10 Best Organic Coffee Brands Actually Worth Drinking in 2024
Whether it’s a black americano first thing in the morning, or an afternoon flat white, the world revolves around coffee.
You might think that choosing between beans comes down to how dark the roast is, whole bean form or ground coffee, or whether the coffee is Guatemalan or Peruvian, but there are other factors to consider such as how the coffee was grown.
Let’s explore organic coffee and I’m sharing some of my personal favorite sustainable coffee brands!
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Organic coffee is grown without toxic chemical fertilizers or harmful pesticides, in a way that works with nature and is sustainable.
The USDA organic regulations describe organic agriculture as the application of a set of cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
These include maintaining or enhancing soil and water quality; conserving wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife; and avoiding use of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering.
Why Is Organic Coffee Important?
Well, coffee isn’t actually that easy to grow. Naturally, it likes the shade of a large canopy and a high altitude, but that makes it harder to harvest, and it produces less per acre. Hybrid coffee plants were created that didn’t mind the sun, but in return, they were much more susceptible to disease and pests. The solution?
Spraying coffee with tons of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, all so that we can enjoy a cheap cappuccino.
Ultimately, these chemicals are not only terrible for the natural environment, but also for the farmers who grow the coffee, and the end consumer who drinks the product.
Is organic coffee healthier?
Apart from the obvious energy boost it gives you, organic coffee has a lot of other health benefits.
It contains essential vitamins and minerals, can potentially decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes, is a powerful antioxidant, and can even reduce your risk of stroke and dementia.
Obviously, without the added harmful chemicals, organic coffee is going to provide much more of these benefits than conventional coffee does.
Certified Organic vs. Organically Grown Coffee
You might have seen some coffee, instead of being certified organic, with a label saying ‘organically grown’. So, what exactly is the difference in these organic products? In reality, probably not much both use similar sustainable practices.
The truth is, that getting organically certified is an extensive and costly process. In order to be USDA Certified Organic farms must meet the organic requirements AND pay for the certification including the travel costs of third-party certification agents.
For small scale farmers this can be a high price to pay for an official USDA certification label. There are so many aspects to consider when thinking about organic coffee including the overall impact such as the quality of the soil, location, and overall environment.
If coffee is labeled as organically grown, it’s likely following the exact same process as those who have the organic certification. Grown without harmful chemicals, under shade, and in a natural, non-intensive way. They just haven’t paid to go through the third party certification process.
Environmental Benefits of Organic Coffee
As coffee naturally grows well under a canopy, organic coffee encourages the use of a diverse ecosystem. This means that the coffee plants are supporting a wide range of other life. They are less prone to pests because, in a diverse habitat, those pests are preyed on by other creatures.
When planted in good soil that isn’t susceptible to erosion when it rains due to the root system and protection of other plants, there is less disease in coffee plants.
Ultimately, this will not only save the farmer resources, but is much kinder to the environment.
10 Best Organic Coffee Brands to Try
Not sure where to start when looking for the best organic coffee? Here a round up of brands that feature some of the best organic coffee beans and roasts that I love and encourage you to try!
Coffee lovers everywhere are sure to find a high quality organic brand they love. Choose one of these eco-friendly coffee brands for better coffee & a better world!
Fidalgo’s Organic Coffee That Does Good
Fidalgo is on a mission to bring joy to all with quality coffee that’s good for people and the planet. Headquartered in Burlington, Washington, Fidalgo Coffee Roasters has been roasting specialty grade coffee since 1992.
Fidalgo is also a second chance employer with its Underground Coffee program.
Most of Fidalgo’s blends feature Central and South American coffees. Select roasts are certified organic and fair trade including their organic French roast, organic Italian roast, organic breakfast blend, organic espresso, organic decaf coffee and more.
Fidalgo is currently my go-to organic fair trade coffee brand. I particularly love their organic espresso!
