Why Buyers Are Asking for More LCA Data and What It Means for Coffee Traders and Roasters

The Changing Landscape of Buyer Expectations

Not long ago, sharing sustainability data was a nice extra, something companies did to show they cared. Those days are over. Today, it’s a must-have in business deals.

Big coffee chains, retailers, and foodservice companies now expect detailed environmental data from their suppliers, including verified Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). And that demand is spreading quickly. Roasters are asking traders for data, traders are asking farmers, and everyone is working to keep up.

Sustainability has joined price and quality as the third pillar of competition. When those first two are similar, sustainability often becomes the deciding factor. It’s no longer just about who has the best beans or the best deal; it’s also about who can show they are reducing their environmental impact.

What’s driving the demand?

The main reason behind this shift is the Science Based Targets initiative, or SBTi. More companies are signing up to meet net-zero goals, which means they have to measure and cut their Scope 3 emissions, the indirect emissions that occur throughout their supply chains.

For coffee companies, that is a big deal. Scope 3 emissions often make up more than 90 percent of their total footprint. So it is not enough to look at energy use in roasting plants or offices anymore. Companies need to know how their green coffee is grown, processed, transported, and even packaged. Without that data, it is impossible to prove progress or meet reduction targets.

Under SBTi rules, companies whose Scope 3 emissions make up more than 40 percent of their total must cover at least 67 percent of those emissions in their reduction plans. To meet that requirement, buyers are demanding granular data from suppliers..

Buyer priorities are shifting fast. According to Bain & Company’s Global B2B Sustainability Survey (April 2024), sustainability is climbing to the top of purchasing decisions. Within three years, the sustainability of a supplier’s operations is expected to rank second only to quality, ahead of price. At the same time, 57 percent of buyers say they will switch suppliers that don’t meet sustainability criteria, up from 36 percent today.

The coffee case: Why Traders and Roasters are Under Pressure

Coffee has a large environmental footprint. Emissions occur at almost every stage: fertilizer use, land conversion, processing, roasting, packaging, and shipping. For most roasters, the majority of these emissions come before the beans even reach their facilities.

That is why buyers are now asking for LCA data from their suppliers. They want to see emissions per kilogram of green coffee, broken down by origin or farming practice. As a result, traders and exporters are under growing pressure to gather reliable data from farmers and processors.

The goal is not just to comply with reporting requirements but to understand where emissions come from so that reduction efforts can be more effective.

From storytelling to data sharing

For years, the coffee trade has relied on great stories about altitude, variety, and farmer relationships. Those stories still matter, but they are no longer enough. Buyers now want proof.

LCAs provide that proof. They show the carbon footprint of each step, from farm to cup. Roasters are using this data to compare sourcing regions, identify suppliers with lower impacts, and even optimize transport routes. For example, a European roaster might find that beans sourced from a more distant origin result in fewer total emissions than beans from a nearby region. This can happen when the distant supplier uses more efficient farming and fertilization practices that significantly lower emissions at the production stage, outweighing the impact of longer transport distances.

Retail buyers are also setting higher expectations. Many now require verified emissions data as part of their contracts, and in some cases, not having that data can mean losing the deal.

The opportunity ahead: Transparency as a competitive edge

For traders and roasters, this shift can seem challenging. Collecting and verifying data takes time and coordination. But it also creates opportunity.

Suppliers who can provide clear, credible data are not just checking a box; they are building trust. They are showing customers that they take sustainability seriously and are ready to collaborate on real solutions. That kind of transparency strengthens relationships and helps win new business.

In the bigger picture, sustainability data is becoming the new language of trust. Coffee companies that embrace it will be the ones shaping the future of the industry, one transparent supply chain at a time. Meet buyer demands and gain a competitive edge. Get this essential LCA resource for now.

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