Beverage Companies Commit to 100% Sustainable Juice

27 Mar 2017 --- European beverage and food companies have joined forces and formed a coalition aiming for 100% sustainable juice and puree by 2030.

Under the coordination of IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, the companies Döhler, FrieslandCampina Riedel, Refresco and Verbruggen Juice Trading Sustainable Products b.v., signed a global covenant targeting 100% verified sustainable sourcing for their juices within the next decade. With the support of AIJN, the European Fruit Juice Association, they will work on the certification/verification of their supply chains, and jointly set up projects to address specific sustainability issues such as smallholder inclusion, working conditions, soil erosion and degradation, and climate resilience. 

Fruit juice and nectar consumption in the EU was 9,6 billion litres in 2015. Globally, fruit juice and nectar consumption stood at 38,5 billion litres, with the EU still the biggest consumption region, followed by North America. 

As part of the commitment, the companies’ progress towards 100% sustainability will be monitored by an independent third party, based on a common definition on sustainability criteria (including SAI FSA and SMETA based principle). In 2018, the companies are committed to having 15% of their volume sourced sustainably, rising to 30% in 2020, 75% in 2025 and to then have 100% volume sourced sustainably in 2030. 

Peter Spaargaren from Döhler said: “We recognize that sustainability is the way forward for the juice industry, and this covenant is a valuable tool to materialize our sustainable ambitions. We are very excited to commit to this action-driven approach to increase the sustainability of our supply and of the juice industry as a whole.” 

Spaargaren told FoodIngredientsFirst: “The demand for healthy and natural products is rising worldwide. Besides pure fruits, juices and purees are two of those recognized healthy and natural products closely linked to the topic of sustainability.”

“People are increasingly interested in the supply chain and the traceability of products, meaning how and under which conditions the fruits are cultivated and where they come from.”

Steffen Ammon, Head of Global Sustainability also commented: “As a provider of natural ingredients and ingredient systems, Döhler is responsible for meeting customer’s expectations and delivering the best raw materials. For us, it is very important to cooperate with nature and to ensure that there are enough good-quality, sustainably-generated raw materials available for future generations to enjoy. Through targeted cooperation with selected farmers, farmer groups and further supply chain partners, we are initiating sustainability projects in the agricultural industry worldwide.” 

To determine specific sustainability issues in the juice sector, IDH, together with WWF, developed a supply risk analysis at country level. This analysis gives covenant partners insight on sustainability issues for selected product-market combinations. 

Elske Stevenson, Communication Manager at IDH Trade told FoodIngredientsFirst: “The increasing demand from both consumers and retailers for sustainable juice is the main driver. De-risking and improving supply by working on sustainability and productivity throughout the supply chain.”

“Consumers and retailers demand sustainable juice, but this demand is scattered and often not specific enough. With this covenant the juice industry grasps the opportunity to shape and harmonize this demand by creating and implementing a shared vision on sustainability for the juice sector.”

Some of the next steps for the coalition is to get the annual process monitoring in place, setting pre-competitive projects in the field and to develop an activity plan for the first year. The partners also seek to inspire more liked-minded companies to join the covenant and work together towards a more sustainable supply chain. The covenant is open to all players in the supply chain, several companies have already indicated their interest.

by Elizabeth Kenward