Q&A with Jordan: Building Resilient Supply Chains in Uncertain Markets

1. 2025 was an ‘interesting’ year for regulation. How is Sucafina responding to responsible sourcing demands as they evolve in line with regulatory frameworks? 

Interesting indeed. We’re staying nimble. The original regulatory concepts haven’t materialized despite significant investment by producers, exporters, traders and roasters. But we believe the softening of requirements is temporary. Longer term, our industry will introduce more regulations to address challenges like climate change, human rights and environmental conservation.

We’re maintaining a solid baseline, working toward our goals and awaiting a clearer picture of what’s next. That’s also where accountability comes in. It’s now a Sucafina value, and for us it means staying disciplined and standing behind our commitments. 

 2. What are the biggest sourcing risks ahead, and how is Sucafina mitigating them? 

The biggest risk is that the next round of regulatory announcements is met with skepticism – or arrives half-baked. So much trust has been eroded. More misalignment between how regulation is conceived and how it lands could mean feigned investment and diluted effect. Sadly, there’s not much we can do other than maintain a solid foundation, voice our perspectives and continue to make smart investments alongside industry partners. 

3. Farmers across our network are facing climate pressure. How does that shape Sucafina’s green coffee strategy? 

The supply chain has a rocky path forward. We’re likely heading into a lower market environment while inflation has substantially raised the cost of production. Many producers will likely struggle financially in the mid-term – and then climate pressure returns. The last twelve months (underscored by a La Niña cycle) have been relatively benign, but the heat and drought that many areas experienced in 2023 will likely reemerge as our planet continues to warm.

As an industry, we’re still driven by short-term thinking. We can’t redefine where or how coffee is grown, but we can prioritize the most vulnerable regions. As I’ve said to supply chain partners for a few years: if you rely on Latin Washed Arabica, say, and have a ‘cheapest price’ sourcing strategy, you’ll be on the outside looking in within a decade. The stable part of those supply bases will be spoken for by companies making investments in direct relationship building and farmer support programs.

4. We’re increasingly investing in regenerative agriculture. What role do you see it playing over the next five years? 

Regen Ag is a great concept that can improve yields, quality and livelihoods. But it can only become legitimately transformative if it’s done right and is backed by training and reliable buying. We’re focusing our efforts on strengthening our methodology and validating outcomes externally. Interest from roasters and consumers seems sincere, which is encouraging. 

5. How are shifting market conditions influencing green coffee availability and sustainability performance? 

In an ironic twist, high market environments can lead to a deterioration in sustainability performance. When the market price is well above cost of production, there’s a tendency to treat the year as ‘catch up’ for the past rather than invest in the future. At the other end of the supply chain, cost pressures can stall industry sustainability efforts.

That said, longer-term commitment from our partners has remained strong, with suppliers delivering in a higher market and roasters continuing to support programs despite soaring costs. There have been a lot of bright spots, and they matter. 

6. As Sucafina sharpens its Sustainability Strategy this year, what gives you confidence in the path forward? 

Regulations like EUDR are much needed and welcome, imperfect as they are in implementation. Improved supply chain visibility and data management are strengthening our research and execution. We’re just scratching the surface of what we can learn through data analysis and AI.

The broader picture gives me confidence too. The pattern of prioritizing near-term challenges while putting off longer-term problems has caught up to us, but we’re also seeing industry and consumer resilience. Perhaps those near-term fears are overstated. 

Sucafina is evolving away from the ‘everything-to-everyone, close-your-eyes-and-make-a-market’ model that dominated multinational coffee trading for the last quarter-century. Instead, we’re focusing on what we do best: improving efficiency, maintaining stable supply chains and building long-term partnerships – even if it means doing less. We want to work with partners who think the same way. 

This Q&A was originally published in our 2025 Sustainability Report, ‘Connected Value’. Download the full report to learn more about how we are strengthening the connections between farmers, roasters and partners across our sourcing networks and building more integrated and resilient value chains.