Nespresso will become the first brand to source coffee certified under the Rainforest Alliance’s new Regenerative Agriculture Standard, the company announced recently.
The announcement follows the Rainforest Alliance’s release of its new certification standard on Sept. 8, which outlines environmental and social requirements for farms pursuing regenerative practices. Certified regenerative coffee from farms in Costa Rica and Mexico will begin appearing under the new seal on select Nespresso products starting in 2026.
“With regenerative agriculture, you can see a change,” said Yamileth Chacón, a coffee farmer in Costa Rica whose farm is among the first certified. “By working with the trees, you see more foliage, more green, and more animals.”
According to the Rainforest Alliance, regenerative agriculture aims to restore soil health, improve biodiversity, and enhance ecosystem functions. The organization says these practices also offer farmers external validation, improved market access and resilience in the face of climate change.
“Rooted in four decades of experience in sustainable agriculture, our new Regenerative Agriculture Standard combines scientific rigour with proven regenerative practices tailored to specific crops and regions,” said Santiago Gowland, CEO of the Rainforest Alliance. “Our goal is to accelerate the transition to a new model of agriculture — one that helps protect, restore and regenerate the ecosystems on which we all depend.”
The Rainforest Alliance plans to support 100 million farmers and workers by 2030 through regenerative practices and sustainable livelihoods.
Nespresso, which has worked with the Rainforest Alliance for over 20 years through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program, called the certification an important step toward ensuring long-term coffee quality and sustainability.
“We’re proud to be the first brand to source Rainforest Alliance Certified Regenerative coffee,” said Jérôme Perez, Head of Sustainability at Nespresso. “It’s a symbol of our commitment to building balanced, resilient, yet productive landscapes within our supply chain, which is essential if we’re to protect the future of the world’s quality coffees and the communities which depend on them.”
Carlos Oyanguren, President of Nespresso Canada, said the certification offers a “tangible way” for Canadian consumers to support sustainable coffee production.
“The new Rainforest Alliance Regenerative certification offers Canadian consumers a tangible way to support coffee that not only delivers exceptional taste, but also preserves the landscapes and ecosystems where it’s grown with care,” said Oyanguren. “This milestone reflects our long-standing commitment to sustainable and responsible sourcing practices, while empowering farmers to build long-term resilience.”
Nespresso supported the development of the new certification through earlier collaboration on the Rainforest Alliance Regenerative Coffee Scorecard, launched in 2022. The scorecard helped shape the standards now in use, particularly for smallholder farms.
Nestlé Nespresso SA, headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, operates in 96 markets and employs over 14,000 people globally. In Canada, it employs more than 1,000 people and operates 36 boutiques nationwide.
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