental needs and collaborate to find the best solutions. We also partner with suppliers and nonprofit organizations to fund high-impact development projects.

CREATING SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING & PRODUCTS

Reducing the environmental impact of our beverages, packaging materials and brewing systems is a top priority for us. Several initiatives have been taken to increase the sustainability of the operations used to produce, manufacture and distribute our products. Examples include our dedication to growing our collection of Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified products, the implementation of our Environmental Policy, and the development of waste reduction programs in several cities across Canada.

HELPING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE

We have a deep history of creating positive and sustainable change for communities and the environment in the places where we operate. We support local communities and nonprofits through grants, volunteerism and product donation programs that engage our employees and strengthen our business.

For full details about our initiatives, please visit the Keurig Canada website.

Our Sustainable Offer

At Van Houtte Coffee Services, we understand that your company has sustainable standards to meet and priorities to keep. That's why we offer you a wide range of responsible products to choose from. Whether you're searching for coffees that give back to their communities, cups that are compost-friendly or brewing systems that help to conserve energy, we have all the solutions to meet your needs.

  • Fairtrade Certified Coffees

  • Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffees

  • Organic Certified Coffees

  • Auxiliary Responsible Products

  • Energy-Efficient Brewing Systems

Fairtrade Certified Coffees

We offer over 20 different Fairtrade Certified coffees from 3 of our most popular brands. By selecting Fairtrade Certified products, you encourage farming and trade practices that adhere to strict environmental and social standards.

This certification:

  • Provides farmers with a guaranteed minimum price for their products
  • Contributes to a social premium, which is used to fund community development projects
  • Provides social benefits in local communities
  • Improves quality of life for farmers and their families
  • Promotes environmentally sustainable farming practices
  • Ensures decent and fair working conditions
  • Provides access to consumer markets, cutting out unnecessary middlemen

Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffees

We offer a vast selection of over 23 Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees. By choosing products that are Rainforest Alliance Certified, you encourage farming and trade practices that help to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods.

Benefits of Rainforest Alliance Certified products include:

  • Ecosystem conservation
  • Wildlife protection
  • Water conservation
  • Fair treatment & good working conditions
  • Occupational health & safety
  • Community relations
  • Integrated crop management
  • Soil management & conservation
  • Integrated waste management

Organic Certified Coffees

We offer a selection of over 20 coffees that are certified by the Organic Crop Improvement Association. By choosing Organic Certified coffees, you help to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals that are released into our environment.

Our Organic Certified coffees:

  • Are cultivated, transported and transformed according to environmentally sustainable techniques
  • Use alternative methods for pest control, weeding and disease prevention such as mechanical and manual intervention, beneficial insects and selective use of natural, non-chemical pesticides
  • Guarantee the use of farming practices that replenish and maintain soil fertility without the use of chemical fertilizers

Auxiliary Responsible Products

Choice of auxiliary products should be determined by the waste management system in your building. If you have an industrial composting system in place, here is a list of products that you could use.

Cascades North River Napkins (Perky II)

  • Made of 100% recycled fibers
  • Minimum 43% post-consumer material
  • No bleach is used to make these napkins

Java Jackets

  • Made of 100% recycled materials
  • Recyclable

Compostable Cups

  • Made of 100% plant-based material -- a renewable resource
  • Compostable in an industrial composting facility
  • Material is FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council)
  • Certified ASTM-D6868 by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)

Wood Stir-sticks

  • Made from a renewable resource
  • Reduced environmental impact in the production and disposal of this product

Plastic Stir-sticks

  • Made from plant-based materials -- a renewable resource
  • Compostable in an industrial composting facility

Energy-Efficient Brewing Systems

A comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) from "Tree to Cup"* compared brewing coffee with a Keurig® brewing system and K-Cup® packs to coffee made using a leading pour-over coffee brewer and ground coffee in a fractional package. These were the results:

Significant Energy Savings

Workplaces can achieve roughly 34% in Energy Savings per month by brewing with a Keurig® OfficePRO® Premier Brewer compared to a leading pour-over coffee brewer.

Substantial Global Warming Potential Savings (GWP)

Through energy efficiency and reduced water and heat usage, the Keurig® system generates 42% less Global Warming Potential than the leading pour-over coffee brewer.

Energy Waste Reduction

Keurig® brewing systems offer a robust sustainability benefit compared to the leading pour-over coffee brewer because they pour one cup at a time, on demand, which greatly lessens wasted energy use.

*The LCA Study was commissioned by Keurig Inc. and conducted according to ISO 14040/14044, including a review by an independent third-party panel of experts.