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The British Coffee Association (BCA) is the representative organisation for the coffee industry and the voice of UK coffee.

The BCA represents, promotes and supports all aspects of the UK coffee trade and industry. We foster a favourable environment for all aspects of the industry and its culture to thrive, both now and in the future.

Members’ views and concerns are the drivers behind the work we do. We actively encourage members to influence the direction and policy of the BCA to ensure we continue to steer government legislation and promote a balanced view of coffee amongst consumers and policy makers to secure the future of your business and our industry.

• Our members work and grow together.
• Towards achieving shared sustainability goals
• To mitigate and manage key issues
• To ensure the long-term resilience of coffee

The BCA operates at all time under the Competition Law Compliance Rules for Food and Drink Federation Members.

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Your BCA: Networking

By joining the British Coffee Association, you will unlock the ability to network, collaborate, and meet with colleagues across the UK coffee industry.

We bring together companies and individuals from across the UK supply chain.

Quarterly BCA Committee Meetings

  • Network with industry colleagues through joining one of our active committees:
    • Communications Committee
    • Sustainability Committee
    • Technical and Regulatory Committee
    • Trade and Logistics Committee
    • Member Services Committee
    • Arbitrations and Contracts Committee

Social Events

  • BCA organises social events throughout the year to give members an opportunity to build their network, meet new contacts, and develop relationships:
    • Annual Coffee Industry Dinner – the only UK coffee industry and trade dinner held each year in November
    • Informal Networking & Drinks Events
    • Annual Golf Day

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Networking

Your BCA: Education

By joining the British Coffee Association, you will be able to pursue growth and learning opportunities. We bring together industry leaders from around the world to share knowledge and provide education for our members. Recent BCA seminars have taken place at the London offices of the International Coffee Organization.

Bi-Annual Educational Seminar

  • BCA’s bi-annual industry educational platform provides participants from the UK and across Europe with insights on the most relevant issues from across the supply chain, bush to cup
  • Learn about the innovations and issues facing the industry from coffee production, warehousing, and grading, to contract law and futures market dynamics.

Webinars and Thought Leadership

  • We host webinars throughout the year which provide deep-dive opportunities for members to listen to and engage with specific issues
  • Hear from thought leaders and high-level speakers from the global coffee industry as well as insights from outside of the industry that we can all learn from
  • Webinars are split between public and member-only

Join the BCA and pursue your growth and learning opportunities.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Education

Your BCA: Public Affairs & Lobbying

As the only body representing the UK coffee industry, we lobby and work with UK Government to ensure that the coffee industry is protected and promoted.

By joining the British Coffee Association, you will be able to collaborate with the wider industry to lobby Government on the issues that are most important to us all.

Dedicated Communications and Public Affairs Support

  • The BCA has a dedicated programme of activities that is led by our in-house Media & Public Affairs Manager
  • We run quarterly meetings each year to discuss and review priorities with our members
  • We can discuss the public affairs activity of our members, and you can feed-into our wider industry work

Working with Government

  • Recently BCA has lobbied DEFRA and the Treasury on the Resources and Waste Strategy consultations, the proposed Plastics Tax, the Due Diligence / Deforestation legislation, the Collections & Packaging Reforms regulations, and Extended Producer Responsibility
  • BCA liaises closely with Government over Brexit policy and the implementation of new trade regulations
  • We have formed a grouping of over 20 parliamentarians who take an active interest in the coffee industry, and have good working relationships with ministers and shadow ministers

Join the BCA, together, our collective voices speak louder.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA- Public Affairs & Lobbying

Your BCA: Global Collaboration & Network

By joining the British Coffee Association, you are able to collaborate with a global network of coffee organisations. These include wider national coffee associations, NGOs and third parties and mean that, together, we address industry issues comprehensively at a global level.

Our long-term strategy is to continue to build and enhance our global network so that we have maximum impact and reach.

Global Issues That We Are Collaborating On

  • Long-term viability of coffee through genetics
  • Improving farmer resilience at origin
  • Food safety and regulations, such as acrylamide and furan
  • Caffeine labelling
  • Circular economy, recycling, waste and resources

Global Coffee Organisations We Work Closely With

  • International Coffee Organization
  • European Coffee Federation
  • World Coffee Research
  • Global Coffee Platform
  • Sustainable Coffee Challenge / Conservation International
  • Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (coffee & health matters)
  • National Coffee Associations such NCA in the US, SCTA in Switzerland, and Deutscher Kaffeeverband in Germany.

