Aldi pledges to be first Irish retailer to source 100% sustainable bananas
Aldi to source all of its bananas from either Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade Foundation-certified farms
Print23 May 2016
Aldi will become the first retailer in Ireland to buy 100% of its bananas from sustainable sources following a new agreement with its long term supplier Fyffes. By the end of 2016, Aldi’s entire range of bananas will be sourced from either Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade Foundation-certified farms, guaranteeing all bananas on sale in Aldi’s Irish stores come from trusted and sustainable sources.
Finbar McCarthy, Aldi Ireland group buying director, said that while Aldi had been offering customers a range of Fairtrade organic bananas for over five years, it was now “extremely pleased to be the first retailer in Ireland to make this pledge to sourcing our bananas entirely from sustainable sources.” McCarthy said the move was based on listening to customers who “increasingly tell us that they want to be sure that the quality fresh produce that they buy is sustainability sourced in a way that protects the environment and is fair to suppliers”.
According to the retailer, this latest agreement is yet another milestone in its drive to provide its customers with sustainably sourced products at the best prices possible. Aldi is currently Ireland’s biggest seller of Fairtrade roses, having sold two million roses last year, while Aldi has also increased the number of products in its ‘Organic’ range, for customers who support organic methods of farming, by 400% since 2014.
Commenting, Emma Hunt-Duffy, Fyffes’ Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “Fyffes has supplied Aldi with bananas for over 17 years and we are delighted to be part of the agreement that sees Aldi become the first retailer in Ireland to sell bananas sourced entirely from sustainable sources.”
The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organisation that works to improve sustainability in tropical and sub-tropical forest and agricultural areas around the world. It works to bring a wide range of positive changes to banana farms to help them conserve their natural resources and ensure sustainable livelihoods. The Fairtrade Foundation ensures producers and traders have met international Fairtrade Standards, providing producers with improved terms of trade.
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