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The food and agriculture sector is one of the biggest industries in the world, garnering tens of millions of gross national incomes for many countries across the world. And yet, as we look across the industry, we can see how it is tenaciously overcoming recent challenges. They reveal diverse and complex factors that majorly effect the demand, production, and distribution over recent years. At the same time, the food and agricultural industry perseveres to overcome the sustained threats of climate change, and the subsequent ramifications that global warming causes.
In recent years, it is unfortunately no longer just a case of boosting production and securing distribution. The global food network must produce sufficient output to meet the demands of a vastly increasing and hungry population, whilst protecting the security and livelihoods of the millions upon millions of employers and farmers around the world who rely on the sector to not only feed the world, but also their families.
As we shall see the within this special quarterly, the process of food to fork may sound simple, but in fact involves complex operations that are evolving every day. As such, vast sums of capital are invested into finding innovative ways to encourage sustainability, whilst still improving yields and meet soaring demands. Not only does this help those who are in poverty across the world, but also helps secure the livelihoods of millions of farmers and employees across the world.
With a prominent focus on building a more intelligent relationship between land and people, Magdalena has spent the last 40 years producing and transforming the agriculture industry of Guatemala with a passion for developing the industry and its products towards a sustainable future. The company works yearround to produce and commercialise products derived from the sugar cane milling process which has established Magdalena as a key player in renewable markets. We’re so glad to be returning to Magdalena, to see how its focus on sustainability and innovation continues to drive its operations and build a better world for tomorrow.
Magdalena found its origins in 1983 with the Leal Family who purchased one of 19 sugar mills in Guatemala at the time. Through this purchase, the family-run and owned company began a long journey set on developing and investing in Guatemala’s agriculture and energy sector. Just 7 years after the Leal family began milling sugar cane, it began a range of cogeneration projects utilising sugarcane bagasse to generate electricity. Sugarcane bagasse is a byproduct from the milling process, which can be utilised to generate electricity and so Magdalena develop its own energy matrix. As the company gained more energy and power contracts, the company installed a second tandem of mills which doubled the sugar production for Magdalena and so increased its ability to generate more electricity.
Magdalena is a pioneer in the renewable energy industry that is capable of producing electricity, marketing it and then transmitting it across the national energy infrastructure. This development from by-product to renewable energy resources, influenced a key turning point for Magdalena as it began to see the significant impact of its sustainable operations to produce a valuable renewable energy resource. Today, Magdalena is responsible for roughly 8% of Guatemala’s total energy needs through its power matrix.
1995 saw yet another large step up for Magdalena in terms of research, as it constructed its first lab to produce high-quality sugar cane seeds. The lab research focused on understanding which sugar cane seed varieties were best suited to the soil across the company’s operations, and so would produce the greatest crop yield. This focus on research allowed Magdalena to increase its sugar cane outputs significantly, which then required a new grinding mill just 5 years later to keep up with the sugar cane production. The new and third grinding mill for Magdalena, installed in 2000, established Magdalena’s facility as having the largest grinding capacity in Central America, and the second largest in Latin America.
With so much sugar cane being milled year-round, Magdalena began refining it to produce refined sugar products which could be marketed and sold to both domestic and international markets. When installed, the sugar refinery attached to the sugar mill was one of the largest in the world. Today, Magdalena has a daily grinding capacity of 40,000 metric tons, which provides 24% of the national production of standard, brown, golden, raw, and
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refined sugars. Magdalena’s sees 20% of its sugar products delivered to local markets, however, the other 80% is taken from Guatemala as exports. By developing such a large exporting marketing for its sugar products, Magdalena continues to bring significant economic development to the region that provides added benefits to those surrounding Magdalena’s facilities.
In 2010, Guatemala’s energy industry was rapidly expanding to meet the demands of its population, and so Magdalena ventured further into the energy sector where it developed its technologies to integrate biomass and mineral fuels which would diversify its energy matrix offerings. Due to the increasingly significant role Magdalena began to play in the energy industry, the company had integrated some of its operations with the corporate government, which continued to support
and develop its energy production opportunities as it began producing electric power serving a much larger variety of markets across the region.
Over the last 40 years, the steady progression by Magdalena through its production of sugar and then energy has continued to bring significant economic benefits to the region. However, its product offerings do not end there, instead, Magdalena is focused on ensuring that it produces as little waste as possible, and so it takes the molasses produced as a byproduct from the processing of sugar cane and uses it to create alcohol. Magdalena now can produce up to 420,00 litres of alcohol a day, adding yet another asset to its portfolio of offerings all based on its sugar milling operations.
One thing that remains evident throughout every aspect of Magdalena’s operations is a keen focus on reducing waste and maximising the productivity
of its crop yields. This commitment to reducing waste stems from the company’s firm commitment to building a better future for Guatemala, and subsequently the planet. Therefore, Magdalena has set up a range of sustainable initiatives that are working to reduce its operational carbon footprint by investing in green harvesting, agricultural design, organic compost, and the application of microorganisms and biological nutrients. These initiatives seek to nourish the soils in which the sugar cane grows, whilst utilising the most modern agricultural techniques to achieve strong yields that can continue to allow Magdalena to play a vital role in developing renewable energy for the future.
When we last covered Magdalena, it announced it was developing into the solar and wind energy production world to support its operations and the local communities of Guatemala. In recent months, MPC Energy Solutions has announced that it plans to build a 65 Mega-Watt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Guatemala, where its output will be sold to Magdalena under a 16-year fixed-price power purchase agreement (PPA). The sale to Magdalena
highlights the leading role it continues to play within Guatemala’s energy production industry as the largest private energy production company in the country.
Once, operational the plant is expected to produce roughly 141 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year, which will add yet another vital input to Magdalena’s renewable energy division. The recognition of Magdalena by MPC Energy Solutions as the right provider of the solar field’s output exemplifies its expansive role not just in Guatemala but across the global energy sector.
Ultimately, Magdalena is a thriving sugar can producer that has vastly expanded its operations and is now one of the country’s largest private renewable energy producers. Over the last 4 decades, the company has continually developed its operations with sustainability and innovation in mind to bring essential investment into the region to support Magdalena’s circular economy model. Therefore, Magalena remains committed to respecting the planet and its natural resources and these are what are going to power the future of the planet.
Whilst striving to provide high-quality tropical produce to fine food suppliers across the East of the United States and Canada, El Sol Brands Inc. has established itself as a key player in the agriculture and retail industry and a company that prioritises quality throughout every aspect of its operations. On a mission to be the premier supplier of tropical roots and produce, the company strives to always provide the highest level of quality across its products, services, and relationships to foster a crucial sense of value in every aspect of its operations.
El Sol Brands began its operations over 20 years ago and has spent the last two decades working to make high-quality and accessible tropical produce readily available across the US. Working across all aspects of produce from planting and fertilising, all the way to packaging and distribution to suppliers across the country. The company works with suppliers to accurately market and provide retail training to bring the same passion for produce that began the company all those years ago.
As El Sol Brands expanded, it began to notice the increasing demand for tropical produce from Latin, Caribbean and Asian customers across the country. Therefore, El Sol Brands shifted its operations significantly towards producing premium-grade tropical produce to meet the growing demands of the population over the last 10 years. Consequently, El Sol Brands is now one of the largest exporters and importers in the tropical produce business and now provides some of the most popular produce from Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico to its customers. With a dedicated team of professionals behind the company, El Sol Brands continues to expand its offerings as it brings its passion for produce to suppliers and customers across the region.
For El Sol Brands, maintaining a high level of quality is what separates them from competitors in the market. The company wants customers to feel confident that when they choose products from El Sol Brands or with the El Sol Brands logo, they are investing in produce which has been carefully developed from seed to end product by a team of people who are passionate about making tropical produce exceptional and readily available. The people behind El Sol Brands have an expansive knowledge of the produce and a wealth of experience in the merchandising and marketing of fresh tropical produce so they are well equipped to assist in every aspect of high-quality produce getting to its customers.
The company currently has over 100,000 square feet of warehouse space in Miami and New York which it optimises as packing facilities. El Sol Brands has invested majorly in its packing facilities to ensure that they meet rigid US standards and through its warehouses deliver top-quality produce overnight
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to most places on the east side of North America. As part of the company’s in-depth grading process, products are selected and graded according to its high standards. These standards include a developed proprietary post-harvest method which helps the company to improve the quality and shelf life of products when they reach end markets.
El Sol Brand product packers are trained in the company’s grading and election process with items such as roots, tubers and squashes going through three rounds of grading. This three-step process includes grading at the farm, at the packing facility and then at distribution centres. It is this rigorous process which ensures that over 70% of its produce has the El Sol Brand premium label to represent it has passed the quality standards that the company has become so known for. Therefore, El Sol Brands takes its training right to the retail stores and suppliers as the company believes that training at a retail level ensures that produce managers will inspire the same passion for the product down the entire production line.
In terms of products, El Sol Brands offers a wide range of produce from plantain, Thai chilli peppers, and cactus leaf, to avocados, guavas, and dragon fruits. The range of offerings is vast and has allowed El Sol Brands to remain in step with the growing demands from people across the region for more tropical produce. As the demand for products continues to grow, El Sol Brands’ growers and packers continue to work tirelessly to meet these demands and facilitate the delivery of these products through the logistics systems in place. Therefore, throughout El Sol Brands’ operations, the company thanks to its strong relationships with suppliers, logistical providers, growers, packers, and retailers who continue to allow the company to continue to serve the growing demand whilst maintaining a consistent level of quality throughout every operation.
El Sol Brands is a vast operation which is committed to providing high-quality tropical produce to suppliers across the region. Through its rigorous quality grading systems, it continues to be a significant player and the El Sol Brand is one that is widely trusted and respected for its quality. With expertise in marketing the company provides essential training to suppliers to accurately promote and meet produce demands on both local and regional levels. However, what remains a clear focus for the company is its strong relationships and communication across supply chains to ensure rigid standards of quality are maintained from crop to end products. This focus on relationships is what ensures El Sol Brands continues to provide great tropical produce across the regions, as it believes it cannot truly thrive if its suppliers are not thriving.
For many of us, the PepsiCo brand is one we all know and love offering a range of beverages from across its international portfolio. These brands include Gatorade, Tropicana, Lipton and of course Pepsi-Cola. The PepsiCo brand is owned by the beverage giant Continental Beverage Corporation (CBC) and utilises localised bottling facilities to ensure that the overarching group can distribute products to meet the production and output needs of the region. This is where Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Company Ltd. comes in, which has spent more than 20 years facilitating the distribution of its diverse beverage portfolio.
When we last caught up with Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Company, the group made a US$2 million investment towards the local production of its Tropicana range. Now, returning to the company almost a year later, more investments have been made with the development of a US$30 million state-of-the-art production line at its existing Kingston bottling plant.
The Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Company provides all bottling services for the Pepsi Cola brand in Jamaica. Through its bottling facility, the plant works to meet the growing demands of the overarching company whilst ensuring that the facility promotes the employment of locals as a priority. The facility has spent 2 decades at the forefront of the beverage distribution industry, with Jamaicans favouring its diverse range of soft drinks and beverages. The final product soft drinks coming off its manufacturing lines are exported to 9 countries across the Caribbean, as well as the UK, US, Belize, and Canada. The company’s manufacturing highlights the ever-growing role manufacturing plays in the goods-producing sector of the region.
This growing role of the Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Company was highlighted in November last year with the opening of a new US$ 30 million state-of-the-art production line to be added to the company’s existing plant on Spanish Town Road in Kingston. The expansion project took 8 months to complete and is projected to increase the production of the bottling facility by over 20% this year. The line will allow the bottling company to continue to expand its product line offerings and bring an even greater spread of beverage options to the people of Jamaica and beyond.
The official opening of the new production line saw Prime Minister Andrew Holness highlight how the new facility line has created numerous job opportunities for the people of Jamaica, which will, once in full operation, contribute towards approximately 20% of the facility’s workforce. He commented, “These jobs are not just statistics; they represent lives and livelihoods. They represent dreams and aspirations fulfilled. They represent economic independence. They represent social mobility. They represent human capital and skills”. The Prime Minister’s comments highlight one of the
Perez y Cia is pleased to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Pepsi Jamaica for its exceptional accomplishments and impressive performance throughout 2023. As we embark on the journey into 2024, Pepsi Jamaica reveals its ambitious strategies and expansion objectives, poised to propel the company to new heights in business development. With a steadfast commitment to providing top-notch services in shipping logistics and supply chain management, Perez y Cia eagerly anticipates the continuation of our fruitful partnership with Pepsi Jamaica as we collectively strive for excellence. Our collaboration aims to enhance service delivery and cater to evolving needs effectively.
In line with Pepsi Jamaica’s vision for growth, Perez y Cia remains dedicated to offering a comprehensive suite of services, encompassing booking acceptance, shipping, clearance, delivery, project management, and tailored solutions designed to address diverse shipping requirements. Together, we are poised to navigate the dynamic landscape of the industry, ensuring seamless operations and sustained success throughout 2024 and beyond.
vital purposes of the Pepsi Cola Jamaica bottling facility; to provide employment opportunities to those across Jamaica for continued personal and local economic development.
The expansion of its product line capacity and subsequent portfolio means that the Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling company can take over a larger market share of the Jamaica manufacturing and export markets. The new line will double the existing facilities capacity and mark the bottling company as a regional hub for manufacturing for the PepsiCo corporation. By establishing itself as such a pivotal hub for manufacturing, the bottling facility is hoped to bring continued economic development and with those, investments to Jamaica. These investments will continue to bring economic benefits to the country and allow it to access even wider regional and international markets.
To ensure employment across Jamaica, the company has partnered with the Heart NSTA Trust and the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) which will provide recent graduates with employment opportunities across the facility. This ensures that employment opportunities stay with locals and sets the bottling up with its next generation of leaders which will take the facility into the future. It is hoped through this investment and partnership, the Pepsi Cols Jamaica Bottling Facility will continue on its path as the leading manufacturing company for PepsiCo in Jamaica and expand its operations to serve even more international markets.
For the Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Facility, there is a real passion for investing in the country and its people. Through key investments over the last few years, the bottling facility is now a leading hub for distribution for the international PepsiCo company. The introduction of a new manufacturing line just highlights the hub that the facility has already established itself as, and as the company continue to grow its operations and expand its beverage portfolio for the future, we look forward to seeing how the bottling facility continues to bring economic benefits to the people and industries of Jamaica first and foremost.
Unilever is an expansive brand and one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. The overarching company is home to more than 400 brands, including many we all know, love, and probably use every day. Globally, Unilever has a network spanning more than 190 countries worldwide. However, one of the current key developments for Unilever is in Mexico where they are investing in new facilities and sustainable programmes to expand their network, whilst providing jobs to support the local community in the process.
Unilever Mexico operates in 11 countries across the Latin American region, working with 9000 collaborators to facilitate Unilever’s manufacturing and distribution needs. The Mexican division of Unilever has a clear purpose to make sustainable living commonplace. Their strategy for delivering this is through achieving consistent, competitive, profitable, and responsible growth. We see these values coming into play in the announcement of a new manufacturing facility to be built in Mexico. The new manufacturing plant in Nuevo Leon comes as part of a $400 million investment in the country over the next 3 years. The plant will be located in the border state of Salinas Victoria, on the outskirts of Monterrey and will manufacture beauty and personal care products. Furthermore, it will provide 1,200 new jobs both directly and indirectly to the local community.
The new plant is set to open next year in 2024 and will bring a crucial expansion for Unilever in the country not far from the border to the United States of America. This investment in Mexico comes as many big brands are investing in facilities there to bring supply chains closer to their final destinations. Consequently, Mexico is a key centre of exports for Unilever to other nations, and so the new plant will be the 5th in the country, adding to the 4 plants which are currently in operation under the Mexican division of the company.
The Unilever brand is known for its sustainable initiatives with 100% of its energy used worldwide coming from renewable sources, and 67% of its raw materials used across its range of products are sourced from sustainable farms. Unilever Mexico maintains this high level of sustainability throughout its work ensuring that no waste ends up in landfill from its operations.
A key focus for Unilever Mexico is sustainability, focusing crucially on the initiatives towards the conservation of soil. To do this Unilever Mexico has established a set of principles focused on ensuring the regenerating agriculture in the country by aiding farmers and small producers across the companies’ value chain. By supporting soil nutrition, the capture of carbon, water care, restoration and regeneration of the land, Unilever Mexico can support the biodiversity of the land. Therefore, the company is working beyond its manufacturing
facilities to ensure that the land around its facilities and across the region is cared for. Unilever Mexico is ensuring that, through its work in Latin America, it is leaving a lasting positive impact beyond its production lines.
Furthermore, over the last 15 years, Unilever Mexico has achieved key advancements in their sustainability programmes and certified production. Now, Unilever Mexico has achieved an 80% sustainable supply across all its key raw materials, and a 100% sustainable supply in its soy, sugar, and cocoa production. Furthermore, 91% of the 13 main vegetables and 96% of the paper and cardboard used by the company are also sustainably sourced. Therefore, throughout Unilever Mexico’s operations they are meeting the sustainable goals of the overarching company, and as a division are leading the way across Mexico for facilitating the manufacturing of crucial health and beauty products in the most sustainable way possible.
FPS Ibérica SA was created in 1987, founded by Beverly John Colson and Alejandro Montero Moscatelli, our enterprising spirit has made us stronger over these almost 36 years.
Since its foundation, FPS Ibérica has grown from a fresh meats, canned meats, beef importer and distributor to a supplier of a wide range of raw materials for the Baby food and food Industries across the world, based on:
Overall, Unilever Mexico continues to expand to meet the needs of a growing health and beauty industry. The investment into the country by Unilever is set to broaden its possibilities and bring with it key jobs to serve the local community. It is clear that even with the expansion of the industry and the need for more manufacturing facilities, Unilever Mexico is still focusing on ways to lead the industry toward sustainability, by promoting the necessary support of the country’s agricultural development.
• Systematic work procedure based on control at origin
• Supply safe (ensuring it is fully tested prior to delivery)
• High quality products (Welfare, Organic, Sustainability)
• Responsible and reliable communication policy
• Committed team
• Logistic and financial solutions
• Market trend info
Commitment to our customers and suppliers • Food safety • Animal welfare and sustainability
Strong, profitable and confident about the future with a solid growth
Range of raw materials:
Meats & Organic Meats
• Beef
• Veal
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Horse
• Lamb
• Rabbit
• Pork
• Ostrich
Dehydrated and food ingredient products
• Freeze dried
• Vacumm dried
• Spray/Flash dried
Ready meals for Industry
• Beef Extract
• Chicken Powder/Broth
• Meatballs
• Seafood pastes
• Chicken/Pork pastes/fats
MEDICAL & PAEDIATRIC NUTRITION
Our range of Powder/Lyophilized Meals with High Protein / High Calories / High Fiber to improve in your SAVOURY flavours.
Fish & Sustainable Fishery
• Tuna
• Hake
• Seabream/Seabass
• Salmon
• Trout
• Plaice
• Gilthead
• Crab
• Lobster
• Shrimps
• Squid
Vegetal & Cereals
• Frozen / IQF / Organics
• Cubes
• Canned
Aromas and Flavours
• Roast Chicken Ar
• Boiled Chicken Ar
• Roasted Meat
• Smoked Meat
• BBQ
• Cheese Flavour
• Mayonnaise Flav.
• Pizza Flavour
• Soya
• Wheat
• Maize
• Rapeseed
• and Mixtures
As a provider of exceptional quality flour and plant-based ingredients, Bay State Milling has developed its network of suppliers to facilitate every step of the process from grain to end packaged products. Supplying their high-quality ingredients to retail and wholesale bakeries, food service operators, distributors and food manufacturers, Bay State Milling has a wide reach across the industry in the United States with an expansive and reliable nationwide distribution network. However, the basis of Bay State Milling’s operations is family, as it has been passed down over the last 175 years through five generations of one family, who have remained committed to providing access to healthy, delicious, responsibly sourced and produced food ingredients.
Established in 1899, Bay State Milling started as a company that predominantly milled wheat flour for bread and snacks. However, over the years the way people eat has changed; not only are allergens such as gluten catered for in a more diverse way, but people are more conscious of the ingredients used in products for health reasons. Therefore, Bay State Milling has adapted over the years to diversify its product offerings in line with consumer demands. Now they produce wheat and rye flour, oats, seeds, spices, and unique varietals all with varying options including gluten-free, high protein or high-fibre diets. As the food system and the way we eat continues to change, Bay State Milling is prepared to evolve to always stay ahead of its customers’ needs to provide a variety of options, which taste great and are affordable. All whilst maintaining the trust that the company has built with customers and across its supply chains for generations.
For Bay State Milling a trusted and reliable supply chain is crucial, as the company works across every aspect of their ingredients’ lives from seed to end products. All products are responsibly sourced from its dedicated supplier and grower partners, which are expertly processed and milled to meet the exact specifications for its product uses. Consequently, the company has an expansive network of research and development teams, commercial teams, as well as state-of-the-art milling and production facilities across North America and Canada.
Bay State Milling has strategically placed its milling and production facilities across North America to ensure that it minimises freight costs to deliver competitive ingredients that seamlessly integrate into its customers’ operations. Bay State Milling operations have therefore perfectly positioned themselves to supply expansive markets geographically, whilst also ensuring that the products it does supply are constantly evolving with consumer needs.
A key focus for Bay State Milling is innovation, as the company has established a dedicated team of food and cereal scientists, culinary experts, nutritionists, and sensory experts to ensure its products are always high in quality. These teams are working to improve the quality of all ingredients produced and milled across the company’s network.
