EFICO – GREEN COFFEE SINCE 1926
FROM BEAN TO CUP FOR 100 YEARS

ROOTED IN TRADITION – DRIVEN BY EVOLUTION

Founded in 1926 as a family coffee business in the port city of Antwerp, EFICO has gradually evolved into an international green coffee group built on extensive coffee expertise, consistent quality, trusted service, and purposeful long-term partnerships across the coffee value chain.

Over the decades, the coffee sector has transformed dramatically -becoming more global, transparent, quality-driven and interconnected than ever before. Throughout this evolution, EFICO has grown alongside the industry while remaining true to the values that have defined the company from the beginning: quality, service, expertise, sustainability and enduring partnerships.

EFICO’s first office opened in the heart of Antwerp’s historic port district -then, as now, one of the world’s leading hubs for the trade, storage and distribution of green coffee.

The company was originally founded as Wuyts & Installé and later operated as a family-owned business led by the Installé family. In 1961, following its relocation to IJzerlaan in Antwerp, the company was renamed Handelsmaatschappij E.F. Installé & Co (abbreviated to EFICO), marking the beginning of its development under the EFICO name.

Long before the advent of emails, mobile phones or digital trading platforms, coffee traders communicated via telex systems using so-called ‘answerback’ codes. EFICO’s answerback became ‘EFICO’ -a practical communication code derived from the names of the company’s founders: E for Emile, F for François, I for Installé and CO for Company.

What began as a simple telex reference eventually grew into the name of a green coffee company that, almost 100 years later, continues to connect coffee origins, roasters and coffee communities across the globe -from bean to cup.

QUALITY AS A CORNERSTONE

From the very beginning, EFICO believed coffee should not simply be traded -it should be understood.

Already in 1958, EFICO invested in modern offices, a dedicated sample room and a warehouse in Antwerp with storage capacity for 40,000 coffee bags. At the time, this level of infrastructure and quality control was highly advanced for the coffee sector.

EFICO was also the first European green coffee trader to establish a dedicated cupping room, inviting coffee roasters to taste and evaluate coffees together -placing sensory quality, transparency and dialogue at the centre of the trading relationship.

Over the decades, quality control became one of EFICO’s defining pillars. Long before it became common practice, the company invested in dedicated sample rooms, cupping facilities and quality laboratories -both at origin and destination.

Coffee was not only sourced and traded, but systematically evaluated, compared and monitored throughout its journey from crop to arrival.Today, coffees continue to be analysed and cupped multiple times throughout the supply chain in EFICO’s cupping labs in Antwerp and Zeebrugge by specialised quality teams, senior coffee traders and certified Q-Graders.This longstanding dedication to coffee quality is reflected in the experience and sensory expertise built up within EFICO over generations. Together, EFICO’s coffee traders and quality specialists have cupped and evaluated countless coffees throughout their careers in order to safeguard consistency and quality for roasters across Europe.

Today, EFICO’s teams collectively represent more than 1,000 years of combined coffee expertise across sourcing, quality control, trading, logistics, finance and operations. And that does not even take into account the generations of knowledge, craftsmanship and experience passed on by all those who helped shape the company throughout the previous 99 years.

It is this accumulated experience, hands-on knowledge and daily discipline that continue to safeguard consistency and quality for roasters across Europe and beyond.

GOING TO ORIGIN BEFORE IT BECAME STANDARD

One of EFICO’s most defining milestones was the company’s decision to increasingly travel to coffee-producing countries, building direct and lasting relationships at origin.

At a time when many coffee traders still operated mainly from Europe, EFICO chose a more hands-on approach -investing time in understanding harvests, local realities, coffee communities and the people behind the product itself.

Long before traceability, transparency and sustainable sourcing became standard industry language, EFICO was already building partnerships at origin focused on quality, continuity and mutual trust.

Over time, this approach expanded into sourcing offices and partnerships in Guatemala, Brazil and Ethiopia, bringing EFICO closer to producers, harvests, logistics and quality control at origin.

Rather than vertically integrating into plantations or roasting, EFICO deliberately chose to strengthen the areas where it could create the most meaningful value for partners across the coffee value chain: sourcing, quality control, logistics, finance, market expertise and long-term relationships.

Over the years, EFICO became one of the early coffee companies in Europe to actively implement certified and verified coffee programs -helping bridge the growing expectations of roasters and consumers with the realities faced at origin.

As a connector across the coffee value chain, EFICO continuously seeks out certified coffee programs relevant to both industrial and artisan roasters, while linking origins and roasters through expertise, flexibility, service, and trusted long-term partnerships.

What began as trading coffee gradually evolved into connecting producers, roasters and partners across the entire coffee value chain -from bean to cup.

WHEN SUSTAINABILITY WAS STILL A PIONEERING CHOICE

The coffee crisis of the early 2000s marked a major turning point for the global coffee sector. As coffee prices collapsed, many producing communities faced severe economic pressure and uncertainty.

For EFICO, sustainability could no longer remain a side discussion.

Rather than stepping back during one of the most challenging periods the coffee industry had experienced in decades, EFICO chose to deepen its commitment to coffee-producing communities and more sustainable value chains.

In 2003, EFICO became one of the first coffee trading companies in Europe to sign the United Nations Global Compact, committing to responsible business principles long before ESG reporting and sustainability commitments became mainstream within the industry.

That same year, EFICO launched the EFICO FOUNDATION -a pioneering initiative within the coffee sector at the time, created to support projects tailored to the needs of coffee-producing communities, together with customers and partners.

What began with flagship projects such as Kachalú in Colombia and El Platanillo in Guatemala gradually evolved into a broader sustainability platform focused on livelihoods, biodiversity, education, water access, climate resilience and community development.

Several of these initiatives later became important international references.

As climate change increasingly began to impact coffee-growing regions, EFICO and the EFICO Foundation partnered with the Rainforest Alliance (RFA) to co-develop a climate-friendly coffee production module.

In Guatemala, Finca El Platanillo became the world’s first Rainforest Alliance Verified™ Climate Friendly coffee farm in 2011, following years of intensive research, co-development, and fieldwork involving EFICO, the EFICO Foundation, Rainforest Alliance, and several local and international partners.

This pioneering initiative was later integrated into the Rainforest Alliance 2017 Sustainable Agriculture Standard, helping shape industry practices and benchmarks for climate-smart coffee production worldwide.

These efforts reflect EFICO’s long-standing sustainability mindset -acting as an early adopter, driving innovation, and continuously helping raise the bar for sustainability standards within the global coffee sector.

To date, the EFICO FOUNDATION reports: 90 projects across 18 producing countries, representing more than $4 million USD in project funding.

Importantly, 100% of partner contributions go directly to projects, while operational and management costs are fully covered by EFICO itself.

For EFICO, sustainability was never simply about trends or corporate rhetoric. It became a lasting commitment to coffee, people and future generations.

PIONEERING GREEN COFFEE LOGISTICS

For EFICO, innovation was never pursued for its own sake. It was always linked to coffee quality, service, sustainability and long-term thinking.

As the coffee sector evolved and volumes grew throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, EFICO increasingly felt that existing logistics infrastructure no longer met the company’s standards in terms of food safety, traceability and coffee preservation.

Rather than expanding into plantations or roasting, EFICO deliberately chose to invest in the area where it believed it could create the most meaningful added value for partners: sustainable green coffee logistics.

In 2009, EFICO launched SEABRIDGE in the port of Zeebrugge -a specialised green coffee logistics platform entirely dedicated to green coffee.

Designed specifically to preserve green coffee under optimal conditions throughout the supply chain, SEABRIDGE combined climate-controlled storage, integrated quality laboratories, automated handling systems, advanced traceability, and sustainable logistics infrastructure under one roof.

Today, SEABRIDGE operates a 20,000 m² warehouse, 24 silos, 9 loading docks, integrated cupping and quality facilities, advanced environmental control systems and intermodal logistics solutions for nearly all import containers.

SEABRIDGE also became one of the early large-scale logistics sites in Belgium to invest extensively in renewable energy infrastructure, with more than 4,600 photovoltaic panels generating up to 1 MW peak green energy.

CONNECTING COFFEE EXPERTISE ACROSS GENERATIONS & MARKETS

Over the decades, EFICO continuously adapted to the changing realities and expectations of the coffee sector.

From conventional coffees to certified and verified programs, and from large industrial roasters to smaller specialty coffee companies, EFICO built its reputation on flexibility, reliability, market expertise and service-minded partnerships.

What distinguishes EFICO is not only access to coffee origins, but the ability to connect sourcing, quality control, logistics, sustainability and market knowledge into one integrated approach tailored to the needs of each customer.

As the coffee world continued to evolve, so did EFICO’s services and expertise.

With the launch of CUPRIMA, EFICO further expanded into specialty coffees focused on flavour diversity, traceability and coffees with a exceptional sensory identity -responding to a growing appreciation for origin character, craftsmanship and coffee experience within the specialty sector.

At the same time, EFICO remained deeply committed to the principles that shaped the company over generations: hands-on expertise, consistent quality control, personal relationships, service-minded flexibility and a long-term vision on coffee partnerships.

Today, those same values continue to connect experienced coffee professionals and younger generations across the company -combining tradition, curiosity and evolving market knowledge within an industry that never stands still.

Because while coffee markets continuously evolve, trust and meaningful relationships remain at the heart of the coffee business.

100 YEARS OF EFICO – FIGURES AT A GLANCE

A century ago, in the port city of Antwerp, EFICO opened its doors as a green coffee trader.

Since 1926, the city has changed shape many times. Trade routes evolved, markets globalised, and supply chains became increasingly complex. Yet every day, the essence of the work remained remarkably simple: knowing where each coffee comes from, who produced it, and whether it tastes the way it should.

Behind nearly 100 years of coffee expertise lies decades of patient work, long-term relationships and countless cups tasted along the way.

40 coffee origins where EFICO coffees begin their journey -from highlands to coastlines across the coffee belt.

263 partners: producers, cooperatives, associations and exporters -whose expertise and dedication shape every harvest long before it reaches Europe.

400 coffee qualities in EFICO’s portfolio, each with its own sensory profile, physical characteristics and origin story. Among them: more than 110 specialty coffees, carefully selected for their flavour complexity and distinctive sensory identity.

46 countries where EFICO coffees find their way to roasters -from a few streets away in Antwerp to destinations across multiple continents and time zones.

More than 250,000 coffee samples analysed, cupped, scored and discussed around EFICO cupping tables over the years. At EFICO, no coffee moves forward before being analysed and cupped.

NEXT CHAPTER

As EFICO celebrates its centenary milestone, it does so with sincere gratitude to all producers, customers, colleagues and partners who have helped shape the company’s story across generations.

Because what truly carries a company across 100 years is not the numbers themselves.

It is the people behind them: producers, partners, roasters, customers and passionate teams across Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Eastern Europe, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Togo and Brazil.

From Antwerp to coffee origins around the world.
From quality control to trusted partnerships.
From sustainability initiatives to logistics innovation.
From tradition to continuous evolution.

For nearly 100 years, EFICO has evolved alongside the coffee sector while remaining guided by the same fundamental principles: expertise, quality, service, sustainability and meaningful relationships across the coffee value chain.

Today, that same philosophy continues to guide the company forward -combining sourcing expertise, quality assurance, sustainability, logistics innovation and trusted partnerships from bean to cup.

One hundred years after its founding in Antwerp, EFICO remains deeply rooted in coffee while continuing to evolve alongside a changing industry and a new generation of coffee professionals.

And with the same curiosity, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for coffee that shaped the company from the very beginning, EFICO looks ahead to the future with confidence, responsibility and continued commitment.

And to everyone who has been part of the journey along the way -from coffee producers to customers, partners and colleagues across generations: THANK YOU !