Sustainability
At Black Oak Coffee Roasters, sustainability means creating long-term value, for our communities, coffee producers, and the planet. We are committed to thoughtful practices that prioritize quality, reduce environmental impact, and foster meaningful connections. Here's how we do it:
Coffee Is Community
Investing In Our Communities
We believe sustainability starts at home. That’s why we:
- Support non-profits that uplift our local community.
- Provide living wages for our employees and create safe, welcoming spaces for people to gather in our cafes.
- Give back to the health of our watersheds through the sales of our flagship espresso blend
- Compost coffee by-products and share burlap sacks with local gardeners to help reduce waste and support sustainable practices.
It Starts At The Source
Investing in Sourcing Relationships
Our commitment extends to the communities where coffee is grown. We work closely with farmers and NGO partners to improve their livelihoods by:
- Supporting programs that empower women in coffee production.
- Partnering with World Coffee Research (WCR) to advance sustainable farming practices and protect the future of coffee.
Cleaner Production
Minimizing Environmental Impact
We’ve taken significant steps to reduce our environmental footprint, including:
- Using all LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and state-of-the-art catalytic afterburners in our roasting equipment, which consume 30% less energy.
- Doubling our roasting capacity without significantly increasing carbon emissions.
- Powering our cafes with mostly renewable energy through partnerships with local power agencies.
Transparency and Trust
What We Don't Do: Greenwashing
We’re committed to transparency in our sustainability efforts. Our packaging is designed to keep coffee fresher for longer, allowing customers to purchase in bulk and reduce the overall carbon footprint of packaging by reducing shipping frequency. To further this goal, we offer 2lb and 5lb bags for direct-to-consumer purchases.
Rather than traveling to origin for green buying, we instead rely on farmers to send small sample shipments to minimize air travel and its environmental impact. We are not agronomists and we can create relationships with farmers through regularly purchasing great lots of coffee, giving feedback on what coffees we love and continuing to connect our producers to our consumers through great cups.
Transitions
Where We Need To Improve
We know there’s still work to be done.
- The Last Mile: We’re exploring ways to transition our delivery fleet to 100% electric but aren’t there yet. We still use more diesel and gasoline than we would like to deliver our products to customers, but we are actively working to transition towards renewable energy for this function.
- Natural gas for coffee roasting: We haven’t found an electric roasting technology that can produce the quality of coffee at the volume needed to support an award winning roastery at our modest scale. We are roasting, however, on the most energy efficient gas roaster on the market.
- Disposable Packaging: Finding a sustainable alternative for disposable cups and packaging that meets our quality, cost, and logistical standards remains a challenge, but we are committed to remaining on the leading edge of this industrywide struggle.
Pushing Forward
Sustainability Is A Journey, Not A Destination
We’re committed to evolving and improving as we learn and grow. Together with our customers, farmers, and partners, we can build a more sustainable future—one cup of coffee at a time.