FAQ

Bird Friendly® coffee is certified to have been grown on farms that provide viable, forest-like habitats for birds. Rather than being planted on land cleared of all vegetation, Bird Friendly coffee bushes grow under a canopy of trees.

Bird Friendly® coffee is the only coffee on the market certified as shade-grown and organic by an independent third-party inspector based on criteria established by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center of the National Zoo and informed by years of scientific research.

Look for the Bird Friendly logo of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

Yes. Bird Friendly coffees may cost a few cents more per cup –a small price given the benefits it has for birds and other wildlife, coffee farmers, and the overall health of the environment.

No. The “shade-grown” designation is not regulated and it does not guarantee the quantity or type of shade. “Shade-grown” is a buzzword with little real meaning. Bird Friendly®certified coffee, however, is organically grown and meets the strictest science-based standards for both type and quantity of shade to ensure viable bird habitats. Be certain – buy certified!

There are currently certified Bird Friendly farms in 11 countries. The origin of our coffee can change from one batch to the next as our emphasis is always on the certification rather than the country of origin. Learn more about certified coffee farms.

Coffee experts say that shade-grown coffee tastes better than sun-grown because the beans ripen more slowly, resulting in a richer flavour.

Totem Roasters returns a few cents for every pound of Bird Friendly coffee roasted to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to support further conservation research.

It’s simple: Many voices are stronger than one. Each participating non-profit organization believes that the coffee you choose can change the world. By putting their logo on Bird Friendly® certified coffee, our partner organizations are helping to get the word out to more people.

We all want to encourage coffee drinkers to help preserve the habitat of the birds that migrate from our Canadian backyards each winter to the faraway farms that produce our coffee.

For each bag sold with their logo, partner organizations receive a portion of the proceeds so they can support their community and conservation programs.

Our coffees are now available as a decaffeinated single origin coffee sourced from the COMSA (café Orgánico Marcala Sociedad Anónima) Cooperative in the Marcala region of Honduras. This strictly high altitude, shade grown coffee is then decaffeinated using the High Mountain Water Process – a totally organic, chemical-free method that removes up to 99.99% of caffeine, without sacrificing the full bodied, balanced flavour characteristics of the coffee.

Our non-profit partners promote  Bird Friendly® certified coffee to their supporters through cafebirdfriendly.org and receive an amount for each bag sold with their logo. 

$1.70 per 342 g bag
$5.00 per 1 kg bag
$11.00 per 2.5 kg bag