Semear Group is a family farming production company of 3 generations that is totally involved with the delivery of the best quality products. Our experience is focused on Chia and Quinoa.
We are a company with a lot of experience in the international market. Located in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia economic and industrial center of the country. Our production has a strict quality control plan in all its stages, from sowing to the time of export. Semear sows, harvests, processes and exports organic chia seeds of the highest quality to the world.
Our mission is to produce food in strict compliance with the quality standards agreed with the client in the committed deadlines, but also in a responsible way with the Society and the Environment, watching over the conditions of our collaborators, assuring sustainable markets for our associated products.
This has provided the company with a proven track record of formulating top-quality products and commercialized ingredients that are used in many of today’s leading brands. A lot of this work is being facilitated in the company’s Rothwell Grain Essentials Center to develop its ingredients, whilst working directly with its partners and customers.
By working with its customers, the company can use its real-time feedback to continue to develop its ingredients and keep tabs on the changing eating habits across the nation to better supply them for the future through this direct communication. The Rothwell Grain Essential Center takes product development from concept to commercialisation, whilst ensuring that throughout every stage of a product’s life from seed to end product is critically managed with the most advanced technology and agricultural knowledge. This is what ensures the trusted quality throughout its production that Bay State Milling is known for.
One product development that sets Bay State Milling ahead of its competitors is its HealthSense® line which has disrupted the market to allow consumers to enjoy their favourite foods such as pizza, pasta and bread whilst also meeting their dietary requirements for healthy fibre. The HealthSense® Wheat Flour allows people to be more engaged with their food, to know what is included and where it came from. The range is aimed to help the consumer to feel more in control of their food. Consequently, the Bay State Milling Company announced the launch of Wingold® Wellness multipurpose flour in May 2023, which is marketed as a better-for-you blend with three times the guthealthy fibre of traditional refined wheat flour. The new blend has the same taste, functionality, and quality that customers know and love from Bay State Milling, but it has been innovatively developed to provide a more gut-friendly option. This announcement highlights the company’s commitment to evolving in line with consumer preferences, to ensure it remains ahead of the game across the industry.
Overall, Bay State Milling provides its diverse and growing array of customers with innovative,
distinctive, and high-quality grain-based ingredients. These ingredients have established the company as changing the game for the grainbased ingredient industry as they are remaining in touch with its consumer base to ensure that its products are serving both their needs and dietary requirements. However, it is the familyowned quality that really makes this company stand out as throughout its operation the company’s sense of care and ownership is the foundation for every product’s expansion and development. Consequently, Bay State Milling continues to evolve with the changing tide of customers’ food requirements, and so remains ahead of the industry by actively working throughout supply chains for the benefit of its customers.
For Costa Farms, growing plants is firmly a part of its DNA, and has been for over 60 years. The family-run company works to give its customers a whole host of plant varieties best suited to their needs and desires, all grown across the company’s 5,200 acres of land. Consequently. Costa Farms is now one of the largest horticultural growers in the world which is constantly innovating its products to offer customers the same passion for plants which started the company all those years ago.
Costa Farms ‘sprouted’ in 1961 when founder Jose Costa Senior purchased 30 acres of land in the South of Miami. The land allowed him to grow fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes in the winter, and calamondin citrus in the summer. This initial crop development soon saw Costa Farms expand exponentially to grow houseplants such as the Canela tree or Cecilia Aglaonema. Soon, the company morphed into a giant horticultural operation which now grows more than 1,500 varieties of houseplants. However, even now 60 years later, the main priority of Costa Farms is to ensure that it is focusing on developing new collections to make it easier for the customer to grow and keep plants which work for them. This focus on innovation is therefore one of the main driving forces behind Costa Farm’s mission to make plants accessible to everyone.
Headquartered in Miami, Florida Costa Farms grows a range of outdoor tropical plants including Hibiscus and Mandevilla, as well as a whole host of colourful annual bedding plants designed for container gardening and landscaping. Having grown annual flowers for more than 20 years at its Miami headquarters and then in North Carolina, the company expanded into South Carolina where it began developments to offer perennial flowers to retailers in the southeast. In Apopka Florida, Costa Farms has 10 ranges of greenhouses, which is where a large majority of the company’s mother plants are housed and are used for propagating new crops. In Trenton South Carolina, Costa Farms has a significant testing scheme which grows hundreds of varieties of easy-care perennial garden plants. In North Carolina on the Blue Ridge Mountains, Costa Farms has a range of greenhouses which grow annual bedding plants both alone and in planters or hanging baskets which are perfectly designed for decorating your outdoor space.
At Costa Farms, the Trial Garden development has allowed its researchers to develop the best houseplants, annual or perennial flowers and patio plants which are best suited to a range of environments. The testing scheme keeps flowers in the garden for 3 years to determine their performance throughout the seasons to see how they cope with the extreme temperature and weather fluctuation between seasons. Furthermore, across the company’s range of test gardens, it has implemented new growing techniques and pest control solutions to best develop its tools for the future. As part of this, Costa Farms even has its own
insectary raising a range of beneficial insects to control pests without the need for chemicals.
Additionally, a key part of the testing process behind Costa Farms’ successful plants is its top-notch breeding program which gives breeders valuable information on the future of plants as well as information on new varieties across the US. However, Costa Farms has also extended its operations overseas and now owns 1,000 acres of growing land in the Dominican Republic. Here, mother plants are raised for many popular house plant varieties, which much like the operations in Apopka, are crucial for propagating new crops.
A central focus for the company is ensuring that its customers are receiving plants which are best suited to their needs. This is why through Costa Farms you can choose from a range of pre-grouped plants that are put together based on their ability to thrive in certain conditions or those which celebrate certain flower types – such as the Plants of Steel Collection which are growing to withstand neglect, or the Exotic Angels Collection which celebrates tropical flowers. These groups ensure that when
you buy a plant from Costa Farms you can look over a range of tropical, cacti, succulents, small batch, easy-care, easy grower, low light, indirect sunlight, or direct sunlight options and choose which is best for you. Customers can determine the conditions of where they would like to have a plant, and then use the website to carefully choose a variety which is best suited to these conditions – one way that Costa Farms helps the customer ensure that their plant will thrive.
However, Costa Farms goes one step further, and not only looks at how much water the plants need but, it will also acclimatize the plants to the standard household heat and light levels before they are shipped. This gives every plant grown for indoor use the best chance of survival. As we can see from Costa Farms’ process, they want to ensure that customers continue to get next-level service from the company through the plants by implementing a range of measures to ensure that they thrive in their final homes.
As Costa Farms continues to develop towards the future, they have their very own Plant Hunter, Mike Rimland, who has spent more than 40 years travelling the globe visiting plant breeders, markets, and nurseries searching for things which catch his eye. Mike and the Costa Farms team are always looking for rare and exotic plants which can be put to the test in the Costa Farm’s gardens to see how they might develop and deal with Costa Farms’ trialling process. The team are always looking for naturally occurring mutations of crops already thriving in its gardens. For a plant to make it through the testing process, the crop has to pass a 5-step test:
1. It needs to be able to successfully grow in the natural conditions at Costa Farms
2. It needs to be easily and efficiently propagated
3. It needs to hold up well in shipping both via trucks to stores and through boxes to customers’ homes
4. It needs to hold up in the average retail store conditions
5. It needs to grow well in the typical home conditions
This strict process ensures that all crops from Costa Farm are filtered through a 5-step process to ensure that they have the best chance of survival in the homes of its customers. The process goes back to the central mission of Costa Farms to
create winning solutions for its customers by driving profitable growth. Therefore, throughout Costa Farms’ operations, it is dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants to everyone.
Overall, Costa Farms is committed to delivering top-quality plants for its customers and retailers. Through its research, development, testing and condition management processes, Costa Farms ensures that all of its plants are designed to work for you. It continues to develop its plant offerings to provide the largest assortment of high-quality plants best suited to fit your style, home conditions and needs. Through Costa Farms’ passion for plants, they continue to focus on knowledge, education, and experience to ensure that plants are accessible to everyone whatever their home conditions may offer. Therefore, it is clear to see that Costa Farm’s passion for plants has remained over the last 60 years throughout the family, and as it continues to develop toward the future. Ultimately, Costa Farms remains a lean, green, growing machine which is dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants into everyone’s life.
Contact Sai Krishna: +919159447010
saikrishna@saisubstrates.com Saicocopeat@incoconut.com
Behind Sol Melons is a firm commitment to going above and beyond for its customers to deliver melons which are ripe, fresh, and tasty. This commitment stems largely from the family behind the company that has overseen its operations for generations, bringing the people of North America delicious fruits whilst empowering local communities through its operations. It is Sol Melons’ mission to grow America’s love for melons whilst simultaneously developing the local regions. Therefore, the company continues to develop its practices to bring you fresh produce directly from seed to your table.
Founded in 1984, Sol Melons began following the family coming together with a shared dream of producing the highest-quality cantaloupes, honeydews, and watermelons for export to the North American market. Since its origins, Sol has uniquely owned and operated its farms which has always given complete visibility and control over the complete growing and distribution process. Consequently, as the company continued to expand it began growing in Guatemala adding to their current farming land which by 2004 stood at 17,000 acres. A key development came in 2007 when the company joined the Fyffes Family, and so Sol Melons’ operations expanded to be the number one supplier of melons for the whole of North America by 2009. Today, Sol Melons continues to be known for its dedication and passionate approach towards melons, and its central commitment which ensures that every melon is always of exceptional quality.
Sol Melons offers a range of melon varieties including cantaloupes, royal cantaloupes, honeydew melons, honey dude melons, seedless watermelons, mini watermelons and SOLito watermelons. Then, along with the addition of Fyffes, the companies now also offer Gold Pineapples. All produce is harvested at the perfect time to ensure optimal flavour, perfect ripeness, and sweetness so they are always ready to eat when you receive them. This focus on the quality across a variety of melons and other produce ensures that the Sol Melons brand stands exclusively for great fruit from seed to table.
Throughout the agricultural industry, sustainability must always be a top priority, and this is just the case with Sol Melons. The company has deep roots in Honduras and Guatemala and is focused on enriching the lives of its communities whilst also protecting the environment. Consequently, Sol Melons has continued to develop initiatives which are making crucial changes across its growing lands and local communities. These initiatives have included providing clean drinking water to families located around the Sol Melons’ farms, and the donations of water barrels to aid locals with irrigation systems. Sol Melons’ initiatives are essential because they provide crucial irrigation facilities for families who are fully dependent on crops for both income and food.
In addition to drinking water and irrigation facilities, Sol Melons is a key employer to locals throughout its range of farms. By providing extensive employment throughout its operations, Sol Melons helps its communities to economically thrive. Furthermore, Sol Melons provides the opportunity for local families to take part in the sowing and production of corn to help families sustain a living during the off-season. At present, this initiative has provided a source of income to more than 200 families across the surrounding areas of its farms. The investment of Sol Melons in the future of these growing regions stems from its central focus to develop and give back to the communities that make the Sol Farms successful.
