Germany 
Sustainable supply chains
Responsibility during the purchasing process
Our sense of responsibility begins where we source our products – and therefore with the people in coffee- and tea-growing countries. As a family-run business, we care very deeply about working and living conditions – in particular those of coffee farmers and their families. Keeping a close eye on the situation in the countries of origin and securing the livelihoods of future generations are topics that are particularly close to our hearts. That’s why responsible purchasing practices are an integral part of our company philosophy.
Partnerships at the coffee origin and transparent supply chains
We source our products responsibly, and our business relationships are based on long-standing and trusted partnerships. We focus on transparency along our supply chains in order to identify risks and react to any issues that may arise. During this process, we are firmly committed to respecting human rights and complying with environmental standards.
Higher revenues for the coffee farmers
As one of the largest importers of washed arabica beans from Ethiopia, we visit the country regularly to see things first-hand – not only in relation to coffee, but also to see how our project work is progressing. In addition to Ethiopia, we source coffee from more than 20 countries – mostly hand-picked arabica beans from highland regions. Arabica coffee is more challenging to cultivate than robusta and is more sophisticated in flavour. Arabicas are usually far more expensive, too – leading to higher revenues for the coffee farmers.
Working with certification organisations
Dallmayr coffees and teas from sustainable farms
We are always adding new certified coffees and teas to our product range. These products bear clearly recognisable seals that guarantee that the plantations are run using sustainable methods and that the farmers receive fair prices. We have been working with the following certification organisations for many years.
Bio (organic) 
Fairtrade 
Rainforest Alliance
Via Verde Organic Röstkaffee
Crema d'Oro Organic d'Oro
Alpine Herbs
Via Verde Organic Café Crème
Via Verde Organic Espresso
Peppermint
Camomile
Dallmayr Röstkunst Peru Amazonas
Have a Nice Day
Bio Matcha Tee
Hello Morning
Gyokuro
Tulsi Relax
Via Verde Organic Espresso
Alpine Herbs
Via Verde Organic Café Crème
Fruits of the Forest
Via Verde Organic Röstkaffee
capsa Gran Verde Lungo Intenso capsa
Lemon Verbena
capsa Gran Verde Espresso capsa
Passion Fruit and Orange
Peppermint
Gardens of Provence
Ginseng and Ginger
Via Verde Fairtrade Café Crème
Camomile
Via Verde Fairtrade Espresso
Rooibos Vanilla
Japan Sencha
Passion Fruit and Orange
Earl Grey
Ginseng and Ginger
East Frisian Blend
Japan Sencha
Assam
Masala Chai
Darjeeling First Flush
Rooibos Vanilla
Assam
Hello Morning
Darjeeling First Flush
Vanilla
Ethiopia Filter coffee
Jasmine Tea
Japan Sencha
First Flush Darjeeling SFTGFOP1
Via Verde Fairtrade Café Crème
Via Verde Fairtrade Espresso
Naturally outstanding
Why coffees don’t necessarily need certification to be organic
Certified coffee from sustainable sources will often have an officially recognised seal on its packaging. However, coffees without these seals may nevertheless be sustainable and fairly traded. These beans may still have been farmed in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way, but simply not have the official seal to show it. That’s because obtaining certification can be expensive.
Mixed cropping and shade trees
Many coffee farms that work to organic standards have no access to these certifications. This is frequently the case in Ethiopia, where coffee trees are grown predominantly on small farms that use mixed cropping methods. These farms are run according to traditional practices, with hardly any use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Often, natural fertilisers are used – for example, from leftover coffee cherries. Other plants thrive on these farms, including banana trees or coconut palms, and these are beneficial to growing coffee. Thanks to their high, thick canopy of leaves, these shade trees protect the sensitive coffee plants from direct sunlight and heavy rainfall. The soil becomes better aerated and can hold more water, which protects it from erosion. Mixed cropping also prevents the spread of pests and helps to preserve biodiversity.
Everything by hand
Organic coffee or coffee grown on small farms with shade trees is environmentally friendly – and the harvests are far higher in quality. Coffee cherries ripen more slowly in the shade, as they have more time to develop their flavour, aroma and delicate acidity. This enhances their quality. In practice, shade trees are rare on large plantations – for the simple reason that they get in the way of the harvesting machines. In contrast, on smaller farms with shade trees, harvesting is carried out by hand. Using a method known as “picking”, only fully ripe, red coffee cherries are actually picked. And since a single branch can contain both ripe and unripe cherries at the same time, picking by hand is a labour-intensive process. Monoculture farms on the other hand use a method known as “stripping”. Here, a machine is used to quickly strip the coffee cherries from the bushes, regardless of how ripe they are.
Four steps to purchasing – for more transparency in the supply chain
In addition to our cooperation with various certification organisations, we have a procurement and due diligence process that consists of four steps. These help us to reduce the risk of human rights violations or breaches against environmental protection regulations and allow us to respond to specific situations.
responsible purchasing in four steps
Transparency in
the supply chain Our business relationships are based on long-standing and trusted partnerships, which are fundamental for sourcing products responsibly. Transparency is essential if we are to actively exert our influence. Only in this way can we identify risks and fulfil our duty of due diligence under the Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains (“Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz” – or LkSG for short). Here, the focus is on respecting human rights and complying with environmental standards.
Supply chain
analysis Making our supply chains more transparent is a continuous process. We document all of our suppliers centrally and analyse their practices on a regular basis, focussing in particular on compliance with human rights and environmental issues.
Obligations within
the supply chain We continuously adapt our purchasing guidelines – our Supplier Code of Conduct – to establish more binding criteria and strengthen compliance. The most important step is to define our values clearly. We are gradually implementing our Code of Conduct across our supply chains.
Analysis and response
to specific issues We fulfil our obligations to due diligence in accordance with the LkSG and carry out regular analyses within our supply chains. Based on the results, we take measures to avert or minimise any negative effects or outcomes. We also continuously monitor media coverage.
From 1 January 2024, the Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains (“Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz” – or LkSG for short), which governs due diligence obligations for companies concerning human rights and environmental protection issues, will apply to the entire Dallmayr Group. As a family-run business, we take the resulting responsibilities and obligations for our business divisions, supply chains and suppliers very seriously.
We have taken the necessary steps to meet the associated requirements and see this implementation as a dynamic process. All information about the LkSG at Dallmayr can be found here.
You can find our policy statement on human rights and environmental responsibility here:
Our digital complaints procedure regarding human rights and environment-related risks or violations, along with the associated rules of procedure, can be found here:
If you would like to report information about human rights or environment-related risks or violations by post, you can write to us at the following address:
Alois Dallmayr KG
Nachhaltigkeit
Dienerstr. 14–15
80331 München