Black Ivory Coffee is committed to making life better for our customers, our local community, and the elephants. Animal welfare and social responsibility are key values, which is why we work hard to provide the most ethical and considerate care for the elephants, our workers – and the wider community.
GENTLE GIANTS – THE HEROES OF BLACK IVORY COFFEE
Elephants are attracted to the sweet taste of coffee cherries in the wild. We offer hand-selected, ripe cherries as a delicacy alongside their normal diet, which we supplement with rice bran, tamarind and bananas – which elephant caregivers can’t typically afford. We limit the numbers of coffee cherries to ensure optimal health – and so that the elephants don’t tire of the taste. And we never force-feed them. That would be impossible anyway, as elephants are intelligent creatures with high self-determination. Elephants are happy to refuse any food they don’t want (and large enough to enforce their wishes).
The other well-known animal-refined coffee, kopi luwak, is sourced from the excrement of civets. Unfortunately, there have been concerns raised about animal cruelty and environmental harm. Some producers keep the civets in small cages and force-feed them coffee cherries. And mass production of kopi luwak has led to some producers adopting unethical practices, with large caged farms that interfere with wild civet populations and impact local ecosystems. By contrast, our limited-edition coffee prioritises animal welfare over volume and helps support rural livelihoods.
"There’s a reason why I remain the only person in the world making this coffee,” says founder Blake Dinkin. “It is an extremely arduous process. Everything is painstakingly thought out and executed by hand, from which beans to use to which foods to give, cleaning and sorting the coffee, and so on.”
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Your purchase of Black Ivory Coffee supports families in Thailand’s Surin province, who look after the elephants with loving care. These mahouts have a close relationship with their elephants, who are highly intelligent and emotionally aware creatures. In addition to the mahouts, local high school students participate in our after-school program, where they learn how to prepare food for the elephants and to wash, rake and dry the coffee beans. The students’ income helps sustain their families, and some students are saving up for their university studies.
Have a look at some of the majestic elephants and their mahouts, and learn about Mahout’s Blend, which is named in honour of them.
COFFEE WORTHY OF CONVERSATION
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