Whilst in-season, Sol Melon also provides its employees with an onsite doctor, comfortable break facilities which include a lounge and kitchen areas, and transportation to and from communities to farms. All of these ensure that every employee feels comfortable, supported, and has access to the farms to earn a living which brings both personal and
is through investing in youth education. Sol Melons is investing in education for children in its local rural communities. This includes providing healthy school snacks, and the refurbishment and the installation of playgrounds and learning facilities. Additionally, Sol Melons provides scholarships, medical care via school visits, and even partnerships with agronomic universities to provide a ‘hands-on’ learning approach to the agriculture industry. These investments in education signify Sol Melons’ commitment to developing local communities through employment, health care and education for the continuous economic development of the region.
Overall, when you buy from Sol Melons the familyrun spirit can always be felt, so you can be sure that by choosing to produce from the Sol Melons farms you are also investing in the development of local communities and spurring education for the next generation. One thing that can’t be ignored is that Sol Melons truly exemplifies a passion for a product and for its people, as on its mission to grow America’s love for melons – I think it just might have achieved it!
Zambia is endowed with ideal climatic conditions and fertile soil which supports the vibrant and rapidly growing farming industry to produce a range of quality crops. To grow these crops, farmers across the country use high-quality certified seeds which are produced and supplied by many seed companies.
The Zambia Seed Trade Association (ZASTA), to which most seed companies in the country belong, was established to promote the interest of its member seed companies and the seed industry in Zambia. Consequently, ZASTA provides a platform for the exchange of information among the key players of the seed industry in Zambia, whilst contributing to the effective and efficient delivery of seeds across the country. We got the opportunity to interact with the President of ZASTA, Mr Marx Mbunji, and Mr Godfrey Mwila, ZASTA’s Executive Secretary, who provided some insights into the great work that ZASTA has been doing in Zambia and its vision going into the future.
Established in 1999, ZASTA is a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation, registered under the Societies Act in Zambia. With 26 members, the Association is at the helm of Zambia’s seed industry, which is a major player in the regional and international seed trade, focused on promoting profitable seed enterprises involving the production, distribution, and marketing of high-quality seed for a wide range of crops. Over the last 20 years, ZASTA has grown exponentially in line with the growing seed industry across Zambia, which has resulted in the increase of seed companies from 4 when the Association began, to now 30 companies operating across the entire country. Consequently, the seed industry across Zambia is much more wellestablished compared to other countries on the continent with its vast network of seed growers, distributors, and a firm regulatory system.
ZASTA supports its members in running their commercial seed enterprises, which are responsible for supplying the vast majority of certified and highquality seed to all categories of farmers across the country. In Zambia, the seed market is dominated largely by hybrid maize seed; however, the country is also producing a variety of other crops including beans, groundnuts, sunflowers, soybeans, Irish potatoes and a wide range of vegetables and fruits. Although the Zambian seed industry is well developed and continues to grow, there has been a big increase in incidences of fake seeds being offered for sale on the open market. To mitigate and keep this at a minimum level, ZASTA, in collaboration with seed companies, is actively working to put
measures in place to tackle this issue and ensure that illegal seed dealers are detoured from serving farmers. In addition, ZASTA fosters good ethical business practices among seed companies and other players along the country’s seed supply chains. These business practices ensure that its member seed companies and the subsequent farmer’s interests are protected through the delivery of certified and high-quality seeds.
The Association’s members include commercial seed companies which are operating in global, regional, and national seed markets. Together with Associate and Honorary members, the 21 private seed companies, who are full members of ZASTA, continue to work hard to promote and grow the seed industry in Zambia, to the extent that the seed industry in Zambia is regionally and internationally recognised as a good model for seed trade development.
Additionally, the Associate and Honorary members provide valuable research and development towards the future of seed industry technologies and in the provision of seed
Maize medium varieties (AMAC 614, AMAC 612, AMAC 618), all medium maturity • Soyabean AMAC kafue, (AMAC lunganga) • Beans (mberesh, Kabulangeti, Lungwebungu) • Cowpeas
regulatory services. Furthermore, most of the private seed companies are fully-fledged seed enterprises which have established research and development facilities to enable the production of early-generation seed, the production of certified seed, and the distribution and marketing of seed among the farming communities across Zambia. Markets for the Zambian-produced seed include export markets to countries in Africa and beyond.
The three Associate members are Amiran and Hygrotech who are involved in vegetable and horticultural crops seedling production and distribution, and Harvest Plus, who are involved in supporting research for the development of biofortified crop varieties in maize, beans, sweet potato, and cassava.
The Honorary members who support the seed industry by conducting agricultural research and development are the Zambian Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), a public agricultural research organisation, and the School of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Zambia. Additionally, the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) is an honorary member providing regulatory services to the seed industry. Furthermore, as an affiliate of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), ZASTA actively participates in their programmes to improve its own services, whilst providing its member companies with the global expertise to help develop and expand their business operations in the local, national, and international markets.
The Association is run by an Executive Board comprising of five elected members including Mr Marx Mbunji the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer, two committee members and the immediate past President. The role of the committee is to oversee the running of the Association, which meets once per quarter to review updates from the three subcommittees. The first sub-committee looks at projects, the second looks at ZASTA’s strategic plans and advocacy work, and the third focuses on its memberships, financials, and ethics. When we spoke to ZASTA, they focused on how crucial leadership was for the effective operation of the Association. For Mr Mwila, who is the Executive Secretary of ZASTA, he believes that as one of the key strategies, the Association should increase stakeholder engagement which will facilitate the
continued sharing of experiences and learning. Through this exchange of experience and learning, he believes ZASTA can continue to understand the key issues affecting the industry and identify approaches needed to address these challenges, whilst leveraging on the available opportunities.
As part of their corporate social responsibility (CRS) initiatives, member seed companies are collaborating in a ZASTA-led Waste Management Project. The project is working to prevent and reduce the contamination of the environment by promoting the safe disposal of chemical waste which is produced from seed treatment and packaging processes. The Waste Management Project aims to ensure that a consistent level of environmentalism is upheld throughout the supply chain, as a crucial part of ZASTA’s work is to protect and support the environments in which its members and subsequent farming communities operate in.
Furthermore, ZASTA is also encouraging seed companies, and the public research institutes it works closely with, to develop and make available more crop varieties which are nutrient-rich, efficient in their use of nutrients and tolerant to climate change effects. It is hoped that producing
more of these crop varieties will contribute towards enhancing food and nutrition security, whilst helping to reduce the amount of fertiliser needed for growing high-quality crops.
Looking towards the future, we learnt that the Executive Committee of ZASTA had embarked on a transformative agenda, which plans to grow and expand the mandate of the Association whilst increasing stakeholder engagement. Part of this agenda is to improve the visibility of the Association across the seed industry by highlighting the role ZASTA plays in driving and coordinating activities in this sector.
Consequently, ZASTA aims to carry out some statutory functions to oversee seed certification, seed distribution and the provision of technical
information pertaining to seed matters. A key aspect of this transformation is to broaden ZASTA’s revenue base to provide functional and financial stability across the Association. In line with this, ZASTA aims to increase the capacity of the secretariat to be able to implement more programmes and activities to benefit its members, as well as the seed industry at large.
Overall, ZASTA is working to improve the seed industry in Zambia by providing stability and expertise to benefit its member companies, which in turn highlights ZASTA as a key player in the seed trade sector. By safeguarding the future of the seed trade in Zambia through the support of seed companies, its environmentalism work, the monitoring of illegal activity and efforts to protect farmers, ZASTA leads the way as the only commercial seed trade Association providing continued support to the seed industry in Zambia.
The landscape of the African seed trade is shifting; the industry is moving away from publicly funded seed systems towards a more diversified market which is led by private seed companies and associations. The private seed sector is becoming more and more well-established each year, which has forced governments across Africa to acknowledge the role private seed companies play in the availability and delivery of high-quality seed to farmers across the continent.
The private seed sector plays a key role in the growth of the agricultural sector and its development across the continent. Consequently, the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) was established in 2000 to be a uniting voice throughout the private seed sector, and to aid in the development of the seed industry both within the continent and across the globe.
With over 20 years of experience, AFSTA is a not-for-profit membership association formed to champion the interests of private seed companies across the continent. It is registered in Kenya as an international organisation which is providing crucial support, networking, and advocacy for its 150+ members. The members include a variety of private seed companies as well as several national seed trade associations, which have built up a network of companies and organisations across the globe. All the members are working together under AFSTA to bring huge development and security for the seed trade and subsequent agriculture industry in Africa.
AFSTA’s main objective is to promote the trade of high-quality seed across the continent and towards global seed markets. To do this AFSTA believes in providing its members with key knowledge of the seed industry, which it has gained from its development of a statistical database that looks into the seed production and trade on the continent. Ultimately, AFSTA aims to bring a united voice to the African seed industry by effectively working with governments and NGOs to promote the crucial role that private seed companies play in the African seed industry. Therefore, as an overarching governing body, AFSTA is actively working to establish a level of regulation to bring harmonization throughout the industry in Africa to ensure the efficient delivery of seed. As part of this, they are actively working with seed companies across the continent to set up national seed trade associations.
Working with national seed trade associations, AFSTA can ensure consistency throughout the industry due to the personalised perspective of land, economy, and climate that the national associations provide. Therefore, by encouraging countries to establish their own regulatory boards, AFSTA encourages more efficient distribution of seed in the industry, by ensuring that the
development of seed business is developing on both a regional and national level.
AFSTA’s mission is to create the best environment for trade and innovation possible to produce quality seeds for the benefit of its members and farmers in Africa. The Association wants all farmers to have access to top-quality seed which reinforces the stability and security of the food industry.
Their work is essential as the African seed industry has faced some crucial challenges; whether that be due to outdated seed laws and regulations (which has had an adverse effect on the ability or desire for private-sector investment in the seed industry), or due to the limited government support for the seed business, which has had knock-on effects through the industries infrastructure, credit, training and implementation of regional policies. Therefore, through AFSTA’s work throughout the private seed industry, they are establishing themselves as an effective partner to the seed policy makers and shareholders to provide advocacy for their members, whilst helping to find solutions to the industry’s constraints. Consequently, AFSTA is working to provide the support framework necessary to foster an environment of success across Africa’s seed trade industry.
To champion the interests of the private seed companies of Africa, AFSTA is working to provide
visibility for their members. As part of this, they include all their members in the directory listing in their African Seed Magazine which is provided yearly to encourage networking and sharing of knowledge and experience towards the betterment of the industry. As part of their role in facilitating a global network, they rotate the annual conference venue to highlight and learn from the diverse cultures across the continent. Their annual conference provides a platform to showcase and integrate new members into the association, giving new members the opportunity to speak on the role they play in the continent’s network of seed suppliers.
