RTRS welcomes Bakkavor Foods Ltd., Foyle Food Group Ltd., Koppert Biological Systems, KellyDeli, Premier Foods PLC and SOK Corporation.
In early 2020, six new organizations joined the Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS) as participating members from the Industry, Trade and Finance constituency.
UK food companies Premier Foods PLC and KellyDeli join RTRS for the purpose of adopting new and better strategies to increase the use of sustainable soy in their products and promote transparent and responsible supply chains along with their suppliers.
On their part, UK leading manufacturer of fresh prepared foods, Bakkavor Foods Ltd. and SOK Corporation, the Finnish cooperative that supplies food products to different Russian and Estonian supermarkets, hotels and restaurants, join RTRS in order to promote production, trade and use of responsible soy through the acquisition of RTRS credits and their commitment to incorporate certified soy into their products.
As a beef processor, Foyle Food Group Ltd. maintains a close relationship with livestock producers in order to reduce the environmental impact of their business. Based on this policy, the Irish organization joins RTRS with the intention to share with producers the benefits resulting from sustainable practices that guarantee zero deforestation in the livestock industry.
Koppert Biological Systems, a producer of biological defensive products for treating crops, joins the association to take an active role in decisions made about sustainable soy. After two years of active participation in – and cooperation with – various RTRS initiatives, the Dutch organization is committed to sharing its knowledge and experience in biological control technologies with producers and industry leaders.
Why become a RTRS member?
“We are concerned that without proper safeguards, the cultivation of soybean within South America, one of the World’s main production regions, is causing widespread deforestation and displacement of small farmers and indigenous peoples around the globe. We support the production of responsible soya bean and for this reason took the decision to become a member of the RTRS and play our part to make their vision a reality. Our ambition is to ensure that 100% of the soya we buy, both directly and indirectly, meets the RTRS standards for responsible soya production by 2025, and is therefore socially equitable, economically feasible and environmentally sound”. Paul Corscaden, Head of Procurement at Premier Foods PLC.
“Soy is a key ingredient in the food we produce and for this reason our participation in RTRS will allow us not only to improve our supply policy, but also to publicly announce our commitment to zero deforestation production.” Celine Ricord, Corporate Responsibility Manager at KellyDeli
“For Bakkavor, the growing demand for soy for animal feed represents one of the main factors causing deforestation globally. Faced with this, the organization joins RTRS to support the use of RTRS certified soy and to tackle and promote zero deforestation. In addition, through the acquisition of RTRS credits, we will cover soy consumption in 2019 from our UK supply chain.” Ian Burgess, Central Responsible Sourcing Manager at Bakkavor Foods LTD.
“Soya is an element of rations within the beef production chain and as a beef processor, we wish to move our suppliers to the use of sustainable soy in cattle production. Being a member of RTRS allows us to be updated about production of sustainable soy and the impact of agricultural practices that guarantee zero deforestation in order to make the best decisions regarding sustainable sourcing for our business”. Emma Russell, Efficiency Manager at Foyle Food Group.
“S-group joins RTRS with the commitment to promote the use of responsible soy in our supply chain. By the end of 2021, we expect our products offered in our S-Group restaurants and cafes, as well as products under our S-Group private label, to be produced only with RTRS and Pro Terra certified soy”. Senja Forsman, Corporate Responsibility Manager at SOK Corporation.
“Our goal is to be an active part of RTRS through dialogue and consensus by partaking in discussions on soy and corn certifications. We also seek to transfer our knowledge of biological control technologies in the field to certified producers and industry leaders”. Gustavo Herrmann, Commercial Director at Koppert Brasil.
About new RTRS Members
Bakkavor Foods Ltd
Industry, Trade and Finance | United Kingdom | www.bakkavor.com
Bakkavor is the leading manufacturer of fresh prepared food in the UK, with a growing international presence in the US and China. In the UK and US, the company works with leading grocery retailers to support them in differentiating their product offer by focusing on their own label brands and policy commitments, for example, zero net deforestation; in China they supply foodservice operators.
Environmental sustainability is one of the core pillars of their responsible sourcing strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of their supply chain. Sourcing ingredients and materials from more than 50 countries, they recognise their responsibility to procure ingredients and materials in a way that is as environmentally sound as possible, as well as support the sustainability commitments of the UK’s leading retailers. Whilst soybeans and their derivatives are used as direct ingredients in some Bakkavor products, the greater footprint comes from the embedded soy through the use of animal products, including dairy, poultry, meat and farmed fish.
Foyle Food Group Ltd
Industry, Trade and Finance | Ireland | www.foylefoodgroup.com
Foyle Food Group is one of the largest red meat processors in the UK and Ireland. It operates at eight processing facilities, across five sites, employing 1300 people. Foyle Food Group supplies products globally to leading retailers and foodservice customers within the UK, Europe and the Rest of the World. There are three key divisions: 1. Primary processing; 2. Further Processing; 3. Rendering and Eco
Premier Foods PLC
Industry, Trade and Finance |United Kingdom | www.premierfoods.co.uk
As one of Britain’s largest food manufacturers, Premier Foods employs more than 4,000 people in 15 manufacturing plants and offices spread across the country. About 96% of their production is made in the UK with quality ingredients from sustainable sources, supplied by British suppliers and producers.
KellyDeli
Industry, Trade and Finance |United Kingdom | www.kellydeli.com
KellyDeli is a fast-growing, innovative food company committed to bringing the best of Asia to the world, through their Asian-inspired restaurants and sushi kiosks across Europe.
Bringing the best of Asia to the world takes commitment to the details: the best ingredients, the finest artisanship, the highest levels of food hygiene, the most appealing new trends.
KellyDeli is rooted in Kelly Choi’s values: promoting the best, changing the game, and restoring balance in people’s lives.
Koppert Biological Systems
Industry, Trade and Finance |The Netherlands | www.koppert.com
Koppert Biological Systems is a Dutch company that has been developing sustainable solutions for agriculture for the past 52 years.. Together with growers and in partnership with nature, they work to make agriculture healthier, safer and more productive.
In Brazil, Koppert has two modern manufacturing facilities: the microbiological factory, in the city of Piracicaba, and the macrobiological factory, in the neighboring city of Charqueada, both located in the state of São Paulo. The company has full infrastructure to meet the growing demand of the agricultural market for biological control solutions. With standardized, safe and highly technological production processes, it guarantees the reliability and quality of its more than 15 products. The company also has its own Research & Development department to improve biological-control technologies for tropical agriculture. Koppert products are certified by the IBD, the main certification organization in Latin America and are present in most agricultural regions of the country, in small, medium and large farms, in partnership with regional distributors.
SOK Corporation
Industry, Trade and Finance | Finland | s-ryhma.fi/en
S Group is a Finnish network of companies in the retail and service sectors, with more than 1,800 outlets in Finland. It consists of independent cooperatives and SOK Corporation and its subsidiaries, which are engaged in hospitality and tourism in Estonia and Russia, among other operations.
They offer services in the supermarket trade, the department store and specialty store trade, service stations and fuel sales, the travel and hospitality business, hardware trade and banking services through S-Bank. Together with the cooperative members, they work to improve circular economy, fight climate change, and improve the operational culture, safeguard human rights and promote well-being and health.
