Utz Certified coffee certification

Guaranteed quality

To ensure socially responsible business practices, Ahold Coffee Company co-founded Utz Certified, a special coffee certification program, in 1999. Utz Certified means 'good coffee' in a Mayan language of Guatemala. Ahold Coffee Company developed the Utz Certified certification in collaboration with coffee manufacturers in order to establish an independent assurance system for ensuring compliance with social standards, environmental aspects and food safety.

A chain of strong links

The Utz Certified Foundation is based on close teamwork between coffee growers and coffee buyers. Ahold Coffee Company has deliberately chosen to buy from the plantations directly, thereby establishing a long-term relationship with the coffee farmers, i.e. a structural partnership instead of anonymous suppliers. To optimally guarantee food safety, Utz Certified-certified coffee beans are grown in accordance with the guidelines of Good Agricultural Practice. The control systems in place are not oriented solely towards the final product, but also focus on the entire production process and all raw and final materials. This systematic control and registration has resulted in a guaranteed quality chain!

Focus on people and the environment

The bundling of forces behind Utz Certified certification is a unique example of jointly assuming responsibility for social conditions. The foundation's code of conduct contributes to a significant degree to ensuring that large and medium-sized coffee plantations devote more attention to the working and living conditions of their workers. Thanks to reasonable price agreements with Ahold Coffee Company, coffee growers have the financial capacity to invest in sustainability, i.e. good wages, social security for the pickers, environmental protection measures and a good social climate for plantation workers.

Pure coffee

Utz Certified-certified coffee is produced responsibly! A track & trace monitoring system gives retailers both in Europe and the United States more insight into the production practices at the place of origin. This system also makes it possible to find out where the coffee comes from. Utz Certified is credible and transparent. More information on the Utz Certified Foundation can be found at www.utzCertified.org.