Overall, AFSTA provides a variety of services and advocacy initiatives to help promote the private seed industry across Africa. Working with all its members, crucial stakeholders, and governmental figures, AFSTA has successfully promoted the development of the seed sector towards a more stable future that supports both the seed enterprises and the farmers whom they supply.
By acknowledging the constraints throughout the industry, they are well-equipped with the knowledge and expertise to handle and resolve many of these issues throughout the network. Therefore, AFSTA is leading the way as a governing body that strives to provide a unified voice across the seed industry and promote the African seed industry towards the global expansion of the seed trade across the world.
Chile has a rich and profitable seed industry which has positioned the country as a key figure in global seed markets for its exports. The country is a leading exporter in the Southern Hemisphere and the third in the world for agricultural exports. Therefore, The Chilean Seed Association (ANPROS) was established to be a reliable partner for the country’s seed production. Through its work to support, develop and promote Chile’s seed industry, ANPROS has spent the last 63 years positioning Chile as a reliable and crucial player in global seed production markets.
Founded in 1959, ANPROS is home to 74 members which include producers, distributors, marketers, researchers, and a variety of other organisations which are related to and represent 98% of the seed industry and its operations in Chile. The core operations of the association are divided into various committees which work to develop individual sectors of the Chilean seed industry toward the united goal of developing Chilean Agriculture. ANPROS works to tackle all matters concerning seed activity on national and international stages, whilst ensuring that throughout this they are contributing towards the sustainability of the industry as a whole. The committees are vast and span a range of topics including, specific seed development and production, regional development, intellectual property, marketing and trade procedures to establish ANPROS as a leader in the seed trade industry.
The Phytosanitary Committee is responsible for regulation across the industry and advises on phytosanitary matters, the various daily queries regarding Chilean regulations and the global seed industry. This committee is part of the International Seed Federation, which allows ANPROS to develop in line with global seed regulations. However, the committee is involved in regional associations too, including the Seed Association of the Americas (SAA) to develop the industry on a localised level. ANPROS’s work through this committee establishes the Association into regional and global markets to bring in international standards of regulations, whilst aiding in the unique development of Chilean agriculture. Therefore, working closely with the Phytosanitary Committee is the Commercialization Marketing Committee, which is working to help the distribution of regulated seed towards its end markets. The committee work to ensure the interests of all involved partners in the seed trade industry, to place Chilean seed as a leader in its respective field.
By positioning Chilean seed as regulated, high in quality and easily available via good trade links, which are established by the COMEX and Logistics Committee, it continues to develop the industry’s investment into Chilean agriculture and the economy.
To provide high-quality seeds, ANPROS has a range of committees which focus on various seed types to ensure a future of continued crop success.
The first of these looks at corn, focusing on all aspects of its growth from seed to end markets, to optimize its production and highlight the ways that technology can aid in the production of corn seeds. The committee’s central function is to optimize the member companies’ operations and strengthen their relationship with the network of seed growers across the country to benefit specifically corn seed production. Similarly, the Canola Committee was established in 2003, to organise the companies of the association which produce canola seed. The committee, which now consists of 12 members, works to regulate, supervise and optimize the production and performance of canola seed across the region.
Following this, another committee under ANPROS is the Vegetable Committee, which looks at the regulation of sown products to ensure that throughout the operation there is varietal purity of the seeds. The committee’s main objective, much like the corn committee, is to position ANPROS as a coherent association which is working towards improving the seed production industry across the country. They believe in good communication across the associated companies, which will increase transparency across the productive sector.
One way they are highlighting transparency and communication is through its geographic information system which was developed to highlight contamination, and instances where contamination could occur in the future. By developing this, the Association helps to build a strong and profitable sewn crop industry with its members.
Towards the future of sustainability, ANPROS is crucially aware of the role globalization and climate change play in the agricultural industry. Seed industries are constantly exposed to the entry of new pests and diseases. Therefore, the Biotechnology Committee are working to understand and advise the board of directors on the production, regulation and policies surrounding seed production, whilst actively participating in international discussions regarding genetically modified crops. The committee was created in conjunction with the Agricultural and Livestock Service, the Procedures Manual of the Live Plant Organisms and Modified Propagation. The committee is seeking to protect the environment whilst maintaining the phytosanitary heritage of the seed produced across the association. Consequently,
their work to establish standardised procedures for the importation, production, and evaluation of genetically modified material, whilst ensuring the security of regional Chilean crop production, gives the association a competitive advantage to the industry in this region.
Furthermore, ANPROS leads the way with its insulation system which has been recognised globally for its tool to spatially order the production of seedlings to ensure high-quality, genetically pure and successful crops are produced. The technology was developed by ANPROS and now is managed and supervised across its uses in the industry. It provides crucial knowledge to farmers to help them organise seedlings, seed beds, the use of soil and the compliance regulations with biosecurity to ensure that the seeds are produced throughout the Chilean seed industry to a high standard. This technology was adopted by the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA) in a collaboration which incorporates information from AGROMET, an agrometeorological network, into the ANPROS Insulation System to provide seed companies with agroclimatic knowledge to again increase the efficiency of crop production. The combined system
provides ANPROS members, and international seed markets, with innovative technology to help in decision-making regarding irrigation, planting, pollination, and phytosanitary issues. The system ensures that throughout the Chilean seed industry, ANPROS can ensure the profitable, high-quality and efficient development of seed to ensure its sustainability and stability towards a growing seed industry.
Overall, ANPROS focuses critically on various sectors of the seed industry by dividing into committees which work with the seed members to develop the industry towards a high standard of regulation, efficient production, and global status of the Chilean industry. The Association has established itself through its work and development of its Insulation System to leave a legacy of efficient seed production not just across Chile or South America, but across the world as the technologies continue to be adopted globally. Therefore, ANPROS is leading with innovative ideas and close attention to all facets of the seed industry by working with its members towards smaller focused goals which come together to benefit the agricultural development of Chile as a whole.
CURIMAPU is a Chilean seed multiplication company with almost 30 years of experience dedicated to provide high quality service to companies around the world. We are focused in the vegetable and raw crops production, also our facility in Peru, is specialized in under nethouse hand pollination productions.
Curimapu offers on time delivery, confidentiality, security in quality and execution terms with efficient and personalized attention.
Often when we think of business advancement and progression, we associate it with ideas of growth and expansion. And yet, what is often overlooked is the act of prioritising what drives the company forwards, whilst identifying what is perhaps disrupting this growth. Thus, for a business to be successful, it must be able to evaluate the worth of each operation. As a subsector of the mighty Olam Group, Olam International Limited (OIL) do just that. OIL has a key purpose in discerning the greater good for the business, achieved by the divestment of de-prioritised assets and exiting businesses. On the other hand, this also allows OIL to focus on and nurture businesses that encourage growth. Consequently, OIL facilitates constant evolution and diversification of the wider Olam Group.
With the motif of ‘Unlocking value and accelerating for the Olam Group’, OIL has a great responsibility in ensuring that Olam remains successful, by conducting partial and full monetisation of businesses which are expected to perform well. Within the company, such businesses are known as ‘gestating businesses’, which translates to the development of growth across 100 different sites and 18,500 employees in all OIL businesses, central functions and country teams.
Such an expanding influence across Africa and beyond can be pinpointed down to three main responsibilities:
1. De-prioritised/Exiting Assets: this is a vital part of OIL, as it means that the businesses are up to scratch and correlate sufficiently with the work of OLAM. For example, in 2020 OIL divested 50% of their stake in the Indonesian sugar refinery ‘Far East Agri’, as well as closing Olam Tomato Processors in California, and restructured NZFSU’s Dairy Farming Operations in Uruguay. In total, OIL invested nearly S$1.5 million in deprioritising in 2020, which led to significant growth overall.
2. Gestating Businesses: On the other hand, OIL work tirelessly to help develop businesses that are performing well. Such entities include the ARISE Infrastructure & Logistics businesses, the Packaged Foods consumer business, and OLAM Palm Gabon (OPG). As part of the gestating process, OIL is prepared to partially, or fully, monetise these investments over time.
3. Incubating Businesses: As suggested by the name, OIL is prepared to guide businesses to future growth, acting as a vital counterpart to the success of each company. This is materialised through initiatives such as Engine 2 and AtSource platforms, as well as creating digital farmer platforms that promote growth and sustainability.
As aforementioned, the responsibilities of OIL are conducted across three sectors of business:
• Packaged goods: developments include furthering the leadership in selected food categories, such as culinary sectors and snacks. This is primarily focused in the Nigeria and Ghana region, but with a determination to expand further into the West African area.
• Infrastructure and Logistics: OIL advise and guide businesses in the existing Gabon logistics sector, to incorporate their full value and begin specialisation in certain markets in Africa.
• Olam Palm Gabon: help Olam Palm become fully certified by RSPO and set Palm Oil businesses in Gabon on an upward trajectory.
By guiding these three subsectors, OIL is a vital guardian that must look inwards to see how to expand its own operation. Consequently, OIL has spent the last few years in a state of reorganisation. By looking inwards, OIL has been able to replicate its external operations, by evaluating and subsequently escalating the internal running of the company. This has enabled OIL to gather some momentum in times of difficulty. Most pointedly, in 2020 OIL experienced lower revenues across a number of sectors, including Sugar, Rubber, and Fertiliser Trading Desks, which all underwent closure. Consequently, OIL witnessed a capital loss of S$478.1 million, at the hands of disinvestment and closures.
OIL’s importance lies in the influence that has across Africa, as the company works tirelessly to meet the demands of the continent. Having been in operation in Africa for nearly 40 years, the company has developed an impressive bank of knowledge so that is able to ascertain consumer understandings, supply chain patterns, and effectively manage the
disruption network. This has helped OIL, and the wider Olam Group, become key actors in the global leadership business, government initiatives, and favourable trade policies. Such an accomplishment has showcased Africa as a hub of increasing manufacturing and food processing conducts.
The packaging food subsector of the business in particular has experienced serious development in the last few years. This comes from a spike in consumer demand for products that are healthy and convenient, whilst remaining affordable. Subsequently, OIL has placed great effort into its culinary and snacks portfolio. Regardless of recent challenges, such as inflation pressures and the devaluing of the Nigerian and Ghanian currencies, packaged food businesses have continued to flourish. This has taken shape through the improved market shares across Ghana and Nigeria, achieved by focused distribution and communication. Furthermore, packaged food developments can be seen in the acquired leadership positions in the Nigerian biscuits and sweets industry, alongside a highly successful launch of smaller pack sizes for biscuits to help with the increasing food inflation prices.
As we have seen, OIL has built the momentum needed to overcome the ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is materialised through initiatives like Engine 2, AtSource and important values of Sustainability, Digital, Operational Excellence and Leadership and Talent, that help to excel in delivery. This meant that despite the adversities brought on by the pandemic, they are making meaningful progress across their three projected subsectors.
