Specialty Coffee Roastery

As a premium specialty coffee roastery in Ireland we are dedicated to providing customers with a superior coffee experience, from sourcing the beans to the final brewing process.

Q Graders we work with, both here and abroad, grade the quality of our coffee with a score out of 100. Specialty Coffee must score 80 or above. The majority of our coffees score between +85 and +90 and some in the +90 to +92 range. All our coffee is 100% Arabica.

Our coffee beans are ethically and sustainably sourced, and the roasting techniques bring out each unique flavour and characteristic of each varietal.

McCabe’s Coffee offers a variety of blends and single-origin coffees, as well as a coffee subscription service for those who want to receive fresh beans regularly.

Commitment to Quality

As Artisan Coffee Roasters in Ireland, quality is vital to our ethos: quality of product and of service. We roast each day and deliver after resting the coffee, to ensure that the customer receives the freshest flavour and highest quality.

We are committed to outstanding taste, service, and reliability. Our aim is to strengthen our brand of quality and sustainability in Ireland with customers who have a passion for seriously good coffee.

Sustainability

Every year since 2020, our sustainability consultants
have calculated our carbon footprint. This includes Scope 1,2 and 3 analysis. We publish an annual Sustainability Report which is audited by two third parties. Our aim is to take action each year to reduce this and to date we have:

• Changed 50% of our fleet to fully electric vehicles.
• Increased our certified organic purchases to 28%. These coffees are typically shade grown below trees with no carbon rich fertilisers or pesticides.
• Changed all retail and online packaging to be 100% recyclable. 
• Launched our wholesale reusable drums using no packaging. 
• Reduced trips to origin by plane and have developed relationships with our growers via video calls, WhatsApp groups and donations for equipment. 

We have set firm goals to reduce our carbon footprint with our partners Origin Green who audit the business annually.

1% FOR OUR PLANET

We contribute 1% of our annual revenue to support environmental sustainability projects. McCabe’s Coffee is committed to creating a positive environmental impact that goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Since 2019, we’ve worked to offset more carbon than we produce, covering scopes 1, 2, and most of scope 3. We are proud to be Gold members of Origin Green, where our sustainability efforts are audited annually.

While transportation is a significant part of coffee’s carbon footprint, the majority comes from fertilizers used on farms and the energy consumed by coffee machines. To address this, we prioritize purchasing organic coffee, which reduces emissions by approximately 19%. Each year, we continue to grow our range of certified organic coffee and invest in climate-positive projects for our business, such as installing solar panels on our roastery roof and transitioning to electric delivery vehicles.

Our packaging for online customers is fully recyclable, and we’ve introduced reusable coffee drums and FSC-certified boxes. To offset our carbon footprint, we support tree planting projects in Ireland.

We believe in taking action and doing our part to create a better, more sustainable future. Details of the financial contributions for 1% FOR OUR PLANET will be detailed in our 2024 Annual Sustainability Report which will be published in early 2025. This will be verified by two independent third parties – Origin Green and Sebastian Engelmann MSc in Climate Change Finance.

7 ways our customers are making a difference

1. Jack’s Mill biodiversity project

This is a local biodiversity project near our roastery in Co. Wicklow within a regenerated family farm whose aim is to conserve permanent native woodland encouraging land regeneration and biodiversity through afforestation and restoration. Restoring Ireland’s woodlands and improving biodiversity is important. Huw O'Toole and his team plant the trees and ensure they are managed, protected and allowed to live out their natural lives. The family farm has been in his family for over 100 years. Tree planting in Ireland is beneficial because it helps combat climate change by absorbing CO2, restores biodiversity by creating habitats for wildlife, and improves soil and water quality by reducing erosion and filtering water. Trees also support local communities by enhancing landscapes, promoting eco-tourism, and contributing to a sustainable economy. We plant one tree for every new coffee subscription.

