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Cefetra: Leading the way in sustainable agriculture and innovation
In this issue of Sustainability Today, we are pleased to feature Cefetra as our Farming & Agriculture Company of the Year.
Cefetra Ltd, part of the Cefetra Group, is a leading global supplier of agricultural ingredients for animal nutrition, food, and energy sectors, with roots dating back to 1899. Headquartered in Glasgow, Cefetra UK serves the UK and Ireland's agricultural sectors, supplying the feed, food, drink, and fuel businesses with sustainable supply chains. A key focus of the company is grain origination (wheat, barley, maize, and more), whilst also offering inputs like cover crop seeds and low-carbon fertilisers to support farmers' transition to a sustainable future.
In July 2024, we recognised Cefetra as our Climate-Positive Farming Solutions Company of the Month, celebrating a period of remarkable growth and success for the organisation. Recently, we reconnected with Andrew Mackay, Managing Director at Cefetra, to reflect on how 2024 has unfolded for the company.
“Over the last 12 months, we have been making excellent progress on several fronts. We have expanded our farm origination programme by increasing our contacts with farmers and by signing a long-term marketing agreement with CMG, a national farmers Co-op. We are also pleased to have finalised our agreement with the Bristol Port Company which will give us access to a major import terminal in Portbury. As a result, we are able to offer a wide range of products to our growing customer base in the Southwest of England and Wales at competitive prices.”
As part of its focus on sustainability in agriculture, last year Cefetra launched Cefetra Ecosystem Services in partnership with Soil Capital. The programme promotes sustainable farming by supporting farmers in reducing CO2, enhancing biodiversity, and managing water. It rewards CO2 reductions, fosters regenerative practices for lower-carbon crops, and supplies verified products to cut customers' Scope 3 emissions, benefiting both ecosystems and economies.
“Currently, we are truly focused on how we can help farmers and consumers move further towards their sustainability goals. Our ambitions with Cefetra Ecosystem Services stem from our customer’s need to reduce their Scope 3 Emissions. Being uniquely placed in the supply chain allows us to be able to work in collaboration with both the farmer and consumer and support them equally as they make their commitment to sustainability,” added Andrew Mackay.
Cefetra has recently enhanced its services for Feed and Food customers by broadening its involvement in the supply chain for organic ingredients. In a remarkably short time, the company has secured a position among the top three suppliers of these products in the UK. Additionally, for its European clients, Cefetra has partnered with Anglo American Crop Nutrition to market and distribute Poly4, an innovative new fertiliser, across Europe.
“It has organic status and benefits from a low carbon footprint. The mine at Woodsmith near Whitby is under construction and when it is completed, will be one of the largest mines in Europe with the capability of producing 13 million tonnes per annum!” stated Andrew Mackay.
Over the years, global demand for responsibly sourced soya has grown considerably. In 2008, Cefetra developed its own standard: the Certified Responsible Soya (CRS) along with partners in South America. This pioneering scheme is now widely recognised across the industry for its uniqueness and number of longterm partnerships formed with farmers, boasting a number of benefits to sustainable farming practices.
The company’s approach to key partnerships has made it the success it is today. Building longterm and strong relationships with its suppliers, consumers, and service providers is key to maintaining its independent market position while growing trust and reliability with its customers.
Looking ahead, Cefetra is primed for further success, as it continues growing with its business partners, a strong and resilient product portfolio that resembles sustainability, product value, and social responsibility with a balanced concern for people, the planet, and profit.
In closing, we asked Andrew Mackay how he felt receiving the award, “We are honoured that you are recognising our achievements and efforts in sustainability within our industry. We realise we are on a journey, and we still have a lot of progress to make, but we feel confident that with the continued support from our customers and partners, we can achieve much more. Although the transition towards sustainability in agriculture is difficult, we are pleased to be playing our part through these initiatives and programmes to help deliver positive results.”
