Coffee
Highlights
LDC has been in the coffee business for over 30 years, and merchandizes all major Arabica and Robusta coffee qualities, serving a diverse range of customers across the globe, from specialty roasters to multinational food companies.
Top 3
85%
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About Coffee
Each year the world produces approximately 10 million tons of coffee, the two main species of which are Arabica and Robusta.
Milder, more aromatic and with less caffeine, Arabica coffee makes up the bulk of world production. It is grown mainly at higher altitudes in tropical and temperate regions of the Western Hemisphere, Brazil being the world’s largest producer.
Vietnam is the largest producer of Robusta coffee, which is largely grown at lower altitudes in tropical Asia and Africa.
Brazil is the world’s leading producer of coffee overall, followed by Vietnam, Colombia and Indonesia. The EU (as a region) consumes the most coffee, followed by the US, Brazil and Japan.
Our Coffee Value Chain
Each of our business lines is integrating further across the five steps of our value chain, as we respond to the need for a traceable and responsible supply line from farmer to consumer.
01Originate & Produce
01Originate & Produce
02Purchase & Process
02Purchase & Process
03Store & Transport
03Store & Transport
04Research & Merchandize
04Research & Merchandize
05Customize & Distribute
05Customize & Distribute
01Originate & Produce
01Originate & Produce
02Purchase & Process
02Purchase & Process
03Store & Transport
03Store & Transport
04Research & Merchandize
04Research & Merchandize
05Customize & Distribute
05Customize & Distribute
Invested in Coffee Sustainability
As a leading global merchant of green coffee, LDC is well-positioned and equipped to support coffee farmers in addressing the challenges they face to make their production more sustainable and profitable. Our coffee sustainability strategy takes a holistic approach built on four complementary pillars:
- Responsible sourcing
- Farmer support through the Stronger Coffee Initiative
- Sustainable operations
- Partnerships
Our Strengths
LDC is active in all major coffee producing areas, with offices in Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Kenya and Uganda, and with representation in Ethiopia.
Serving our customers from trading centers in Geneva (Switzerland), São Paulo (Brazil), Wilton (US) and Singapore, we operate a fully integrated global supply chain, managing coffee flows from source to destination, relying on our solid presence in origination markets, and on our network of processing, warehousing and logistic facilities.
As part of our sustainability strategy, LDC’s Stronger Coffee Initiative allows customers to make an impact at farm-level, meet their commitments and ensure compliance with increasingly complex and stringent sustainability regulations.
Enlarging Our Product Portfolio
As part of LDC’s strategy for growth, we are moving further downstream in our value chains, closer to consumers, and diversifying revenue through value-added products in key growth markets.
LDC started trading instant coffee in 2020, supplying the full spectrum of instant coffee products (spray-dried, agglomerated, freeze-dried). In 2022, we started the construction of our first freeze-drying instant coffee plant in Vietnam, Binh Duong province, through a joint venture with Instanta Sp. Z.o.o., a global private label company. This joint venture will operate under the name ILD Coffee Vietnam and production is expected to start in the second half of 2023.
In the same year, we signed a joint venture agreement with specialty coffee merchants Zephyr Japan, positioning LDC to increase premium coffee flows into Japan and East Asian markets.
In parallel, we continue to reinforce our coffee origination capabilities to provide customers with supply chain stability and a direct link to coffee origins.
Meet Our People
“New challenges motivate me to keep learning and become more creative”
Kenfer – Country Controller for Uganda, Coffee Platform
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“Openness makes an employee feel more connected”
Anuj – Head of Coffee Platform, India
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“Louis Dreyfus Company provides a highly professional, dynamic work environment”
Tin – Senior Agronomist
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