Java Republic 2024 Recap: Celebrating 25 Years, Sustainability & Coffee Innovation

As 2024 comes to a close, we proudly reflect on a landmark year for Java Republic – celebrating 25 incredible years in business. This year has been a testament to the power of community, sustainability, and a shared love for extraordinary coffee.

We’re deeply grateful to our dedicated team, loyal customers, and trusted partners who have been part of this journey. So grab yourself a cup of Java Republic coffee, sit back, and have a read of the highlights below!

Sustainability is at the Heart of Everything We Do

Sustainability in coffee production has always been central to Java Republic, and 2024 was no exception. This year, we continued to lead the way with more sustainable coffee practises:

In May, we introduced a pilot program for our new 6 kilo paper bags, designed to reduce waste by eliminating the need for foil, labels, and boxes. Following the pilot’s success and growing interest in this 100% recyclable solution, we’ve now rolled it out to 20 of our customers.

We have two ongoing partnerships for repurposing our by-products and used coffee grounds ensuring 100% no waste to landfill from production:

Every year, we produce 64,020 litres of coffee chaff so we are delighted to partner with Garden’s Edge who repurpose this coffee chaff as mulch.

Female and student-led, Bean Around, produce natural exfoliating soap bars by repurposing used coffee grounds from our café. On a daily basis, our Ballycoolin café produces on average up to 30kg of used coffee grounds. We are thrilled to collaborate with Bean Around who turn this waste product into natural soap bars.

Staying Ahead: Innovations and Trends in the Coffee Industry

The coffee industry tends to move fast, with consumer tastes changing and evolving, so it’s important to be ahead of the curve when it comes to new trends and innovations. 2024 saw the launch of new flavours and blends to delight coffee lovers across Ireland.

We switched our café house blend to a specialty blend from Colombia and Guatemala, called Xinca Mitú. We continue to bring limited edition coffee to market throughout the year, featuring single origin coffee microlots from different countries, coffee varieties and flavour profiles.

Noting the rise in popularity for Cold Brew, we invested in Marco Beverages POUR’D system for both of our cafés. This cold coffee dispense system allows the two sites to serve Ready To Drink beverages right at point of service. It is a sleek, stylish and innovative cold brew solution that streamlines services, cuts labour costs and reduces waste.

This cold coffee tap enabled us to get creative and launch our cold brew menu which includes: Tonic Espresso, Peach Cold Brew Lemonade, Salted Caramel Cold Brew Flat White, Vanilla Cold Brew Flat White and of course, Classic Cold Brew.

Building Connections, One Cup at a Time

We remain committed to supporting coffee communities at origin while also providing meaningful support locally in Ireland, where our coffee beans are carefully roasted and distributed.

Local CSR initiatives this year included:

We continue to deliver coffee grounds to Focus Ireland and this year we participated in their #ShineALight campaign. Some of our team spent a night under the stars to raise awareness and funds for homelessness. We raised over €11,000!

Support for Field of Dreams continued with barista training and our team volunteering at a number of their key events throughout the year like Pick-A-Pumpkin festival and Saddle Up for Down Syndrome Cycle.

At origin…

Laura and Hugh embarked on a 31-hour journey to Brazil’s Minas Gerais region for a 7-day coffee origin trip. During their visit, they explored seven farms, ranging from expansive commercial estates to small family-run operations.

They had the opportunity to visit Fazenda Palmital, where we source the specialty Brazilian beans that go into our Mestizo blend. Origin trips like this are vital for building strong connections with the farmers we partner with, deepening our understanding of their work, and ensuring a sustainable and ethical coffee supply chain.

Serious About Service

At Java Republic, we’re more than just coffee suppliers – we’re your one-stop-shop solution. Our expert team doesn’t just deliver premium coffee; we provide the training and service support your team needs to consistently serve the best coffee experiences to your own customers.

Over the past year, our Quality Team completed an impressive 2,676 calls and visits, while our dedicated Service Team carried out 3,770 calls to ensure everything was running smoothly. On top of that, we successfully managed 502 installations, demonstrating our commitment to delivering excellence every step of the way.

Celebrating 25 Years of Java Republic

This year marked a major milestone: our 25th anniversary!

We celebrated this incredible achievement with a memorable event at Teelings Whiskey Distillery, where we raised a toast to our journey and the passionate team that made it all possible. Read more on this 25 year celebration here.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we close the book on 2024, we look ahead with excitement and optimism. From continued innovation to deepening our commitment to sustainability, we’re ready to make 2025 another extraordinary year. Thank you for being part of our story, here’s to a future filled with even more coffee moments together.

If you’re looking for a coffee partner in the new year who shares your passion for quality and sustainability, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us here.