UTZ Certified

UTZ is a certification program and product label for sustainable farming. When a coffee, cocoa, tea, or hazelnut product carries the UTZ label, it signals support for more sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families, and the planet. The program helps farmers use better farming methods, grow better crops, and generate more income, and teaches them to improve working conditions, adapt to climate change, and protect the environment. Compliance with UTZ's strict requirements by certified farms and companies is audited by independent certification bodies; these requirements cover good agricultural practices and farm management, safe and healthy working conditions, addressing child and forced labor, and protection of the environment. The program began as "UTZ kapeh" (meaning "good coffee" in the Guatemalan Mayan language of Quiché), launched in 2002 by a Guatemalan coffee farmer and a Dutch roaster who wanted to bring coffee certification to a global market. It evolved from a corporate initiative into an independent standard for sustainable coffee production, later expanding to certified cocoa, tea, and hazelnut, with the name changed to UTZ Certified to reflect the broader scope. In 2016 the name was shortened to simply UTZ as the organization began working outside certification. UTZ is now part of the Rainforest Alliance.

The UTZ certification program was born as "UTZ kapeh" (pronounced o͞otz kahpāy), meaning "good coffee" in the Guatemalan Mayan language of Quiché. It was launched in 2002 by a Guatemalan coffee farmer and a Dutch roaster who wanted to bring coffee certification to a global market and spread the impact of sustainable farming practices worldwide. UTZ Kapeh evolved from a corporate initiative to an independent and robust standard for sustainable coffee production. Over time, the UTZ program expanded its offerings to include certified cocoa, tea, and hazelnut, and the name was changed to UTZ Certified to reflect this broader scope. In 2016, as the organization started to work outside certification and collaborated with different stakeholders on tackling complex issues like child labor, climate change, and farmer income, the name was shortened to simply UTZ. UTZ is now part of the Rainforest Alliance.

A certification label for sustainable farming that shows a product supports sustainable farming.

• UTZ certified coffee

• UTZ certified cocoa

• UTZ certified tea

• UTZ certified hazelnut

1. 1UTZ Certification (Now Part of the Rainforest Alliance) | Rainforest Alliancerainforest-alliance.org