We recently purchased a Gaggia espresso & coffee machine and Fidalgo’s organic espresso has been my top pick so far!
I’m able to find their coffee locally at Whole Foods. However, it can also be purchased online for around $14 per bag. Avid coffee drinkers can even purchase this coffee in bulk to save money.
Kicking Horse Coffee: Bold & Organic Blends
Kicking Horse Coffee only uses certified organic and fair trade beans.
Each of their blends is a result of rigorous attention to detail, and endless cupping and tasting in order to achieve remarkable depth and varieties of taste. The Kicking Horse Coffee team takes beans from multiple origins and roast them.
I was originally drawn to their brand because of their bold blend names. I purchased a few bags of Kicking Horse Coffee from Thrive Market and I LOVE it! My personal favorite is the Kick Ass coffee.
Kicking Horse Coffee can be purchased for around $12+ a bag. They offer both ground and whole bean options.
PUBLIC GOODS: AFFORDABLE ORGANIC COFFEE
Organically grown and fairly traded beans are all you’ll find in Public Goods coffee. Public Goods coffee is carefully selected, organically grown and fairly traded blend of arabica coffee beans from Central and South America.
Each regional varietal brings a different note to our blend for a medium bodied coffee with hints of cocoa, berries and spices. Using artisan methods, Public Goods then roasts the beans at the optimal temperature to enhance flavor without overpowering our coffee's rich undertones.
Determined to make sustainability the norm, the coffee can be bought in bulk by other businesses, and what’s more, all of their packaging is recyclable or compostable. Non-GMO and all-natural, you can sip this coffee without any guilt. Public Goods coffee comes in both whole beans and ground.
Customer reviews describe this coffee as quality coffee for a quality price, smooth and just dark enough, and a wonderful rich coffee flavor. At just $6.50 this is an affordable organic coffee to try out.
EQUAL EXCHANGE: SUSTAINABLE COFFEE FARMING
Equal Exchange was built on the premise that those who grow our food should have the most say in the company – and their own economic future.
Focused on being a Fair Trade company and promoting safe and sustainable farming practices, Equal Exchange has a full range of certified organic coffees available, and you can learn all about the region they come from and the farmers that grow them.
Equal Exchange offers an affordable price point for those new to organic coffee featuring bags around $8-$10.
Thrive Market’s Sustainable Coffee
Thrive Market is an online food market that started in 2014 with a mission to make shopping for healthier food “easy and affordable for everyone.”
With over 2,000 organic food and beverage options, and the commitment to being a part of the change to create a more sustainable planet, you can feel great about what you purchase from this company.
One of those purchases you can make is flavored organic coffee. You’ve got options when it comes to Thrive Market’s organic bagged coffee.
Thrive Market's organic coffee can be purchased for $10-$16 a bag.
EKOCUPS: ORGANIC SINGLE SERVE COFFEE PODS
EKOCUPS is USDA Certified, Fair Trade, and Organic Coffee, Gluten and Lactose free, OU Kosher, and Vegan. Their single serve coffee cups are filled with flavor and recyclable!
They carry a variety of roasts and flavors including vanilla, burnt caramel, hazelnut, and the list goes on!
My personal favorite Eko-Cup is Bold. As you can expect from the name this has a bold flavor. The K-Cups are easy to recycle after use! Consumers can get about 40 k-cups featuring a variety of flavors for $30.
Real Good Coffee Co. Keurig Compatible & Nespresso Pods
Real Good Coffee Co. carries a wide range of sustainable coffee products including 100% recyclable keurig compatible cups, and Nespresso Compatible Pods, cold brew for those who enjoy low acid beans, bags of whole bean coffee, and more.
This brand features a range of blends — including breakfast, organic, French roast and Donut Shop. Whole bean coffee bags offer an organic, authentic taste, and Keurig Cups and Nespresso Compatible Pods provide a delicious wake-up call with no unnecessary time or effort.
