At ZENZ we are not only concerned about creating clean and environmentally friendly haircare products for our customers. Our goal is that everything we offer to our customers must be properly produced for sustainable production and ecology so that it does not damage the environment, climate and human health. That is why we serve coffee to our customers during their treatments from ZENZ's own farmer, Mrs. Wandee, which has a 1271 m2 coffee farm in Laos, Asia.
“Through the collaboration with Slow Coffee we are aware of the whole journey - from the coffee beans that grow at the trees at Mrs. Wandee's farm to the brew of it before it will be served to our customers in the salons. It is a security for us to know about the entire coffee journey from the production in Laos to and the brew in Denmark. Our values at ZENZ are sustainable. That is also reflected in the products we buy from outside and offers to our customers," says co-owner of ZENZ, Jørgen Skjødt, who passionately explains ZENZ's collaboration with sustainable manufacturers.
The coffee from Mrs. Wandee's farm in Laos is 100% pure arabica coffee, grown on the farm in Laos 1271 meters above sea level – and it is available exclusively at ZENZ. At ZENZ we want it to be a unique holistic experience to visit us and receive our treatments. Of course, this also applies to our barista coffee.
“The dark-roasted espresso coffee contributes to enjoyment and well-being with its aromatic taste and notes of cocoa and dark chocolate. When you at the same time know that it helps to restore and preserve forests and trees in Laos and supports a family to maintain a viable and sustainable business, it is possible to enjoy the coffee even more,” says Jørgen Skjødt.
A sustainable collaboration
ZENZ has chosen to collaborate with Slow Coffee, as they work purposefully to regenerate and promote the forest stock and at the same time improve the living conditions of the micro farms. With a cooperative, Slow can guarantee farmers 40% prepayment six months before the green beans are shipped to Denmark. It allows them to make a plan for the whole year and creates security and stability so the family do not have to choose between getting their children to school or getting food on the table.
"Slow's micro-farmers earn the double when they are working with us, compared to working with a regular cooperative, where there is often uncertainty about when and how much payment the farmers actually receive. This is due to our extraordinary terms of payment,” explains Alexander Stig Nielsen, Co-Founder of Slow Coffee.
The local Slow Coffee team in Laos helps the farmers with the daily operation. Everything from improving coffee processes to creating ID cards, bank accounts and an emergency fund that micro farms can use in case of illness. It secures the entire value chain and this means that you can follow the entire coffee journey from Mrs. Wandee's farm in Laos to it is brewed in ZENZ Salons in Denmark.
Slow Coffee team also offers the farmers training and education, and finances and provides equipment. It has a positive effect on them as it helps to ensure that the micro-farmers increase their skills and ultimately ensure them better earnings on all their coffee.
“Several of the families have started building houses in stone. It takes a long time and it is a big investment, typically a 10-year project for a family. This is a fantastic sign that Slow's micro farms have both improved their finances and that they believe in a bright future,” says Alexander Stig Nielsen.
Certifications - your guarantee
We always keep our promises. That is why we have chosen a coffee supplier who delivers a coffee that carries the mark from Fairtrade and EU organic certification.
Fairtrade is an international mark that ensures proper working conditions and better pay for the coffee farmers. We agree with what Fairtrade stands up for: "The best way to eradicate poverty is by paying a fair price for the farmers' raw materials and a fair wage for the world's many plantation and factory workers."
With the Fairtrade mark, we are also guaranteed that the raw materials are produced under proper conditions. Among other things, there is a ban on child labour, harmful pesticides and strict requirements for the protection of biodiversity, watercourses and the local environment where the coffee comes from.
Gender equality - one of the UN's sustainability goals
Through our collaboration with Slow Coffee, ZENZ supports the UN's Global Goals for Sustainable Development. One of the UN's sustainability goals is the work for equality and equivalence, which ZENZ of course also supports. For the same reason, we have chosen to support Mrs. Wandee, who has built up her business with her husband and their adult children, who helps on the farm and thereby gain great knowledge about agricultural production.
Here you can read about which goals ZENZ supports through its collaboration with Slow Coffee:
The farmer also receives support and training for beekeeping and planting of fruit trees, as well as contributing to a landscape fund.
World Goals 13 and 15: Conserve biodiversity and forests
We help to preserve and increase the biodiversity of several hectares of forestry for coffee plantations. Fruit trees and the like will also be planted on the farmer's land to improve forestry.
World Goal 12: Support for responsible production
Through the farmer, we support the production of responsibly produced organic coffee.
World Goal 17: Support for WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)
For every kilo of coffee, ZENZ buys some of the support goes to WWF Laos.
Read about 12 of the UN’s goals for sustainable development, which ZENZ support here.