Operating across many different industries means that OIL greatly recognises its responsibility. Thus, OIL endeavours to create value in local communities across Africa. The Natural Capital Impact scheme is also a major part of their sustainable practises, as all OIL plantation and forestry concessions must meet the strict criteria for AtSource Plus, which dictates transparency with clients, and sharing data with customers and partners. Numerically, their work with Natural Capital has led to 630,400 hectares of forestry being protected. Another noteworthy cause is the company’s packaged foods business, which supports access to affordable and healthier foods, as well. This is succeeded by contributing to a nutrition pledge that encourages consumers to
follow healthy diets, which is demonstrated by the 1.4 billion servings of food that OIL has provided to people across Ghana and Nigeria.
Although they invest in ideas that are disruptive, they promote growth overall, as they oversee and manage the businesses that have an effect on the overarching growth of the OLAM Group. Despite their role as a disrupter, they have a more caring side, witnessed in their dedication to nurturing and guiding other businesses as they continue to support the OLAM Group. It is also apparent that OIL works hard to support communities across Africa to gain access to healthcare, education, and greener spaces, therefore making a profound difference on the African landscape.
BOLTS & NUTS
COATING SYSTEMS
PIPE
ACCESSORIES
TUNNEL & RAIL
SYSTEMS
Leading the way in sugar cane milling, Magdalena innovates the industry surrounding sugar production and transforms it into a crucial tool for development in Guatemala. With 33 years of history, Magdalena is the largest sugar producer in Central America and the second largest in Latin America. Their focus on education, sustainability, and environmentalism positions them as a driving force internationally for renewable energy.
Magdalena started with humble origins in the world of agriculture, developing over the years to now lead the market in its contribution of sugar cane milling with a current rate of 38,640 metric tonnes (mt) of sugar cane being mined daily. Magdalena takes both the raw material of sugar and any biomass left over in the production process to produce renewable energy resources which supply energy to the National Interconnected System. In turn, the company promotes the necessity for using renewable energy resources, which can then be used to benefit users across the country from in the form of electricity and biogas.
To understand Magdalena’s operation, we must first understand how sugar is produced and the processes that position such a crucial raw material at the forefront of this company. Magdalena has developed their technologies to improve the quality and efficiency of the sugar cane produced in its raw state and so 24% of the national markets are attributed to Magdalena.
From 2020 to 2021 Magdalena milled 6,524,398.96 mt of ground sugar cane and 686,807 mt of raw sugar. This raw sugar is then refined into a variety of types including standard, brown, golden, raw and refined, which are then suitable for a variety of needs. Consequently, the company has been successful in accessing both local and international markets with the production of its raw materials. The necessity for sugar production is growing across the world and thus Magdalena’s operation positions Guatemala as a key player in the industry as it is one of the largest sugar producers in the Central American region.
Magdalena has been generating electrical power from the biomass produced in the process of milling sugar cane since 1990 when their first power generation plant had only a capacity of 12.5 megawatts (MV). They take this often wasted offproduct and utilise it the create renewable energy at their power plants, which had considerably increased in power to 46 MW by 2008, with a further transmission line and a 230kilovolt (kV) substation with a capacity of 260 mega volt amperes (MVA). In 2010, they began construction of a thermal generation plant which ran off the biomass produced in the production of sugar cane along with coal, which added a further 62.4 watts to their
electrical capacity. The innovation of Magdalena’s operations meant that in 2011 they created Comercializadora de Energía para el Desarrollo –CED, to meet the electricity purchase demands of industrial customers and distributors in Central America. More presently, Magdalena produced 916.46 Gwh of electrical energy between 2020 and 2021 and thus remains a leading force in renewable energy production in Guatemala.
Magdalena utilises the by-products of their sugar cane milling in the production of alcohol with the use of molasses. By fermenting the by-products that derive from the sugar cane milling process with a yeast strain, Magdalena can distil these products to produce Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), Industrial Alcohol (REN) and Heads and Tails (C&C). Between 2020 and 2021 Magdalena produced 65,966,665 litres of alcohol. However, Magdalena even in this process extracts the carbon dioxide produced from the fermentation process and purifies it to market towards the beverage industry. Hence, in every stage of Magalena’s operations limiting waste and sustainability are always at the forefront.
For Magdalena sustainability is at the forefront of their values and producing a legacy of positive
environmental impact, with an aim that by 2026 they will be a leader in innovation, growth, and sustainable creation in many markets. Sustainability is therefore crucial to every operation at Magdalena, as they are committed to the development and efficient use of natural resources to reduce the impact of their activities on the surrounding and global communities. For Magdalena, their sustainability and environmental impact extend beyond the sugar cane milling process and by-product utilisation, instead, they are a key player in the community, focusing on environmental and economic development, education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Magdalena believes in supporting and developing the local community and remains constantly aware of their wider impact with every operation. Education is key for Magdalena, as through education they can give back to their communities to aid in the understanding of the local ecosystems, particularly in coastal areas.
Consequently, environmentalism and conservation are of key importance to Magdalena,
most prominently seen in their restoration of mangroves in the protected areas of SipacateNaranjo National Park in Escuintla and Manchón Guamuchai in Retalhuler. As part of their reforestation efforts, Magdalena focuses on creating biological corridors for flora and fauna to grow to promote biodiversity in the ecosystem. As a result, Magdalena’s sustainable efforts do not end in the raw materials and renewable energy resources they produce from sugar milling; instead, Magdalena as a company stands for cooperative development and sustainability across their localised environment and into the wider industry.
Magdalena’s operations can be exemplified by its code of ethics. They are consciously focusing on honesty, humility, and a passion for achievement in everything aspect of the business.
These values are further seen in the programmes they run for the local community, from contributing towards the quality of education on the South Coast of Guatemala to the improvements of infrastructure. Therefore, they aim to continue to reinforce the
local communities of Magdalena’s operations to ensure the lasting impact of economic and financial development in Guatemala.
Overall, Magdalena is a leader in sugar cane production and renewable energy in Central America; they innovate their production process to utilise every aspect of sugar cane milling to ensure that waste is kept to a minimum, whilst remaining locally and internationally a force for sustainable development. Whilst they may first appear as a sugar milling company that promotes renewable qualities, it is through conservation, education, and community championing that we see crucially Magdalena’s core values of economic and sustainable development. The work they do in sugar cane milling and with the local community positions them as a driving force in the world of sustainable energy production, sugar cane milling and conservation.
Amongst all the food groups, protein is by far the most abundant in our everyday diet. In fact, some would go as far as to say that protein makes up the building blocks of life, let alone our regular consumption. Nobody understands this more than Hilton Foods! Over in Australia, Hilton Foods champions this powerful food group by supplying ready-to-go protein from coast to coast, facilitated by a strong partnership with Aussie retailer giant, Woolworths Group.
In Australia specifically, Hilton Foods operates three powerhouse facilities in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland, to diligently supply case-ready protein across the country. Their predominant focus can be found in supplying over 1000 stores nationally for the Woolworth’s Group. This is an impressive venture, since Woolworth’s is one of the biggest supermarket retailers in the country, feeding millions every day. Therefore, Hilton Foods is very proud to supply the best quality protein for customers and families across Australia.
Hilton Foods APAC jumped at the opportunity in March 2013 to join the Woolworths Group. This was a major step for the company as it enabled them to break through the borders of the UK and Europe, to enter the APAC market. Since then, the unique partnership between the two global entities has shown great success in driving a significant change in the quality of cased meat in Australia. Such achievements opened doors to further opportunities with the commission of a new food park in Auckland in July 2021, which services Countdown Stores in the neighbouring country of New Zealand, demonstrating a serious expansion of their repertoire.
As protein is such a large part of people’s diet, ensuring the best taste and texture is crucial. Although protein has been a major food group since practically the dawn of time, the market and taste for protein is now changing, and subsequently influences international consumption. Accordingly, alongside developing solutions in the supplying of protein, Hilton Foods has a huge influence in the creating, processing and packaging of protein. Such dedications mean that Hilton Foods has developed an unbeatable reputation in processing operations on a global scale. As such, retailers and consumers alike have returned to Hilton Foods time and time again for trusted quality and added value in protein products.
Currently, APAC operations of Hilton Foods possess over 1500 team members, that are spread across three highly advanced facilities. However, despite the global operations that take place today, Hilton Foods began as a humble slaughter and deboning facility in the 1960s. It was first founded by two aspirational businessmen, who were breaking through the boundary of entrepreneurship. From
here, Hilton Foods has partnered with countless food retail giants across the world. Namely, in 1994, a partnership was formed with Tesco UK as a supplier of pre-packed beef and lamb, followed by a partnership between Hilton Foods Holland and Albert Hein, and ICA Gruppen in Sweden. These are just a few of the fantastic partnerships they have obtained over the last twenty years.
Alongside the building of partnerships, is also the development of the business internally. For example, in 2017 Hilton Foods acquired UK seafood experts, Seachill, expanding their expertise on all things protein. Furthermore, in the same year, they revolutionised the digital supply chain through the software company Food Connected. Additionally, in 2019 Hilton Foods broke further ground by branching into the vegetarian and vegan market, via an investment that brought 40 years of expertise in vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Therefore, through such an expansionist attitude, Hilton Foods have amassed 24 facilities across the world, with an annual turnover of £3bn, a highly respectable number.
Evidently, Hilton Foods lives and breathe innovation and keeps up-to-date with global market trends in the food industry. Consequently, Hilton Foods consistently checks what sparks consumers’ interests by monitoring the market using five macro global trends. When researching household finances, Hilton Foods discovered that 51% of European and 49% of Australian consumers are concerned about their personal finances, with many consumers looking for helpful cheats to reduce cooking time and cost. In response to the findings, Hilton Foods promote convenience and accessibility across their numerous food products, to not only match, but exceed consumer expectations.
Through collaborative work with partners in the food industry the delivery of quality food groups, such as pre-packed protein meats in Australia, runs deep at the core of Hilton Foods. Thus, with such an insight-led approach, the notion of constant improvement and innovation is a crucial part of
the organisation’s success, working through a ‘pull model’ in which they concentrate on customers and consumer needs, so they are prepared for the supply and demand needs of tomorrow. A noteworthy case is a recent expansion into the meat alternatives market. Through the culinary creativity of their team, they have been able to improve the taste and texture of meat alternatives through specialist butchery and culinary inspiration. Subsequently, as a subsector of their protein expertise, it is quickly becoming one of their most prosperous fields of business.
The meat and wider protein industry greatly permeate the global concern for climate change and sustainability. To ensure that Hilton Foods is doing its part, they have created a 2025 Sustainable Protein Plan, to work towards a regenerative food system. Such responsibility means that they produce all their products within planetary boundaries that help save Earth’s land and oceans. As such a big corporation, they have the power and influence to have a transformative change in the food industry, which is responsible for 30% of global emissions. By incorporating specialist infrastructure and emission strategies, they are working hard to reach their environmental targets. To name just a few, they are committing to the following:
• Reduce emission intensity caused by cattle by 15% in Europe in the next five years.
• Utilise 100% renewable electricity across all their operations in Europe by 2025, and globally by 2027.
