8 Coffee Brands to Avoid

There are so many coffee brands on the market not only in retail stores but also online. How does one possibly choose which one to buy?

Most people have just a couple qualifiers when purchasing their coffee like…

• Price
• Taste

However, when buying coffee more than just price and taste should be considered.

There are some “dirty” coffee brands out there and they may be doing harm to not only your body but also our planet.

For this list, we’re using factors such as how the coffee is picked, sustainability practices, the quality of the coffee used, the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals, and the ethical practices of the company that’s producing it.

Coffee Brands to Avoid

1

Folgers

GROUND COFFEE, INSTANT, AND PODS

This is a huge brand of coffees and is an iconic American brand. Although Folgers (J.M. Smucker) states on their website that they are concerned about sustainability and ethical working conditions, they reject all the common certifications to ensure this is happening.

The coffee supply chain used is not pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide free. They do not offer an organic variety and all their coffee is pre-ground and not fresh.

Although this brand is cheap and convenient, you are getting a poor quality coffee.

2

Maxwell House

GROUND COFFEE, INSTANT, AND PODS

This is another iconic American brand owned by Kraft. Again this brand rejects sustainability certification, fair trade certifications, and does not offer an organic product. Therefore, their coffee may have chemicals and molds present. All their coffee is pre-ground and freshness is an issue.

3

Nescafé

INSTANT AND GROUND COFFEE

Nescafe is a huge multinational brand of coffee owned by Nestle. We commend Nescafe partnering with for the Rainforest Alliance, the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), and the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C) to be sure they are following internationally recognized sustainability standards but they do not offer organic certified coffees. Therefore, their coffee’s may contain chemicals and mold. They only offer instant coffees, ground coffee, or pods so again, freshness is a concern.

4

Dunkin Donuts

PRIMARILY THE GROCERY STORE BRAND

Dunkin Donuts is a popular coffee shop chain and they serve whole bean and ground coffee at retail locations and online. All of Dunkin’s restaurant made espresso beverages are now Rainforest Alliance certified and about 30% of their dark roast coffee beans. As for the rest of their coffee, it seems like it could be sourced from anywhere. They do not offer organic varieties so their coffee may contain chemicals and molds. The grocery store Dunkin Donuts coffee is produced by J.M. Smucker which is the same as Folgers.

5

Lavazza

GROUND, INSTANT, AND PODS

This Italian brand is popular around the world and according to their website is the 6th largest coffee brand in the world. Unfortunately, Lavazza doesn’t have any certifications regarding the ethical and environmentally friendly sourcing of their coffee beans. It also looks like they don’t have any organic varieties.