Customers reviews described Real Good Coffee Co. as featuring a bold taste, rich flavor, and GREAT! With most items ranging in the $20 price point for this could be a great option to try in a group living setting as it comes with multiple pods in each box.
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee offers a medium roast, dark roast, instant coffee, single serve coffee capsules, and flavored coffees.
Customers can purchase the coffee ground or whole bean. The options don’t end there though. Conscious consumers can also choose between a single-serve order, canned, or bagged coffee.
Death Wish Coffee is fair trade certified and USDA Certified Organic. Their coffee can be purchased for $15-$20 per bag.
LEVEL GROUND‘S ORGANIC & FAIR TRADE COFFEE FROM SMALL SCALE FARMS AROUND THE WORLD
Out of a desire to open up more markets for small-scale farmers, Level Ground has always been a close follower of the Fair Trade movement.
Certified organic, they purchase coffee from a number of different farmers around the world for their unique flavor profiles. They then roast them at home in Canada to bring you light roast, medium roast, and dark roast coffee.
Level Ground features a good starting price point at $7-$12.
CocoaX Instant organic Cold Brew
CocoaX’s organic and fresh-roasted cold brew has a bold nutty flavor and only requires ice and water. Without the extra prep time, you can enjoy a ready-to-serve cold brew in a matter of seconds.
Founded by single mother Joan Hall, CocoaX’s mission is to bring delicious cocoa with espresso to households across the country. To do this, she only uses ethical suppliers that don’t use sprays with harmful chemicals during the farming process.
CocoaX’s cold brew can be purchased for around $16 per bag.
What other labels & third party certifications should I look for when shopping for coffee?
Along with the organic label, there are a few other certifications consumers can look for to ensure they're making a more responsible choice with their morning cup of Joe. These include the Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade certifications.
What is the Rainforest Alliance Certification?
Rainforest Alliance is a non-profit organization working to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices, consumer buying patterns, and public policies.
Their coffee certification focuses on the quality of life for coffee workers. They work with small scale farmers to improve their farming methods as well as processing techniques so that they can thrive.
Before coffee is certified, Rainforest Alliance inspects farms for their soil quality, biodiversity, cultivation methods as well as the treatment of farm workers and animals.
In addition to this certification, they work with farmers on sustainable business practices so that they can grow profitably year after year.
What Does Organic Fair Trade Coffee Mean?
Unfortunately, there is a lot of slave and child labor within the coffee industry, so it's important to be aware of terms like fair trade which ensure the farmers are treated with respect and paid a fair price for the coffee crops.
You’ve probably all heard of Fair Trade Certified coffee, but what exactly does it mean? To put it simply, Fair Trade is a non-profit organization that can certify products as Fair Trade if they meet certain requirements.
These include paying a fair wage to farmers, creating employment opportunities, forming a commitment with a producer, promoting healthy working conditions, and promoting sustainability.
There is quite a bit of slavery in the coffee industry, but by purchasing fair trade or direct trade coffee consumers are taking a stand and demanding farmers get paid fairly and treated with respect while working on coffee farms.
All in all, Fair Trade is a good thing for coffee growers everywhere, so if you really want your coffee to be ethical and sustainable, then organic fair trade coffee is the way to go.
FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED VS. DIRECT TRADE COFFEE
Similar to Fair Trade Certified coffee Direct Trade cuts out the middle man and allows buyers to work directly with farmers. Just like we discussed with the Certified Organic process can be a costly & time consuming process for small farmers, the Fair Trade Certified process can be challenging for small businesses.
Direct trade has similar values such as creating better lives for farmers. The main difference is direct trade is not monitored or certified by a third party, but instead standards are regulated by individual companies.
Hopefully, you now know a little more about organic coffee, and what to look out for when you’re choosing your next favorite roast or buying coffee as a gift for a friend...reach for those organic beans.
We hope this guide helped you discover organic brands to enjoy and learn how to make a great cup of coffee.
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