Dubai – Ali Azakary | Qahwa World

On May 4, the European Commission published its “simplification” package for the Deforestation Regulation. Some saw it as genuine relief. Others called it cosmetic.

Qahwa World continues its interview series with industry experts. After Dr. Steffen Schwarz from Germany, our second guest is Kim Thompson, Co-Founder of RAW Coffee Company in Dubai. Kim is one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Dubai, with real contributions to supporting smallholder farmers, especially in several producing and low-income countries.

Here is what she said.

  • What is your overall take on the EU simplification decision? Does it truly reduce the burden, or is it mostly cosmetic?

Kim Thompson: Our overall take is that the simplification helps, but only around the edges. It reduces some paperwork and gives smaller primary operators a more realistic route in, but it does not remove the biggest pressure point: traceability back to farm level.

The EU says the package could reduce annual compliance costs by around 75 percent, but geolocation, legality checks, and responsibility still sit heavily in the supply chain.

Our view is simple: the intention is right, but implementation has to be practical, fair, and producer focused. Traceability is important. Protecting forests is important. But if compliance becomes a paperwork race won only by the biggest players, then the coffee industry has not solved the problem. It has just moved the burden further down the chain.

  • Who benefits the most from this simplification in your opinion?

Kim Thompson: The biggest winners are not necessarily the smaller farmers and cooperative groups who are our direct trade partners. The real advantage goes to larger organizations and companies, and to origins that already have digital traceability systems, mapped farms, organized exporters, and strong documentation.

Low-risk countries get some relief on risk assessment, but they still need geolocation data, so it is not a free pass.

  • Soluble coffee is now fully covered, after being excluded before. How do you see this affecting coffee traders and roasters worldwide?

Kim Thompson: Logically, it makes sense. If green coffee is covered, soluble coffee should not sit outside the system. Otherwise, the industry risks moving deforestation exposure into a different product category rather than solving it.

But this will affect traders, instant coffee manufacturers, private label suppliers, and roasters using soluble ingredients, because they now need the same confidence in origin data and documentation.

  • Is the global coffee supply chain truly ready for the December 30, 2026 deadline? If not, which part of the industry will take the biggest hit?

Kim Thompson: Is the global coffee supply chain ready by December 30, 2026? Honestly, no. Not even close.

Larger companies are much closer. The vulnerable part is the smallholder end: farmers, collectors, cooperatives, and exporters in fragmented supply chains where coffee changes hands many times before export.

These people may be producing responsibly, but if they cannot prove it in the format the EU wants, they risk being excluded. That is the real concern for us: sustainability rules must not end up punishing the very producers who need market access the most.

Qahwa World – Episode Three tomorrow with Burke Campbell from Honduras.

Read the related stories:

Dr. Steffen Schwarz: EUDR Simplification Remains an Administrative Monster

EUDR Simplification: Six Voices from the Coffee Industry Speak

European Commission Simplifies Deforestation Regulation.. What’s New?