Your love of coffee can now help save Scotland’s rainforest
Matthew Algie’s Peak & Wild coffee is dedicated to restoring Scotland’s rainforest. David Cunninghame, content and social media manager for the Glasgow-based coffee roaster, lays out the facts for us.
Peak & Wild Coffee
Coffee has an inextricable link with the rainforests of the world. Almost all the world’s coffee is grown within what is known as the ‘Coffee Belt.’ Sandwiched between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, this vast band of land also happens to be home to most of the earth’s tropical rainforests.
For decades at Matthew Algie we have been sustainably sourcing our coffee through a combination of long-term relationships and certifications. We have invested in many projects at origin, helping to play our part in tackling the effects of the climate crisis, supporting youth engagement, and helping to promote more equal opportunities for women, to name but a few.
When we heard about Scotland's rainforest we were astonished. We, like so many others, were unaware that this precious habitat was on our own doorstep. And further astonished to learn that it was at risk of disappearing altogether, with as little as 30,000 hectares remaining – a mere 2% of the country’s woodland cover.
We knew we had to do something to help this urgent cause.
Quinag, pic - Mark Hamblin
Following some research, it became clear that partnering with the John Muir Trust would be a fantastic way of playing our part. As a partner of the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest, the Trust cares for roughly 1,170 hectares of rainforest across four of their properties at Skye, Knoydart, Quinag and the Ben Nevis range. Here they help to protect from the over-grazing, invasive non-native species and effects of climate change that are threatening this amazing landscape.
We put our collective heads together and decided to form a unique partnership, donating to the Trust with a view to saving over 1,000 hectares of Scotland’s rainforest over three years.
Not only that, we also wanted to play our part in helping to develop the next generation of conservationists. We will help 2,500 young people across the UK & Ireland to achieve the John Muir Award. We invested in this invaluable Award as it teaches youngsters how to discover, explore, conserve and share their own wild place.
You can learn more about our partnership with the John Muir Trust here: Peak & Wild Freshly Roasted, Climate Positive Coffee by Matthew Algie
The coffee is wonderful of course. It is expertly blended and roasted in our carbon neutral roastery in Glasgow. Plus, like all our coffees, it is ethically sourced. Each Peak & Wild blend is underpinned by a Rainforest Alliance certification.
The best part, however, is being able to tell our customers about how this coffee is doing its bit to restore such a globally significant eco-system. Regardless of whether it’s in the South of England or the West Coast of Scotland, the response has been phenomenal. This is one cause that it seems everyone can wholeheartedly support.
Our growing customer base of over 150 café outlets are proud to tell their customers that the coffee they serve is saving Scotland's rainforest. Knowing that Peak & Wild is helping to spread the word across the UK leaves us bursting with pride. What better way to get behind a good cause than when buying your daily coffee.
Also, in response to the growing demand, we recently launched 227g retail bags of Peak & Wild (in recyclable packaging of course). Now coffee lovers can take this delicious, ethically sourced brew home with them through our café customers or by ordering a bag from our Espresso Warehouse website - https://www.espressowarehouse.com/
