EUDR: EU Deforestation Regulation
What the New EU Deforestation Rules will mean for your cup of coffee
The EU’s new deforestation regulation is going to have an impact on how coffee is grown, traded and sold into the EU. It will affect everyone from small family farms to the co-ops that process beans, to the brokers and exporters who ship them to us in Ireland. And in the end, it brings real benefits to you, the planet and to all of us coffee drinkers. We welcome this new legislation as it will contribute to more sustainable coffee and better practices that will benefit the planet.
The core of the regulation is simple. Coffee (and other products) sold in the EU must not come from land that was deforested after 31 December 2020. To prove that, everyone in the supply chain has to show exactly where the coffee was grown, down to the specific plot.
This is a big shift for growers. Many will need to map their farms more accurately, record land-use history and provide documents that some regions have never been asked for before. It adds admin, no question. But once the groundwork is done, it gives farmers stronger standing. Buyers like us will know precisely who they are, how they farm and what they protect. It rewards people who already look after their land and gives them better access to premium markets.
For co-ops, the regulation means more verification, more data handling and more support for their members. The positive side is that it encourages long-term relationships with roasters and with ethical, responsible exporters. Responsible farming becomes an asset rather than a silent extra.
Exporters and agents will also have to tighten their traceability systems. Every step from cherry to container will need to have clearer records. The result will be a cleaner supply chain with fewer gaps and fewer chances for poor practices to slip through.
Our coffee suppliers are working on it.
Dreambeans Coffee is already working through the details with our suppliers. We’ll need solid documentation, accurate mapping and clear evidence of legal, forest-friendly farming. It’s extra effort, sure, but it all aligns with what we’ve always aimed for: great coffee that does right by the people who grow it and the places it comes from.
For our customers, the benefits are all positive. You’ll get clearer information about origins. You’ll be supporting growers who protect forests rather than clear them. And, over time, healthier ecosystems mean healthier coffee plants and better flavour in the cup. Forests stabilise climate and water cycles. When they’re protected, the taste and availability of high-quality coffee are protected too.
The coffee we buy will be EUDR-ready before a lot of other coffees. Our coffee is premium coffee, grown by the best growers and it has always commanded a premium price. Because it’s in demand, our growers and co-ops are on the ball when it comes to describing the territory, the plots and the induvidual farms. Many of them have had to deal with third parties trying to pass off inferior coffee as coming from their farms and regions. They’re in better shape than most when it comes to documentation. Ordinary coffee is often vague about where it comes from. Exceptional coffee can show its roots all the way back to the soil. These rules nudge the whole industry toward that higher standard, and we’re more than happy to get behind it.
Implications for the coffee business in Ireland
Coffee is explicitly covered (as a relevant commodity) under the regulation. So if you import green coffee beans (or roasted beans) from outside the EU, you’ll need to ensure your supply chain meets the regulation’s requirements.
Even though we are small/medium and home brew market oriented, Dreambeans still needs to prepare: traceability, geolocation of bean farms/plots, legal compliance in origin country, documentation.
Sourcing from high-risk origin regions (countries/areas with high deforestation pressure) will mean a higher due diligence burden. We might have to evaluate our origins and maybe prioritise lower-risk origins or suppliers who already have robust traceability systems.
Costs and administration expenses may rise from gathering geolocation data, verifying legality, doing risk assessments, maintaining documentation. We might have to factor this into our price structure but we hope that the cost implication will be manageable.
Since the regulation is new and enforcement mechanisms are still being clarified, staying ahead of compliance will reduce risk of surprises.
Cafés and other businesses may begin to ask for documentation or assurances to satisfy their own obligations under the regulation.
Commodities and derived products covered by the regulation
Cattle (beef, leather)
Cocoa
Coffee
Oil palm and palm-oil derivatives
Rubber
Soy (including soybeans, flour and oil)
Wood and wood products
The regulation also applies to any products made from these commodities, such as chocolate, roasted coffee (obviously), furniture, paper goods and leather items.
Timing & Current Status
The regulation has been in force since June 2023 but the full operational enforcement for most business sizes starts December 2025 (large/medium) and June 2026 (small businesses).
Guidance documents have been published by the European Commission to help simplify administrative burdens.