Join the BCA and harness the power of our global network.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA Global Collaboration and Network

Your BCA: Independent Arbitration Service

The London Arbitration Service, run by the British Coffee Association, is one of the most respected coffee contract dispute services. Whilst anyone can use this service, being a member of the BCA provides discounts to arbitration services and allows individuals to be trained and become independent arbitrators.

What Is It?

  • The BCA’s arbitration service is formed of a specialist independent panel that deals with general disputes arising from transactions in the coffee industry.

Keeping Your Business Ahead On Arbitration

  • Improve access to arbitration services and training for key individuals in your company, through the BCA
  • All BCA arbitrations are conducted under English Law. All disputes are adjudicated by qualified arbitrators who make up the BCA’s Arbitration and Appeal Panel.
  • The panel is reviewed periodically, and training is provided for prospective Arbitrators who are drawn from active members of the coffee trade.

Join the BCA and be ready for any challenge that may arise.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Independent Arbitration Service

Your BCA: Technical & Regulatory

By joining the British Coffee Association your business will be able to collaborate with leading Technical experts from across the industry. Many of the technical challenges that face us require an industry-wide response with broad collaboration to ensure that we identify and act on them.

Together we collaborate in a pre-competitive framework to make sure the coffee industry is on top of all the issues and any potential threats.

Technical Issues That We Are Collaborating On

  • Ochratoxin A
  • Acrylamide and furan reduction
  • Mitigating diacetyl in the workplace
  • Pesticide restrictions
  • Regulatory changes and restrictions

How Often We Meet

  • Members meet formerly at the BCA Technical and Regulatory Committee every three months
  • Regular contact between members and the Committee Chair takes place as well as establishing working groups that focus on specific needs and issues

Join the BCA and get ahead on the technical and regulatory challenges.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Technical & Regulatory

Your BCA: Influence Beyond Coffee

Membership of the British Coffee Association allows you access to some of the key food and drink legislative and policy making organisations, beyond the coffee industry alone.

This is important to make sure the coffee industry has a seat at the broader table and is able to harness the collective power and influence of multiple industries and sectors.

How Does BCA Influence Beyond Coffee?

  • BCA is a member of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and sits on industry roundtable meetings on behalf of members
  • We connect with wider industry organisations such as the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Automatic Vending Association (AVA) to share learnings and collaborate
  • We are a direct source of information for DEFRA to help shape policymaking

Join the BCA and expand your influence.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Influence Beyond Coffee

Your BCA: Acting Together on Sustainability

Sustainability requires a bigger response than any one company can give on their own. We need collective action to meet industry-wide and societal goals.

By joining the British Coffee Association, you will be able to meet with like-minded companies working in coffee across the supply chain. We provide a pre-competitive framework for companies to discuss key issues and look at how you can collaborate in working together to solve them.

Sustainability Issues That We Collaborate On

  • Improving paper cup recycling
  • Improving the circular economy on waste products e.g. coffee pods
  • Improving farmer resilience and livelihoods at origin
  • Deforestation
  • Coffee genetics

Join the BCA and work collectively towards a sustainable coffee future.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Acting Together on Sustainability

Your BCA: Intelligence & Information Dissemination

By joining the British Coffee Association, you will be able to access a wide range of market intelligence, best practice information, trends, and horizon scanning. These insights are hugely beneficial to businesses of all sizes.

Our members work hard to look at communications issues, sustainability activities, and technical and regulatory challenges – we actively plan and tackle these together and facilitate insights to all of our members.

BCA Knowledge and Intelligence

  • Communications issues planning and mapping
  • Technical and regulatory issues planning
  • Latest data on coffee and the UK economy with the Centre for Economics and Business Research
  • Collaborative projects led by specific members

Join the BCA and be informed on all the latest industry work.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Intelligence & Information Dissemination

Your BCA: Defending & Promoting the Industry

The British Coffee Association works tirelessly to both defend and promote the coffee industry to UK-based stakeholders, including the Government and media. With proactive communications spanning over a decade, we have become the go-to resource for information on the industry.

