82 coffee and cacao enthusiasts based in Ethiopia, El Salvador, Colombia, Uganda and France
A team of sourcing experts, agronomists, field engineers, buyers, Q Graders, quality controllers and logisticians united around a common goal.
Our mission? To bring you the very best products that we believe outshine the competition in every possible way.
“In 2014, seven years after Belco was first founded, we embarked on a new chapter in our story. We said goodbye to our traditional business approach and ushered in a new model centred around three core values. At the time, artisan roasters were in decline and we wanted to breathe new life into the industry by promoting quality, traceability and transparency.
We set up our first branch in Ethiopia, the birthplace of the coffee plant. Here we could discover the real stories behind our coffees and pass these on to our roasters and they, in turn, to their customers. This change in direction was not without its challenges, but it also brought with it new hopes, new connections and ultimately success. Most importantly, it inspired us to go further.
In 2018, having visited farms and cooperatives across the world, we realized that producers too were facing many difficulties. We therefore expanded our original values to include sustainability and a commitment to work together with producers and roasters to address the environmental, social and economic challenges facing our industry.
three new branches in El Salvador, Colombia and Uganda followed and we also embarked on our mission to cut our carbon emissions by transporting our products by sailboat.”Alexandre Bellangé
Our five core values
To instil a passion for quality products
To empower people within our industry
To increase environmental and social awareness
To promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship without judgement
To cultivate a fair approach to prices and profits
We’re with you every step of the way
How do we do it?
Your purchases come with everyday guarantees.
Coffees sourced at origin
We have 4 subsidiaries at origin for a 365-day-a-year on the ground presence, actively sourcing unique coffees tailored to your needs.
This permanent presence gives us the means to support and monitor our partner farmers, develop projects to help local communities, and understand our impact.
Accurate, encouraging facts and figures, raising the value of your coffees in the eyes of consumers.
Discover our branchesTransition & impact
We have two teams, taking action to protect the environment, decarbonize the industry and ensure price transparency:
- Transition Team: 1. focuses on the origin and producers, supporting and training producers in agricultural practices that are more resilient to climate change, emit fewer greenhouse gases and have a lower impact on biodiversity (transition to organic farming, agroforestry, etc.).
- Impact Team: 1. focuses on the consumer, making origin data available to end customers (price transparency, impact of their consumption, social and environmental projects associated with their coffees, etc.).
Quality control
Our obsession? Quality.
We have assigned 6 people to this alone: agronomists, Q Graders, roasters and baristas, working in 4 identical laboratories in France, Ethiopia, Colombia and El Salvador. They take coordinated, calibrated action across the entire value chain.
Learn more about our approachLow-carbon imports
In 2024, we will begin operating two historic routes from Brazil and Colombia to import our coffee and cacao by sailboat. A third route from Central America is scheduled for 2027.
This means 90% carbon-free transport and a much lower impact on marine biodiversity.
With a contractual commitment to import 40% of our products under sail by 2025 and 70% by 2027.
Responsible supply
We have a single warehouse in Le Havre for storing coffee and cacao earmarked for European export, to limit the ecological impact of transport and guarantee availability and efficient delivery of your products.
A modern storage facility that keeps your products and our staff safe.
Training
Europe’s leading training centre, dedicated to raising quality in the industry and supporting roasters for the past 8 years. With business experts on hand to answer your day-to-day questions and an e-learning platform to help you develop your skills.
Find a training courseEco-friendly to the last drop
Equipment that meets the same high standards as our agricultural products
A CSR charter signed by all our suppliers.
Mindful sourcing of all our products.
16 brands with strong CSR commitments.
Suppliers under the microscope: commitments, certifications, CSR practices, etc. We are fully transparent.
Regular visits to our partners and their facilities.
Find out more