COFFEE STORY: Coffee Sustainability for a Circular Economy - Navigating the Path from Beans to Responsible Consumption
Funding: Southeast Asia – Europe Joint Funding Scheme (8th Joint Call)
The German subproject is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), funding code 01DP25004.
Project duration: 2025 - 2028
Coordination: Dr. Yessie Widya Sari - IPB University - Indonesia
Project partner:
- IPB University, Indonesia
- National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia
- Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
- su-re.co (Sustainability & Resilience), Indonesia
- Universitas Lampung, Indonesia
- Universiti Putra, Malaysia
- Ege University, Turkey
- Pa Biotechnology Industry Trade Inc., Turkey
- Lehrstuhl ABWL & Produktionsmanagement der University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
Project results:
pending
Description:
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed commodities with enormous economic, social, and environmental impacts worldwide. Climate change threatens both the productivity of coffee agro-systems and the livelihoods of farmers. Indonesia and Malaysia, major coffee-producing countries, aim to expand production and exports while addressing sustainability demands, including compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation.
COFFEE STORY adopts an integrated approach to utilising coffee by-products, aiming to advance economic circularity and foster sustainable supply chains. It develops processing techniques and applications for smallholder farmers as well as mid-to-large scale industries through three key work packages (WPs):
The first WP focuses on utilising coffee by-products such as coffee husks and coffee grounds. Coffee husks serve as raw material for nanocellulose, tested in wound dressings, and as a substrate for biogas production. Additionally, coffee ground oil shows potential for applications in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
The second WP addresses sustainable supply chains and the digital transformation of coffee agro-systems. The carbon footprint along the supply chain is analysed to identify emission hotspots. By integrating blockchain technologies, transparency and circular economy practices are enhanced.
The third WP is dedicated to gender equity, diversity, and social inclusion. Participatory advisory approaches are being developed to empower women and small-scale farmers, improve access to technology, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
The project pursues technological goals such as developing processes to transform coffee by-products into biomaterial-based products for healthcare, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biogas production. Additionally, coffee supply chain management is optimised through carbon footprint accounting and blockchain technologies.
The Chair of Business Adminstratin and Production at the University of Duisburg-Essen contributes its expertise in supply chain modelling, life cycle assessments (LCA), and greenhouse gas accounting to analyse emissions in complex supply chains. It supports the techno-economic and ecological evaluation of biogas plants and develops strategies for low-carbon and sustainable supply chains. The project addresses global challenges such as climate change, social justice, and sustainability, while strengthening the international competitiveness of Indonesian coffee production.
Press releases:
