50 months & 2 days
That is how long it has been since I bought Spring Valley Coffee.
It’s also how long it has taken us to work through numerous iterations to truly understand and confidently articulate our purpose, ambition and guiding principles.
Finally, it is how long it has taken me to have the courage to firmly put a stake in the ground about what we unapologetically believe.
Before I share our reason to exist, what we have set out to do and the principles which guide our behaviours, I ask you to join us in a celebration of everyone in our coffee world:
From the producers (farmers) and pulping station operators, to the millers and hand sorters; from the marketing agents and traders, to the cuppers and educators — we say “asante sana” (“thank you” in Swahili) for the hard work and passion with which you nurture, grow and process coffee. You provide us with an incredible product that allows us to showcase the best of what Kenya has to offer to the world.
Mission, vision & values are often developed through the culmination of the work of talented consultants, incredulous wordsmiths and motivated management teams; they are also often generic, crafted for public consumption, and fail to stir an emotional response.
I believe that purpose, ambition and guiding principles are even more relevant in today’s world; it is my prerogative that the values which we operate must be authentic and come from the heart of our business — driven by every member of our team from roasters to baristas, experienced by our customers & suppliers and validated by members of our leadership team — past & present.
Today, I present you with Spring Valley Coffee’s purpose, ambition and guiding principles:
We believe in the transformational power of incredible coffee.
Our mission is to catalyse change in the world — one coffee at a time.
Whether we’re extracting an espresso or selecting packaging materials, our actions are inspired by a set of principles that guide us:
Delight Everyone
Every interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate authentic, extra ordinary hospitality to customers and colleagues, as well as our farmers, partners and suppliers.
Make Incredible Coffee
Coffee activates relationships, inspires action and fuels innovation. Making incredible coffee is our super-power; we rise to the calling.
Do the Right Thing
We take a long-term view. A deep sense of responsibility to empower people and protect our environment allows us to be a force for good as we grow our business.
Constantly Curious
We learn and grow together. We have the courage to challenge conventional thinking by doing things differently.