Meadow, experts in sustainable dairy, plant-based and confectionery ingredients, have gone to lengths in their commitment to sourcing their ingredients from sustainable and ethical suppliers.
Sustainability has come to the fore in the ingredients manufacturing industry. Rising ethical consumerism and the need for resource efficiency has made ingredient manufacturers, of all sizes, take serious steps towards sustainable development.
In fact, according to Deloitte’s 2023 report on sustainable consumerism, one in four consumers are prepared to pay more for sustainable products. As the breakdown goes: 26% are prepared to pay more to protect biodiversity, 24% are prepared to pay more for products with sustainable packaging and 25% are willing to pay more for products and services that respect human rights or commit to ethical working practices.
What’s more, by engaging in fair labour practices, reducing reliance on finite resources, reducing waste and optimising current operations, investing in sustainable practices ensures supply-chain resilience. When people are treated fairly and resources are managed responsibly, the supply chain becomes more robust and adaptable to disruptions such as natural disasters. This not only protects businesses and customers, but also secures people’s livelihoods.
Meadow, experts in sustainable dairy, plant-based and confectionery ingredients, have gone to lengths in their commitment to sourcing their ingredients from sustainable and ethical suppliers. As Alison Hughes, Head of Insights, from Meadow comments, the confectionery sector’s movement to ethically sourcing raw materials isn’t just a case of safeguarding supply chains, but is also a case of aligning to consumer trends:
“The sector as a whole has changed to reflect consumer behaviours and their greater desire for sustainable practises and better animal welfare. People are increasingly more interested and invested in where their food is coming from and the journey it has taken ‘from farm to fork’.”
The confectionery industry relies on a series of ingredients vulnerable to risks that come with climate change, that is, cocoa, palm oil, sugar, vanilla and fruits. Cocoa, though widely used as a base for many indulgent sweet treats, does come with the bittersweet reality that farming cocoa has largely been an unsustainable practice, until now.
The cause for concern in cocoa
It is estimated that 70% of the world’s supply of cocoa beans grow in West Africa. In West Africa, cases of drought and high temperatures are forecasted to increase as climate change persists. Cocoa trees are too sensitive to withstand these conditions and what’s more, cocoa farmers have been clearing tropical rainforest to plant new cocoa trees rather than reusing the same land to prevent deforestation. It is also estimated that 70% of West Africa’s illegal deforestation is related to cocoa farming.
So, how can the confectionery industry ensure that cocoa is sourced responsibly and sustainably?
Taking ownership of supply chains: Meadow case study
Meadow is committed to setting the standards of sustainability in confectionery by protecting ecosystems, reducing its carbon footprint and supporting sustainable farming practices. The target, as a value-added ingredients business, is to take ownership of its supply chain and help customers to achieve their sustainability goals.
Alun Lewis, Head of Sustainability at Meadow, comments: “We have listened to our customers and other stakeholders, and we share their priority for a sustainable future. We have set ourselves ambitious targets in each of our five ESG areas and a clear roadmap for achieving our goals on carbon, environment, supply chain, social and governance to reach net zero by 2050. We share our customers’ priority for a sustainable future and work together to achieve it.
What is Meadow doing about cocoa?
As the UK’s only independent supplier of chocolate crumb, Meadow is committed to sourcing its cocoa sustainably to further ensure supply chain longevity and limit environmental impact.
When sourcing cocoa, Meadow purchases through Rainforest Alliance and Fair-Trade certified sources only. This means cocoa farms must engage in best practice for protecting farmland and are not allowed to cut down trees to expand on farmland either. Farms must also provide robust tools for preventing child labour, forced labour, poor working conditions, low wages and any violation of Indigenous land rights. Furthermore, farms must also be proactively improving opportunities for smallholder farmers and forest communities. At the end of 2023, Meadow was able to promise that all its cocoa was purchased through The Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade.
A sustainable supply chain, satisfied customers and a safer planet
In the UK, all those in confectionery are on a roadmap to Net Zero by 2050. With increasing focus on sustainability, regulatory bodies are implementing stricter environmental regulations. Those on the supply chain are taking the helm of implementing their own strategies, not only to comply with regulations, but because it safeguards supply chains and allows for a competitive edge.
By taking ownership of their supply chain, Meadow has been able to support customers in meeting their own sustainability goals. Barry Callebaut, a manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, have primed Meadow as their core suppliers. Sonja Frommenwiler, Sustainability Manger, speaks on how Meadow have helped Barry Callebaut’s Forever Chocolate brand meet ESG targets: “Having recently sharpened our targets for Forever Chocolate, it is our plan to make sustainable chocolate the norm, however, it is clear that we cannot reach these targets on our own. By choosing a supplier such as Meadow that has sustainability at the heart of its strategy, we know we can rely on their commitment to help us reach our goals in terms of sustainable sourcing and GHG reductions.”
Climate-related events are accelerating in frequency. Now more than ever, it’s important that organisations recognise the social power they hold to implement the right infrastructure that can safeguard both our food supply chain and the planet. No organisation can tackle climate change alone. But together, through creating a responsible and supportive supply chain, we can take the right action toward reducing carbon emissions, protecting ecosystems and investing in local and developing communities.