• Remain committed to active net zero emissions across global supply chains internationally by 2050, in correlation with UN Race to Zero initiative.
• Continuing to develop fresh ways to incorporate carbon emission considerations into new product development.
Hilton Foods has a great responsibility in the overall global food industry. Not only do they support numerous food retail titans, they also actively respond to the customer’s needs and expectations, as the protein sector continues to develop in a world where meat alternatives are becoming mainstream. Thus, Hilton Foods have their finger on the protein pulse, by pushing the boundaries in food processing and supply.
Established in 2001, Ecowize is a leading provider of Cleaning and Australia and
Since then, we have rapidly grown to the forefront, becoming the market leader in outsourced cleaning and sanitation services.
Our market leading cleaning and sanitation services and solution ensures compliance with food standards required by regulators, retailers, and within specific supply chains.
We understand in-depth, the process of food safety by preventing the spread of harmful bacteria and other contaminants and how to remediate and actively manage your facility.
We are part of the Ecowize Group, which operates in key markets around the globe, namely Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and North America.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Cleaning & Sanitation
• Cleaning & Sanitation Audits
• Commercial Cleaning Equipment & Supplies
• Cleaning/Hygiene Training and Consulting
• Critical Response and Hazardous Cleaning
• Onsite Commercial Laundry Service
• Office & Amenities Cleaning
• One-Off Periodic Cleaning
• Commercial Property Maintenance
• Commercial Hygiene Services
Coffee is a part of most people’s daily life, from that quick fix in the morning to wake you up or the one you enjoy throughout your day as an enjoyable treat. For Java House, coffee is at the centre of everything they do. From opening their first coffee shop in Nairobi, Kenya in 1999, Java House aims to bring gourmet coffee-drinking culture to Kenya and build an empire that now extends throughout the East of Africa.
As one of the leading coffee brands in Africa, Java House has grown to now span 14 outlets across cities such as Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda and currently reaches 20,000 customers a day. Java House aims to deliver gourmet coffeedrinking culture with its carefully roasted Kenyan AA coffee beans. Kenya is renowned for its aromatic arabica coffee, which is grown on the foothills of Mount Kenya, and so the resulting coffee is a source of pride for the Kenyan-originated company, due to its unique and powerful flavour. Java House was founded in 1999 by friends Kevin Ashley and Jon Wagner, and since its origins has continued to deliver top-quality coffee experiences and begun an expansive franchising programme to meet the increasing customer demands across Africa.
In the next 5 years, the owners plan to evolve Java House to span 200 stores across all its current countries of operation, with the potential to expand into Nigeria and Ethiopia. As part of Java House’s plan to scale up, it plans to relocate its current factory location to expand its footprint from 4,000 square meters to 6,500 square meters. This grand expansion both in location and franchising brings the luxury of gourmet coffee-drinking culture to new audiences to make Java House an international name.
However, Java House does not end their franchising at their coffee outlets; in 2011 they introduced a frozen yoghurt shop called Planet Yoghurt, as well as 360 Degrees Artisan Pizza, a casual dining restaurant; both of which they are continuing to expand in line with the Java House coffee brand expansion across the continent. Their latest venture is KuKito, a uniquely Kenyan modern fast-food brand. Java House itself now boasts a range of delicious menus across its outlets to be enjoyed alongside its coffee.
Friends Kevin and Jon have massively scaled up their coffee business, to allow the expansion into other food venues. Java House has now been extended to form the Java group that contains all the above eateries and coffee shops under the Java Group umbrella. Therefore, Java House now belongs to the wider Java Group, showing how much the brand has expanded from its single-store origins in Nairobi. Now Java House is a leading brand in the world of food and beverage markets, and through
their overarching Java Group, they have the support and knowledge to continue to expand each of their businesses and franchises across Africa.
Java House wants to ensure that its local communities are supported, which we see in their establishment of the Java Foundation. The foundation has partnered with Food for Education, in Java Foundation’s hope to feed 1000 school children daily. Food for Education has already served up to 6,000,000 meals to date through their programmes. One programme is Tap2Eat, which uses a digital mobile platform with FinTech to enable public primary school children to access nutritious food throughout their education.
The scheme works by allowing parents to pay for the subsidised lunches using mobile money. This money is then credited to the child’s virtual wallet, which then can be linked to NFC smart wristbands for students to scan for their food. The technology allows children to access food whilst at school, whilst keeping it affordable for parents. Java House’s choice in partnering with Food for
Education exemplifies its mission to remain an active member of their communities to ensure that children are being given the best chance for education and their future.
Overall, Java House is a leading coffee brand that has continued to extend its hand across Africa to deliver high-quality and delicious gourmet coffee experiences to its growing customer base. Java House plays a key role through its foundation to support the local community and education projects to ensure that its business always remains focused on giving back. Whilst doing so the owners have been able to expand into other food and beverage services beyond coffee and tackle the world of the food industry using the same methodology to develop and expand their business from its origins into an international brand like Java House.
Exsan House, Off Enterprise Road
Tel: +254 20 2301518, +254 20 2301520
Mobile: +254 722202163, +254 734600204
Email: info@kenchic.com
Website: www.kenchic.com
P. O. Box 20052, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
The Kenyan poultry industry has been the subject of concern regarding food safety and its use of antimicrobials and consecutively, the resultant antimicrobial resistance. However, it is important to recognize the efforts made by responsible poultry producers, such as Kenchic, in addressing these issues. Kenchic has emerged as a global pioneer in caring about consumer health and minimizing antimicrobial resistance by adhering to international biosecurity rules, implementing comprehensive food safety procedures, and encouraging sustainable antimicrobial use.
Contrary to misinterpretation, regulated poultry producers, including Kenchic, do not use antibiotics in chicken feed or production processes to promote growth. Antibiotics are only administered under veterinary advice in cases of infection, aligning with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and animal welfare standards. Kenchic’s commitment to transparency and consumer health is evident through our laboratory testing of products for antibiotic residues and ensuring compliance with stringent standards.
As a company, we have been keen on recognizing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance and actively contributing to a sustainable future. By reducing the need for antibiotics through adherence to biosecurity guidelines, we demonstrate our commitment to combating antimicrobial resistance. Kenchic’s proactive approach includes not using critically important antibiotics recognized by the
World Health Organization (WHO) as vital for human health. It is because of our dedication to sustainable practices that led to Kenchic being recognized by the International Poultry Council (IPC) as one of the seven private-sector organizations endorsing the IPC’s antimicrobial use stewardship principles. This recognition was awarded within the TRANSFORM project, a USAID-funded activity aimed at mitigating antimicrobial resistance and promoting health and safety in the poultry industry. We plan to integrate the IPC’s antimicrobial use stewardship principles over the next five years. This, we will do this by evaluating our operations and supply chain, conducting internal trainings, and expanding the principles to contract farmers, agent shops, and feed distribution partners. This comprehensive approach ensures the health and safety of our consumers and emphasizes our commitment to responsible practices throughout the poultry industry, thus maintaining our lead in East and Central Africa.
Author: Jim Tozer, Managing director Kenchic LtdExsan House, Off Enterprise Road
Tel: +254 20 2301518, +254 20 2301520
Mobile: +254 722202163, +254 734600204
Email: info@kenchic.com
Website: www.kenchic.com
P. O. Box 20052, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
While a lot of investment has gone into maintaining these muchneeded standards, the industry still needs to build trust among consumers. Stakeholders in the poultry industry must now work together to educate the public about their processes. To this end, Kenchic actively collaborates with producers, regulators, and consumers to create a safe and sustainable poultry industry. Our dedication to animal welfare, as recognized by World Animal Protection, further emphasizes our commitment to responsible and sustainable practices.
Kenchic’s work in ensuring food safety and promoting sustainable antimicrobial use sets a benchmark for the Kenyan poultry industry. Our efforts not only contribute to consumer health and well-being but also inspire others in the industry to follow suit. With continued collaboration and innovation, Kenchic and the poultry industry can create a brighter future for food safety and sustainability in Kenya.
As an international brand, PepsiCo is a company that many of us are very familiar with, boasting the most diverse beverage portfolio in the world of leading global brands such as Pepsi, 7up, Liptons and Gatorade, whilst also holding a substantial mix of local brands like Gamesa, Mafer, Torix and Kero Coco. However, as such a large and expanding brand, they often need to turn to local distributors to meet the production and output needs across the globe, this is where we find Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Company.
When we last looked at Pepsi Cola Jamaica Bottling Co., part of the Pepsi Jamaica brand and a subsidiary of PepsiCo, they had just begun production on a new beverage under Tropicana, which would be fulfilled in the Jamaican bottling facility. Now, we see how Pepsi Jamaica has inspired the nation through its ad campaigns and marked a huge investment with Tropicana that focuses on its local consumer base.
Following the pandemic, the world is quite considerably a different place and Pepsi Jamaica saw a need for inspiring and bringing back the beloved national pride of Jamaicans through their ad campaign relaunching ‘JamaICAN’. Following the success of the original campaign in 2018, the company saw it was crucial to bring it back when the national spirit was at a low.
The campaign takes great inspiration from the unapologetic national pride, identity and unity of spirit that is known to Jamaicans. The campaign brings Pepsi Jamaica and the consumer together by reminding the customer that they are the ‘I’ in Jamaica, and it is their uniqueness that Pepsi Jamaica champions in their campaign. It is clear that Pepsi Jamaica is keen to reinforce national identity and pride, which through the campaign they reaffirm its position as a company that supports and uplifts the local community. Jamaica is a country with a rich background and achievement, and this is something Pepsi Jamaica takes pride in being a part of through its bottling facility and campaigns.
As we saw last time we covered Pepsi Jamaica, they had just launched Splash a flavoured water beverage under the umbrella of Tropicana, facilitated through the Jamaican bottling facility. As of September 2022, Pepsi Jamaica, owned by beverages giant Continental Beverage Corporation (CBC), has made a US$2 million investment in the local production of Tropicana, producing a natural juice line with no added artificial sugars. These juices retail for JMD$200-220 per bottle making them a premium beverage that boasts the health benefits of reduced artificial sugar, whilst remaining affordable to the Jamaican market. The goal of the juice stays in line with Pepsi Jamaica’s continuing desire to support and uplift the community.
The company aims to advocate for finding ways that their bottling company can benefit the country, and in return its people. The new juice drink will eventually be looked at in the long term for export, however, the company is focusing first on meeting the needs and distribution requirements in the local market first to bring premium and affordable beverages to those locally. As part of Pepsi Jamaica’s desire for nation-building through this new venture with the Tropicana brand, the bottling facility will continue to provide continuous job opportunities to all qualified Jamaicans within other fields that are relevant to the manufacturing industry. Therefore, Pepsi Jamaica continues to bring development and financial stability to its local communities in Jamaica.
