The Rise of Certified Organics

The CEO of Ceres Organics, Alex Player, shared that he has always worked with the FMCG (fastmoving consumer goods) industry, starting in the United Kingdom before migrating to Australia and, finally, New Zealand. Player worked in various roles, including sales, marketing, human resources, and procurements.

Alex Player CEO, Ceres Organics

“Iwas lucky enough to work for large multi-national companies such as PepsiCo and Lion, which had incredible internal development programs,” said Player.

Player elaborated that his roles in these companies were complemented by their significance in food service and distribution, allowing him an in-depth insight into the complex structures of multi-category companies and international trading.

When discussing what drew him to Cere Organics, the CEO was inspired by the company’s purpose to bring healing to the earth and humankind, as the company’s philosophy is rooted in the idea that business plays a significant role in addressing the social and environmental challenges that the world as a whole is facing.

Ceres Organics challenges itself on how it can conduct business better through informed, purpose lead decisions that balance financial sustainability with making environmentally conscious decisions that positively impact the community.

With Ceres Organics’ position as a clean, organic product company, Player has noticed a significant rise in conscious consumption, which the company calls a ‘groundswell’.

“Consumers are more conscious of their health as we are challenged with rising obesity, allergies and autoimmune conditions, but also of the health of the environment and the planet we inhabit.”

Player elaborated that consumers are becoming increasingly interested in the contents of the food they consume, how its prepared, where it comes from, and notably, the environmental and social consequences of its production.

Certified organic products are a way in which consumers can discern between products that align with their values, as it assures that certified products are produced harmoniously with nature and with consideration of social consequences, which ensures quality and fairness for producers.

Ceres Organics has developed a trusted network of supply partners from yearslong relationships. Sourcing both from

New Zealand and globally, the brand is specific about where it procures products based on the quality of the product and the environmental and social consequences.

Many of Ceres Organics’ supply partners are deeply invested in their local communities to enhance well-being. As a result, Cere Organics supports the global growth of organics. It also ensures that the brand can bring products to the shelf of high quality and nutritional value to its customers.

Player believed that the improved understanding of the negative impact of the conventional agricultural systems on the environment, individual health, the taste of produce and the conditions many agricultural workers have to endure is the most significant driving factor behind consumer interest in clean, certified organic products.

“We are in a global community’s political, environmental and social crisis. The inability of Earth to sustain our current conventional food production systems is becoming more evident as we face the impacts of global warming, natural disasters, water pollution, soil degradation, and the list goes on.”

The CEO stated that consumers taking action in their purchasing to address these issues had been made evident by the increased growth of organics, biodynamics and regenerative agricultural products.

Player stated that consumer purchasing has changed with growing consciousness and knowledge of the impact of food choices, therefore price points are not the singular mode of the reasoning behind consumer decision-making, with consumers taking into consideration the ‘trust cost’ of food, meaning the value of the products in regards to consumers personal health, the impact on the environment and on the social welfare and dynamics of those involved who produced the product.

Player explained that consumers often journey into clean-label organic products begins through more competitively priced categories such as snacks. Ceres Organics has a wide variety within the snacking category, including seaweed snacks, rice crackers, rice cakes, raw bars, pea chips and popped rice chips.

As this is an entry point for many consumers into organic products, ensuring the quality of taste and nutritional health benefits at an affordable price point makes all the difference.

To become certified organic, there are manufacturing requirements that are not required when conventionally manufacturing a product.

To be certified organic an independent organic certifier visits the farm, processing facility, or warehouse to inspect and organic status of the facility, administration and production

However, this inspection excluded the examination of aspects such as soil or crop samples, product handling procedures, equipment cleaning protocols and agents used, pest control practices (no fumigation and synthetic chemicals allowed), administrative assessments (documents and paper flow) and many other details, which Ceres Organics chooses to implement themself to create a regenerative process from every possible point of a products lifescycle through production.

“Every step of the production chain is certified according to worldwide organic standards. And at every stage of a change hands, a record is generated, which must be reviewed and approved before advancing to the next stage.”

As a result, the chain of organic certification is a connection from the farm to when it leaves the warehouse door, to ensure a fully traceable food system.

Player revealed that every product under Ceres Organics has been checked, audited and certified by our trusted third-party certification agency, which is the only way to achieve organic certification and is a process repeated through yearly inspections.

However, one challenge Ceres Organics faces is regarding packaging. The company has strived and continues to try and develop more environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Still, Player stated the company is not satisfied with either its own or the industries, progression towards this.

“We have tried to partner with suppliers to develop and launch packaging innovations such as home compostable packaging, but without broader industry and political support, we have found this difficult to maintain. We are committed to improving in this area.”

Furthermore, Player shared that the brand’s other greatest challenge was building a community around clean organics with a shared understanding, education and knowledge base. While the CEO said it was happening, he questioned the rate at which it was happening and whether it was fast enough to address the current environmental and social challenges.

Ceres Organics supports various environmental and industry actions group, including GE Free Northland, and invests in education programs for its team members and consumers through social and digital media.

The brand has recently launched its new Pea Chips in New Zealand in three flavours, Salted, Salt & Vinegar and Salt & Pepper, which Player described as incredibly popular, having won the Food Product of the Year at the Organics New Zealand Awards.

The CEO stated that his favourite products were the Pea Chips and the brand’s rice crackers and cakes. n