Chiquita Brands International is launching Rainforest Alliance certified bananas onto the European market.
The fruit has already started to appear in nine European markets with bananas labelled as Rainforest Alliance-certified. This new label, which brings together the Miss Chiquita icon and the Rainforest Alliance's frog logo, reflects Chiquita’s commitment to the alliance’s social and environmental standards.
Chiquita has been incorporating Rainforest Alliance criteria into its
farming practices since 1992, and the company is now able to source enough bananas from certified farms to guarantee their availability in supermarkets across Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
“The Rainforest Alliance-certified seal will help consumers recognise Chiquita’s commitment and investment, and therefore allow them to make an informed decision about what they buy,” said Chris Wille, director of sustainable agriculture programmes at the Rainforest Alliance.
George Jaksch, senior director, corporate responsibility, Chiquita Europe told freshinfo expansion to the UK has not been ruled out: “In order to maintain the integrity of the new seal, Chiquita only labels fruit that is guaranteed as certified, which is why we are initially launching the new seal in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. As more and more of Chiquita’s suppliers become certified, we will be able to use the new seal in an increasing number of countries. We are working towards having all countries supplied with RA certified fruits.”
To achieve Rainforest Alliance certification, every Chiquita farm has to
implement more than 200 criteria, covering protection of the environment and biodiversity as well as fair treatment of workers and good workplace conditions. The Rainforest Alliance works with local environmental organisations to review compliance with these criteria on each farm every year.
According to Raul Gomez, manager of a Chiquita farm in Costa Rica, the changes have been beneficial and far-reaching. "Since Chiquita has applied the Rainforest Alliance standards, we have seen so many positive changes. We’ve stopped using pesticides whenever possible. We have planted hundred of trees. We are trained in environmental management and protection, and then put this education into practice so that our children can also benefit."
The Rainforest Alliance (www.ra.org) is an international, environmental organisation with a mission to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use and business practices as well as consumer behaviour. It has 25,000 members and projects in nearly 60 countries.
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