Pérez y Cía provides global support services to the shipping and logistics sectors, and so works closely with Pepsi Jamaica to provide services with shipping logistics, and supply chain management from their bottling facility. Pérez y Cía expanded its operations from its origins in Spain and Portugal to the Caribbean and Central America in 1979. They remain keenly concerned with maintaining
professionalism, efficiency, and respect for the environment throughout all the roles they play in the various supply chains they operate in. As a leading company, Pérez y Cía has more than 45 offices strategically placed across the world so it can offer the best solutions globally and has done so since 1853. As part of a continuing relationship with Pepsi Jamaica, Pérez y Cía offer the company crucial shipping needs for smooth production from the Jamaican bottling facility.
Overall, the PepsiCo brand continues to grow which means so does the increase in production at the Jamaican bottling facility. Pepsi Jamaica champions its people, always focusing its bottling production, employment goals, and its social impact on the people of Jamaica first. By doing so, Pepsi Jamaica has established itself as a crucial part of PepsiCo which is bringing real change in Jamaica.
More than 150 years in shipping
Perez y Cia extends heartiest Congratulations to Pepsi Jamaica, as you move forward with the next stage of developing the business. We look forward to the announcement of new projects and the future development of the company brands.
As we continue to provide services in shipping Logistics and supply chain management, we look forward to our continued partnership as we strive to serve you better.
Offering a full range of services from booking acceptance, shipping, clearance, delivery, project management and solutions to meet every shipping need.
“PEREZ Y CIA is the answer !”
JSB Industries is a national baking manufacturing company, and an umbrella that covers Aesop’s Bagels, Smart Choice, Sunwise, Madeline’s Gourmet Cookies, and perhaps the most famous of the family, Muffin Town. Since its founding in the summer of 1970, Muffin Town has advanced from a humble sandwich shop in uptown Boston, to a national enterprise in the baking wholesale industry, with commitments to its sustainable presence and the growth of the bakery business.
Muffin Town grew from a simple sandwich shop, with the hopes of expanding, decided one day to create a batch of muffins to see if they would sell as well as the sandwiches did. Before they knew it, the muffins were outselling the sandwiches, selling 500 muffins and cups of coffee out of one store. From there, the idea of the wholesale industry seemed incredibly inviting, and subsequently, the wholesale company Muffin Town was born!
Under the brand of JSB Industries, Muffin Town has exploded as a well-established name for baked goods. So much so, that JSB Industry’s products are available in supermarkets across America, from their original muffins to a full range of baked goods. This is conducive to the constant search for new and exciting baked goods to put on the shelves, which is only achievable by the use of the latest technological innovations in production systems, product safety, and sanitation, to ensure that the end product is top-notch. Muffin Town also has an efficient enough workforce to ensure that supply and demand is continuously met, particularly since the company heralds a production rate of over a million pounds per week, with a total of 10 transport docks and 12,000 square foot holding freezers.
Whilst having great successes in the supermarket sector across America, they also simultaneously provide for food service industries, and specifically, schools. Consequently, as well as complying with environmental and energy issues, JSB must ensure that their products for school children provide 51% wholegrain, have less than 20% sugar, and meet a whole host of other criteria to ensure that they contribute to a full recommended meal.
Every time the criteria change, JSB must alter their recipes for school products, whilst maintaining supply and ensuring that they keep the same highquality taste. And yet, despite such challenges, JSB Industries utilise their valuable experience and dedicated members of staff to ensure that the best taste is created in the most ethical way. This is demonstrated through their continued compliance at the Annual School Foods Service Show. Muffin’s Town’s Staff has a range of preparations dedicated to the show, including a key marketing strategy for the company, and increased production. This allows for nutritionists and directors present at the show to bear witness to the expertise of Muffin Town. Alongside their delicious tasting and healthy goods, JSB Industries place great effort in ensuring
that Muffin Town gives back to the planet. As a wholesale business, a growing carbon footprint is a big focus if they are to reach their environmental goals. Accordingly, Muffin Town has numerous green initiatives that are achieved thanks to the hard work of their partners and suppliers, who work tirelessly with Muffin Town to ensure a brighter future for the younger generation to which they supply goods. Evidently, the proof is in the pudding!
To date, JSB Industries has recycled 288,000 lbs of food waste, which for a food wholesale company is an impressive feat. Furthermore, Muffin Town has taken strides in their energy consumption, as their LED conversion alone saves over 244,558 kWh of electricity annually. Perhaps most impressive however, is the recycling of over 630,000 lbs of corrugated boxes of brown and paper bags. This means that with each piece of packaging, there is a conscientious effort made to reduce the company’s environmental impact. Further demonstrating such forethought, is their noteworthy reduction of carbon dioxide, an amount that is equivalent to 4,717 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
Therefore, it is clear to see that JSB industries recognise the increasing need for an environmental rethink in the wholesale food industry. Their
commitments to environmental operations not only lie in the responsibilities they have to the planet, but also the responsibility to their customers.
As such, they have worked over the last ten years to implement innovative and environmentally responsible practices throughout the company and strategic partners. This can be witnessed in their compliance with laws and operations so that the global entity is held accountable for its actions. This materialises through the installation of energy monitoring equipment to better the monitoring of energy efficiency, replace all lighting operations with Energy Star-rated products, as well as ensuring that all plastic packaging is compliant with PETE/ LDPE/PP post-consumer recycling, amongst many other effective procedures.
It’s hard to believe JSB Industries has grown from a small sandwich shop in Boston to a $50-millioncompany. And yet, Muffin Town and its neighbouring companies help feed the younger generation, as well as ensuring that the world is cared for and healthy. Thus, by setting such an example in their sustainable practises, they have become an environmental exemplar in the wholesale industry.
It is widely known that the acquirement of food is hardwired in the mind as a matter of survival. These days, this instinctual calling is made significantly easier by the creation of the modern supermarket. A weekly trip to the superstore is a regular occurrence for a large majority across the world. Although the notion of the supermarket chain has been an ongoing phenomenon since the 1900s, to this day, supermarkets consistently aim to create affordable and comfortable shopping experiences. This a factor greatly understood by Massy Stores; a leading supermarket chain across Trinidad and Tobago and heralded as the “premier retailer in the Caribbean Basin.”
Massy Stores’ main focus is to provide affordable but delicious food across the nation. As the old saying goes, the customer is always right. As such, their customer base is emboldened by providing the best value products, as well as guaranteeing low costs. This is greatly exampled by the many initiatives that they offer their loyal customers. For example, they provide a trustworthy reward system known as the ‘Massy Card’. This allows customers to get the most for their money, as well as rewarding their loyalty to the store. Although the loyalty system is utilised by many supermarkets, for Massy Stores it represents a continuous building of trust and loyalty to their customers that facilitates a mutually beneficial relationship.
Massy Stores also has a fantastic range of products to offer their customers. From hearty and freshly cooked bread in the bakery, to prime-cut meat in the deli, there is very little that you won’t find in their stores. The freshness of the bakery is emphasised by the fact there is something new every day for customers to look forward to. These include bread, cakes, blueberry tartlets, apple pies, and the signature swiss roll.
Stepping away from sweet treats and on to the fresh produce, it would be hard to miss their innovative fruit and veg. This includes Massy’s ‘One Step… Done’ Microwaveable Potatoes. As their latest product, it is the epitome of delicious convenience. In three steps you can have high-quality and scrummy potatoes in just six minutes. This is one of the many products that Massy Stores offer, putting customer satisfaction at the top of the list.
When doing your weekly food shop, it can be so easy to buy the same list of things. Massy Stores provide a solution to the grievance of repeated meals by providing a long list of simple but scrumptious recipes on their website. This includes a wide variety such as Chinese Style Fish Broth, Curry Chicken Pot Pie, and a Vegan Roast. They also provide a section known as Sipsology where there is a step-by-step guide to making the perfect cocktails; these include Martell Eggnog, a breakfast martini, or a twisted sidecar. Therefore, if you are trying to find ways to provide the best food and drink at your next dinner party, then Massy Stores will certainly have you covered. They also offer seasonal recipes that would be great for the Winter period, such as Vegan Pumpkin Loaf, and
even oven-roasted Christmas Turkey, making the Christmas day stress just a little bit easier.
Massy Stores also offer a plethora of other products and services, which include toys, puzzles, medical supplies, and even eye tests! This diversification means that they are there to cater for all their customer’s needs. In fact, some are lucky enough to witness live bands and entertainment in their stores, showcasing local talent and really livening up the regular food shop. Furthermore, much of Massy Stores’ produce is expertly transported and distributed by Alstons Marketing Company (AMCO). The partnership between Massy Stores and AMCO is vital to the running of the store, as AMCO is a leading distributor across Trinidad and Tobago. This means that each piece of produce stays fresh and ready for the shelves.
Alongside its loyal customer base, Massy Stores Associate members support the company’s key integrity. This is achieved by working towards a beneficial and ethical relationship with suppliers. Such relationships are maintained through a network of honesty and trust among the store and suppliers. In particular, the company places great trust in their associate members to conduct their
job to the highest standard. It is only when that foundation of trust is strong that Massy Stores can be confident that they are delivering the best products to their customers. Above all else, they promote fairness and truthfulness, which combine to keep the perfect balance between customers and suppliers sufficiently managed.
Alongside its commitment to its customers and suppliers, the company also heralds a ‘Massy in the Community’ initiative. This means that Massy Stores are an integral component in many local community programmes which work to help the environment and the local area. For example, Massy Stores is part of the vital Plastikeep Recovery Programme, a recycling support programme launched by the government of Trinidad and Tobago government in 2010. In September 2016, the Plastikeep campaign was given a new lease of life thanks to the support of the Massy Stores, which were utilised to “address Trinidad’s mounting problem of plastic waste as well as the lack of consciousness in the general population around proper plastic disposal.”
Necessary contributions to the community are also conducted with Massy’s partnership with Nourish TT, an organisation that works hard to alleviate food depletion and hunger in Trinidad and Tobago by reducing the mounting levels of food waste.
Massy also encompasses an environmental consciousness with their own ‘Go To Green Initiative’ and the #LetsAllDoOurPart campaign. This campaign is mainly geared towards the use of reusable bags and the dedication towards reducing carbon footprint, by exclusively offering reusable bags that encourage customers to move away from their dependency on plastic. This initiative has been put into effect in Massy Stores in Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent, and Guyana, creating a more sustainable region.
A key part of the superstore chain’s success is its role as a subsidiary of the Massy Group. This wider business provides key expertise to the store, having a rich history in the Caribbean basin since 1923. As such, their varied investment portfolio
means that Massy Stores can really reap the benefits of such a bustling business community. More specifically, their large scale means that they can provide superior value to their subsidiaries, creating a direct path for future prosperity.
Massy Stores’ clear ethos of customer satisfaction has carried them a long way, to become a vital retailer in the Trinidad and Tobago region, meeting both the customer’s and supplier’s individual needs to the best of their abilities. Not only this, but they also play an important role in community events and organisations that work towards a brighter future in the sustainability of the Caribbean basin region.
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