Kalsec®, Inc. has been accepted into membership to the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform).
The SAI Platform was created in 2002 by the food industry to actively promote the worldwide development of sustainable agriculture, involving different stakeholders of the food chain. The SAI Platform supports sustainable agricultural practices including the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed species.
As the primary global food value chain initiative for sustainable agriculture, SAI Platform has more than 90 members representing different parts of the value chain, including cooperatives, traders, retailers, processors and brand companies, and addressing all dimensions of sustainable agriculture globally. The SAI Platform is a member-driven organization that draws on the experience and expertise from its members to ensure that sustainable agricultural establishes itself as the answer to one of today’s important challenges.
“We believe the SAI Platform allows Kalsec® to build more robust sustainable supply chains for our agricultural raw materials and utilize and benchmark with global sustainability standards acknowledged by our peers, customers and the consumer,” says Jim Justice, vice president of corporate responsibility and resource management.
Gustavo Puente is Kalsec’s vice president of procurement.
“Our raw materials are sourced in over 30 countries,” he adds. “Being a member of the SAI Platform will enable us to go beyond our current responsible sourcing practices. We will be able to increase our positive impact on the people we work with and the environments which give us our plant materials.
“The Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) tool will help us drive continuous improvement in our various sourcing models. We started this year with our domestically managed farms in which we received a Silver rating.”
About Kalsec
Kalsec® is the leading global producer of natural spice and herb flavor extracts, natural colors, natural antioxidants, and advanced hop products for the food and beverage industry. Since 1958, Kalsec® has consistently delivered high-quality, innovative ingredient solutions that make products look better, taste better and last longer while respecting the people and planet in which we live. Kalsec® is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Mich., with facilities in the United States, Europe and Asia.
For more information, visit kalsec.com.