By joining the BCA, you will be able to shape the priorities of our communications activities, deciding which topics we should focus on in both defending and promoting the industry. This is beneficial to companies who want to collaborate and see specific issues raised, defended and influenced in the UK media.

Some Of The Issues That We Defend And Promote

  • Calling upon Government to improve recycling infrastructure and consistency across the UK
  • BCA has opposed a Plastics Tax during recent Government consultations
  • We highlight to media the work of the coffee industry in stepping in and providing circular economy solutions for:
    • Paper cups
    • Coffee pods
  • Mitigating post-Brexit changes to trade and tariffs

Join the BCA and shape the way our industry is represented in the media and with Government.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Defending & Promoting the Industry

Your BCA: Brand Shielding

The British Coffee Association’s communications activities will step in and defend members where you need it most. With proactive communications spanning over a decade, we have become the go-to resource for the media and Uk Government alike, on information regarding the industry.

This is beneficial to companies who want to don’t want to tackle specific issues themselves and would rather see an industry-wide response given.

Stepping In As The Voice Of The Coffee Industry

  • We proactively opposed a proposed ‘Latte-levy’ tax on paper cups in both the UK media and directly to Government during consultations, on behalf of members
  • We have opposed a proposed Plastics Tax to both the Government during consultations, and in the UK media.

Which Stakeholders Do We Prioritise?

  • UK Government, including DEFRA and the Treasury
  • UK national media – including national broadcast, print and regional news
  • Food and drink and coffee-specific trade media

Join the BCA and let us be your voice for UK coffee.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Brand Shielding

Your BCA: Industry Collaboration

Being a member of the British Coffee Association means you will have access to an industry-wide forum to collaborate in and create proactive task forces to address the biggest issues.

Our members meet across various committees, working groups and task forces that provide focus on specific issues across the supply chain. From shipping and logistics, warehousing, sustainability issues both at origin and in the UK, technical and regulatory issues, and communications to key stakeholders such as the media and UK government.

We Provide Insights And Action Opportunities

  • BCA provides guidance to our members, including best practice for operations and latest regulatory guidance
  • We provide expertise on key issues, and the ability to collaborate with wider experts across the industry to help you solve the problems that are most pertinent to you
  • We also connect members with wider international NGOs and stakeholders that are relevant to the coffee industry through our network

Join the BCA and collaborate in tackling our most significant issues.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Industry Collaboration

Your BCA: Independent Authority & Voice

The British Coffee Association is an independent organisation that speaks authoritatively on the key issues impacting our industry. We collaborate with our members to ensure we take on board the challenges we all face, and voice these to key UK stakeholders, including the media and UK government.

We are here to promote the positive work that our industry undertakes each and every day, challenge preconceptions where needed, and provide counsel on future government policy and regulations.

Our Members Ask Us To:

  • Be a lead point of contact and counsel with DEFRA, the Treasury and UK Government
  • Voice industry progress on circular economy issues to the media and Government
  • Ensure the coffee industry is heard on key policy consultations
  • Facilitate knowledge and best practice on post-Brexit trade and tariffs
  • Provide advice on technical issues such as acrylamide and furan reduction

Join the BCA and be part of the authoritative voice on UK coffee.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Independent Authority & Voice

Your BCA: Your Source of Advice & Counsel

The British Coffee Association is a collaborative source of a wide range of information for our members. We bring together the leading minds in UK coffee to look at industry challenges, create solutions, and share knowledge with our members.

By joining the BCA, you can be part of a network of experts and thought leaders that are proactively working so that our industry can continue to thrive.

The BCA, alongside our members, is:

  • Food safety and food authenticity, including regulatory guidance and best practice
  • Brexit task force supporting businesses with the new trade and tariffs environment and ensuring optimal working for UK coffee
  • Facilitating projects that look into and provide workable solutions to enhancing the circular economy and reducing waste from coffee products
  • Connecting members with wider global stakeholders and specialist global thought leaders in specific subject areas
  • Providing business advice to members large and small

Join the BCA and utilise our expertise and network.

For further details on membership, please contact: secretariat@britishcoffeeassociation.org

Your BCA - Education

Join the BCA and utilise our expertise and network. For further details on membership, please contact us