Blue Bottle Coffee sets its sights on carbon neutrality by 2024

Blue Bottle Coffee operates around 100 coffee shops across the US, Japan and South Korea | Photo credit: Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee will build on ambitious sustainability objectives implemented in 2021, with a pledge to achieve carbon neutrality across its international operations by 2024. 
 

In order to achieve these objectives, Blue Bottle will work with coffee producers to implement ‘regenerative agricultural practices’, and support carbon removal and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) projects.  
 

Indicating the scale of Blue Bottle’s sustainability ambitions, the company added that it intended to lead the food service industry ‘in the boldest, most comprehensive waste and GHG emissions reduction movement’. 
 

The company will publish its roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2024 next year. 
 

“Since our founding in 2002, sustainability has been a core value at Blue Bottle. Sustainability for us means caring for people and planet," said Karl Strovink, CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee. 
 

“We are steadfast in providing guests with the highest quality coffee and café experience without the need to compromise on our values," added Strovink. 
 

In 2021, Blue Bottle expanded efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across coffee sourcing, energy usage, dairy products, and waste management.  
 

In June, the brand trialled oat milk as the default for milk-based beverages across test stores in California, USA, an initiative it says resulted in an 8% reduction in cow's milk usage in these cafés. 
 

Additionally, the company reports it is on track to achieve zero waste operations for half its US cafés by the end of the year, with a target of reaching all US cafés by 2023. In 2022, Blue Bottle will scale its zero waste operations to its US production sites and begin implementation across its operations in Asia. 

California-based Blue Bottle Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster, café chain, and coffee retailer, operating around 100 coffee shops across the US, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. Blue Bottle’s parent company, Nestlé, acquired a majority stake in the coffee chain in 2017, but has since maintained a hands-off approach to running the business.