Tihana Vujčić, Barcaffe: We are committed to sustainability in all aspects of our business – from bean to cup

Barcaffè has several types of espresso coffee in its portfolio, the quality of which has been confirmed by numerous international awards. Barcaffè’s Marketing Director Tihana Vujčić emphasizes that the quality of their coffee is directly influenced by high production standards, innovative recyclable packaging, and care for the environment and community.

What projects and solutions related to coffee production sustainability is Barcaffè developing?

– Barcaffè, the leading coffee producer in the region, not only fills each cup of coffee with excellent flavors but also pays special attention to environmental protection. We are actively committed to sustainability in all aspects of our business, from cultivation, production, packaging to marketing coffee – from bean to cup. We dedicate the most effort to developing sustainable packaging, which is a challenge and constant innovation for coffee. A few years ago, we introduced the most innovative coffee packaging solution at the time, a foil made from ecological bioplastics, created from renewable sources of sugar cane and rapeseed oil. We packaged the entire line of Barcaffè Single Origin coffees, as well as Barcaffè Selection, in this foil.

The transition to this type of packaging has enabled the creation of 63 percent less CO₂ compared to the production of aluminum foil packaging, significantly reducing our carbon footprint to leave a less endangered planet for future generations. The latest project we are extremely proud of is Barcaffè Flora, the first coffee with Rainforest Alliance certification in fully recyclable packaging, which we offer for the retail market and for the HoReCa channel. One of the more visible projects is also our support for the reforestation project ‘Treecelet’, with which we planted ten thousand trees last year, and this year we plan to continue reforestation and reach twenty thousand planted trees.

How difficult is it to find a sustainable solution for coffee packaging?

– Coffee as a raw material is extremely demanding and sensitive to external factors that can affect its aromatic properties. Coffee packaging preserves its freshness, and the layer of aluminum helps maintain that freshness and protect it from external influences. Developing packaging without aluminum (which can be recycled) presents a significant challenge, on one hand, to preserve the freshness and all properties of the coffee, and on the other, to ensure it can be recycled and is not harmful to the environment.

Barcaffè increases the number of products packaged in sustainable packaging each year, as well as the number of certified coffees (Organic, Rainforest Alliance…) to make the business as transparent as possible. We constantly monitor trends and, in collaboration with our R&D team, have found a new packaging solution for Barcaffè Flora coffee, a mono-material (PE) that is 100 percent recyclable while preserving all the properties of the coffee.

You have added Barcaffè Flora, a Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, to your product range. What makes this coffee special?

– The production of Flora is fully aligned with efforts to minimize negative environmental impacts, ensure the preservation of natural resources, and contribute to improving the quality of life for farmers, as confirmed by the Rainforest Alliance certification. Its uniqueness lies in the production method, which follows extremely strict ethical and ecological standards: it preserves tropical rainforests and provides local producers with good working conditions and fair earnings.

This is a full-bodied coffee enriched with notes of cocoa and tropical spices, with a high proportion of arabica. If you are a lover of premium coffee and care about the environment, Flora is the right choice for you. It is currently available in selected HoReCa establishments across Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, and will soon be available on shelves for lovers of Turkish coffee. Barcaffè Flora is served in hospitality establishments in an innovative Flora cup made from a unique innovative double wall that allows the coffee to stay warm longer while being comfortable to hold. The Flora cup provides a unique espresso experience, and with every cup of Barcaffè Espresso Flora you drink, you become part of a growing community that creates a better and greener planet.

What does it mean to have a Rainforest Alliance certification?

– The Rainforest Alliance label means that this coffee is produced by farmers and companies working together to create a world where people and nature are in harmony. Rainforest Alliance is one of the leading global certification systems for sustainable coffee production. For a product to receive this certification, it must meet strict standards regarding sustainable production, environmental protection, and biodiversity. Additionally, this certification guarantees that all rights and ethical working conditions of farmers and the community from which the coffee comes have been respected during the coffee cultivation process.

How does the coffee production and processing process from plantation to cup work, and how does Barcaffè participate in it?

– You can best follow this process by scanning the QR code on the packaging of Barcaffè Single Origin Rwanda coffee. This is the first coffee on our market supported by blockchain technology, which allows you to track the journey of the coffee, from its source on the plantation to your cup. Thanks to this technology, you can find out who produced the coffee, what route it took – through which ports, all the way to production in our factory in Izola. This way, everything is very transparent, and thanks to the Farmer Connect web application in the background of this system, each link represents a specific step or phase in the process of growing, producing, and marketing coffee.

This protects not only the coffee growers, the key link in the chain, but also the entire community from which the coffee comes. The digital traceability technology guarantees that the coffee is sourced from responsible producers and also enables donations for specific projects in the country of origin – in this case, the introduction of drinking water in Rwandan villages in the region. At the same time, every consumer is safe because they know exactly what they are buying, where their product comes from, and on which (and whose) farm it was grown.

How is the quality control of your coffee conducted?

– Every coffee that reaches our production is checked at least three times: first, our experts agree on which coffee to buy on the plantations and taste it on-site. Then, a sample of the coffee is tested before it is loaded onto the ship. When it arrives, a sample of the coffee from the ship is sent to our laboratory in Izola. Finally, the coffee is tested before the production process begins. Additionally, our roasting facility has years of experience in coffee roasting and uses the latest technology to ensure the best quality and taste of the coffee. This way, we ensure that only the best beans end up in your cup of Barcaffè coffee.

What does the Barcaffè Espresso brand represent?

– Barcaffè Espresso represents a commitment to detail towards the ultimate goal: the perfect cup of espresso coffee. Numerous experts participate in this process, from our technologists to skilled baristas. Our espresso is favored among espresso coffee lovers due to its top quality and unique taste. Furthermore, our efforts are not only focused on selecting top-quality raw materials and the sustainability of the entire supply and production chain, but we also actively invest in our professional hospitality partners.

In this regard, we recently opened the Barcaffè Academy in Zagreb, a training center for providing expert knowledge and skills in coffee preparation to colleagues from the HoReCa channel. It is important for us to invest in people, and we believe that one of the strengths of the Barcaffè Espresso brand is the support we provide to young people through numerous educational programs to help them establish themselves in the coffee world and gain valuable experience.

What is the secret of the Barcaffè Espresso cup compared to other coffees on the market?

– The secret of the perfect cup of Barcaffè Espresso coffee lies in the attention, expertise, and dedication we give to each bean. The result of quality beans and a technologically perfect production process is only part of it. After production, a skilled team of baristas is crucial in professionally extracting the best from the espresso drink. This is confirmed by thirteen gold medals for excellent taste at the International Coffee Testing in Italy.

*Content created in collaboration with Barcaffè