Our largely decentralized setup with many operative entities around the globe fosters entrepreneurial spirit by the local managers and employees. We strive to maintain the individuality of NKG companies while at the same time making sure the strategic goals set by the NG Board of Management are pursued together. Here, NG Coaching comes into play.

Recently, in April 2022, a reorganization of the NKG coaching system was put in place. The BoM, its managing directors ceasing from coaching by the end of 2022, is delegating the responsibility for the entire annual operative business cycle of NKG companies to NG Coaching, empowering the coaching team with broader decision-making competences. That coaching team is being formed still and shall emphasize even more to promote group business cooperation and synergies and foster intragroup dialogue. This includes the centralized NG departments for which NG Coaching provides knowledge of the specifics of each company.

It is the duty of the coach to be aware of all relevant issues to be able to accompany the company in decision-making processes. Together with the management of group companies, Coaches develop of the yearly business plans and key targets in alignment with the overall strategy and goals of NKG, defined by the board of management of NG.
How we benefit from our diversity: through being one unity and offering worldwide personal contacts with intra-group business partners to ensure credibility.

Over the past decades there has been a steady growth in global consumption of about 2,5 % p.a. Coffee has experienced a revival as a lifestyle product in the traditional importing countries with a huge variety of innovative drinks and presentations! And most exciting, our noble beverage has been on a discovery path conquering new markets both in new importing areas such as Asia and also developing a new drinking culture in the coffee producing countries.

Global coffee production has followed the demand growth albeit favoring the most efficient producing countries with a trend towards concentration in a few countries and the risk of loss in variety and diversification of the cup profiles available to the market. The specialty and artisan industry plays a great role in maintaining the highest quality standards and creating new beverages counteracting this trend successfully.

There is a growing consciousness and concern amongst the coffee community all along the value chain that the future of coffee production could be at peril if environmental, social and governance policies and criteria are not swiftly addressed. Economic incentives and attractivity for farmers to continue producing coffee need to be implemented if we want the wellbeing of the coffee producers and of our business to continue thriving.

We at NKG see the pursuit of this challenge as a predominant role in order to continue growing and maintaining our position as the leading coffee merchants and green coffee service providers. This requires from us the commitment to excellence in all functions we execute.

One perfect example for this is “City Coffee Limited”, an initiative of NKG East Africa and Tchibo in Tanzania, Mbeya, initiated by Yogesh Modhwadia (Admin & Operations, NKG East Africa) and his personal contact at Tchibo, where he worked in a former job. The starting point was the development of a joint program to establish a Rainforest Alliance certified supply chain comprising of small holder farmers. In 2021, for instance, 2882 farmers have been trained in Good Agricultural Practices. Until now, the program evolved and includes many aspects more like farmer extension services, marketing, farmers training and certification, youth empowerment, agronomic services, and financing cooperatives with advances and equipment.

How we work with all our partners: through consistency and reliability, we generate trustworthiness.

Sustainability and responsible business practices are no theoretical construct at NKG but start with every of our group companies. Many successful local measures ensure that we at NKG initiate sustainable change together with the coffee community worldwide. At the Global Coffee Platform, for example, NG Vietnam is working together with the coffee community to jointly solve global coffee-related issues such as yield, quality, environment, social awareness, economic conditions improvement for producers, greenhouse gas emission reduction, risks mitigation, and adaptation to climate change.

The coffee production with the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides makes the soil acidic, degrades soil health, and pollutes the environment, threatening the sustainability of the coffee industry in the future. It is important now that the coffee production and consumption industry including actors in both coffee supply and demand share the responsibility. They have to make new and comply with existing economic, social, and environmental regulations in order to improve the quality of coffee and enhance sustainability of the coffee production, processing and consumption industry. Therefore, the close cooperation of the global coffee community is needed right now to take timely measures and interventions to prevent and reduce the risks that threaten sustainability of the coffee industry in the future.

How we work towards our vision: by working together, we take responsibility for a more sustainable coffee industry in the future.