At VELLA NERO, we focus on sourcing high quality, 100% Arabica beans that are sustainably produced and fairly and equitably traded.

All the coffee beans selected and handcrafted by VELLA NERO are certified Rainforest Alliance, or are brought into Australia by our green-bean importers who have direct grower/buyer relationships with the growers where we pay premium prices set by, or negotiated with the coffee growers directly.  This social premium allows us to directly contribute to increasing the well being of the growers and their communities, allowing them to invest in and improve their sustainable growing practices, and to ensure that superior quality is maintained.

The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organisation that works to protect the ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them.  In order to become Rainforest Alliance Certified, farms must pass inspections by Sustainable Agriculture Auditors who verify that farmers have taken sufficient steps to protect ecosystems and wildlife, conserve soil and water, provide decent, safe conditions and quality of life for workers and their communities and manage pests and waste in ways that limit environmental impacts.  Rain-Forest Alliance is an independent Non-Government Organisation that has established comprehensive certification standards and equitable trade initiatives that promote and guarantee improvements in agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and the quality of life of the workers and their communities.  Initiatives are voluntary, and producers that comply with these standards and guidelines can have their coffee certified with the NGO’s label.  Certification is an incentive to make environmental and social improvements.

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Come into our Clarence Street flagship store and pick up some used coffee grinds for free and return them to Mother Earth.  It's doing two good deeds in one - caring for the environment and benefitting your garden!  Coffee grinds are ideal compost for acid-loving plants.  Add them to your garden to watch your plants flourish - not only does it provide nutrients to your plants, it also wards off some plant-eating pests.  Another tip - to balance out the acidity of coffee grind compost, add crushed egg shells!  Yet another way to recycle from nature to nature.

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We also offer the popular KeepCup (the first Barista standard reusuable hot cup) so we can help reduce the amount of waste that disposable takeaway coffee cups produce.  When you buy in-store you get your first hot VELLA NERO coffee in it for free!  We've also made the cup available for purchase in three sizes online for those who can't get into our city store.  Love your coffee, love your planet.