2. Efficient cooking stoves in Zimbabwe.

This project is close to Portia’s heart as she grew up in Zimbabwe. The project with Gold Standard provides the world’s most efficient cooking stove to rural Zimbabweans. Over 700 million Africans cook on open fires, which are extremely inefficient and a primary cause of deforestation across the continent. Open fire cooking is also the leading source of household air pollution (HAP), causing over 4 million premature deaths each year, more than tuberculosis and HIV combined. Improved cook stoves (ICS) can reduce HAP by up to 50% and fuel use by up to 70%. TASC has distributed over 79,000 cookstoves in rural Zimbabwe and reduced CO2 emissions by over 155,000 tonnes to date.

3. Solar project in Rajasthan, India

This project with Gold Standard activity generates electricity using renewable solar energy. The generated electricity is exported to the regional grid system, which is under the purview of the INDIAN electricity grid of India. The project activity reduces anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases estimated to be approximately 694,471 tCO2e per year, thereon replacing 732,874 MWh/year amount of electricity with renewable energy. The project diversifies the mix of power plants connected to the INDIAN GRID, which is mainly dominated by thermal/fossil-fuel based power plants.

4. Recyclable packaging

Recyclable packaging is better for the environment because it reduces waste, conserves resources, and lowers pollution. It keeps materials in use longer, saving energy and reducing the need for new raw materials, which helps protect natural ecosystems. We pay more for recyclable packaging. Currently every online order is sent in a fully recycled pack that can be put in your domestic green bin. All our retail tea packs have been fully recyclable since 2020. We’re almost there with our 1kg wholesale packs. After 7 years, we are on the final testing stages of a new 100% recyclable film. RePak have confirmed this is acceptable for recycling. Our takeaway cups are fully recyclable if customers place them in recycle bins. The waterproof membrane breaks down during the recycling process leaving only cardboard.

5. Certified Organic Coffee

Organic coffee is better for the environment because it avoids synthetic chemicals, conserves biodiversity, and promotes healthier soil and water. By using natural fertilizers and shade-growing methods, organic farms reduce pollution, protect wildlife, and help conserve resources like water and soil. They also contribute less to greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable farming practices that are more resilient to climate change. We supply Ireland’s largest range of Certified Organic coffee and plan to increase this year on year.

6. Rainforest Alliance

Certified Rainforest Alliance coffee is better for the environment and communities because it supports sustainable farming practices that protect forests, wildlife, and water resources. By focusing on biodiversity and minimizing chemical use, Rainforest Alliance certification reduces environmental impact while promoting soil and water health. It also emphasizes fair working conditions, helping improve livelihoods for farmers and supporting local communities. Additionally, Rainforest Alliance practices aim to make farms more resilient to climate change, fostering sustainable development in coffee-growing regions. All our coffee from Brazil is certified by Rainforest Alliance

7. Flossie & the beach cleaners

Flossie and the Beach Cleaners is an environmental initiative founded by Flossie Donnelly, a young activist from Ireland. The group focuses on cleaning up beaches and raising awareness about plastic pollution and marine conservation. Flossie and her team organize beach cleanups, educate communities (especially young people) about the impact of plastic waste on oceans, and advocate for reducing single-use plastics. They aim to inspire environmental responsibility and protect marine life by engaging the public in hands-on environmental work.

Read more about Sustainable Coffee

Resposible and Ethical Coffee Roasters

We only purchase Specialty grade 100% Arabica from single estates and small co-operatives in the best growing areas around the world.

We choose to work with farmers who care as much as we do about quality, consistency, and taste. Understanding each other’s needs has helped us produce some amazing award-winning coffees.

Charity

We were the main supporter of Project 20/20 in Nepal. This was a poverty reduction program establishing a coffee farm for a community in Pokhara. It aimed to provide a safe living space for women who had suffered domestic abuse.

The project is a two-acre coffee farm which now provides an income for the participants of this programme, alongside 300 local farmers to create sustainable livelihoods.

In 2020 the first coffee cherries were harvested.