Source: GreenBiz.com
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 20, 2005 - Chiquita Brands International, Inc.
will now be filling supermarket shelves in nine European markets with
bananas labeled as Rainforest Alliance-certified. The new label brings
together the Miss Chiquita icon and the Rainforest Alliance's frog logo.
"As bananas are the number one-selling product in most grocery stores,
to have a company like Chiquita adopt responsible cultivation practices
has far-reaching benefits for the environment, farm workers and the
consumer," said Chris Wille, director of sustainable agriculture
programs at the Rainforest Alliance. "The Rainforest Alliance-certified
seal will help consumers recognize Chiquita's commitment and investment,
and therefore allow them to make an informed decision about what they
buy."
Chiquita has been incorporating Rainforest Alliance criteria into its
farming practices since 1992, and the company is now able to source
enough bananas from certified farms to guarantee their availability in
supermarkets across Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.
"Consumers today are faced with many choices when they shop at the
supermarket, and this new label lets people know that a Chiquita banana
is not just a healthy, high-quality fruit, but also that it was grown
using sustainable production techniques by people who enjoy among the
best working conditions in the industry," said Michel Loeb, president of
Chiquita Fresh Group - Europe. "When you buy a banana with the
Rainforest Alliance-Chiquita seal, we believe you are buying a better
banana."
To achieve Rainforest Alliance certification, every Chiquita farm has to
implement more than 200 criteria, covering protection of the environment
and biodiversity as well as fair treatment of workers and good workplace
conditions. The Rainforest Alliance partners with local environmental
organizations to review compliance with these criteria on each farm
every year.
According to Raul Gomez, manager of a Chiquita farm in Costa Rica, the
changes have been beneficial and far-reaching. "Since Chiquita has
applied the Rainforest Alliance standards, we have seen so many positive
changes. We've stopped using pesticides whenever possible. We have
planted hundred of trees. We are trained in environmental management and
protection, and then put this education into practice so that our
children can also benefit."
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