TRADIN ORGANIC
MASTERING THE ORGANIC FOOD MARKET
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TRADIN ORGANIC
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I PROFILE
Tradin Organic is the global front-runner for organic ingredients. With an extensive worldwide network of suppliers, the company is a strong player in the modern organic food industry. Tradin sources premium, certifiedorganic ingredients and has more than 150 products linking famers from over 60 countries of origin to manufacturers in Europe, the US and Asia. Rafal Taciak, Commercial Director of Cocoa, Sugar & Sweeteners, explained to Imogen Ward and Hannah Barnett how the company thrives.
ver 30 years of operation, Tradin
O
integrated supply chain and investment
has evolved into a specialised
in quality control and traceability.
the entire organic industry. The com-
concept of what is truly natural can be
pany’s secret to success is its vertically
confused,” Commercial Director of Cocoa,
importer of ingredients, serving
“Organic is our core business, but the
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TRADIN ORGANIC
I PROFILE
some additions to existing facilities. But ours was a greenfield investment, which was the Sugar & Sweeteners, Rafal Taciak said. “The big picture for Tradin Organic is to
first established in a long time in Europe.” The Bulgarian plant, SunComo, is a flower-
renew, refresh and rebuild awareness
to-factory facility processing top-quality,
about what organic really is; it requires
bulk, organic sunflower products, grown in
a lot of work to ensure full traceability.
ideal conditions between the Danube Delta
The concept of a mass-balance system
and the Black Sea’s north shore. In 2018,
doesn’t exist in organic.”
Tradin opened SunVado, an Ethiopian plant to process organic avocado oils with the
Setting the standard
vision to offer smallholder farmers access
Tradin employs 700 staff with sales and
to the international export market. The com-
sourcing offices stretching from Mexico
pany now works with more than 30,000
to France, and an HQ in Amsterdam. The
local organic farmers across Ethiopia.
€500 million business also has three fully-
There are other advantages to having
owned processing facilities which allows it
such a wide international footprint:
to ensure best organic practices and a high
“We have sourcing managers on each
level of quality control.
continent,” Mr Taciak explained. “They
“Our Dutch factory for cocoa processing,
are responsible for managing existing
Crown of Holland, was established 10 years
projects and searching for food that is
ago with one line,” Mr Taciak said. “Four
not yet well known in Europe or the US but
years later, we added a second line. In the
is used by locals and could be sourced
cocoa world, you may find new factories in
in industrial volumes. A good example is
Africa, Latin America or Asia. But in Europe,
when products such as quinoa and chia
for a long time there was nothing beyond
became very popular in the West.”
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Full value chain
enjoys robust relationships with
Tradin Organic operates a full value chain
its network of cooperatives and
approach. This means, with internal system
farmers, and sends representatives to
controls, each batch can be fully traced.
visit them regularly whilst also continually
Vendors are also thoroughly audited:
refreshing the vendor-approval proce-
“Before we source from anyone
dure. This ensures strong partnerships
external, the supplier has to be approved
aimed at collaborative and responsible
by our quality department,” Mr Taciak
business conduct. “We have our own
said. “We audit to ensure there is coher-
system of internal checkups for cocoa
ence in the way we are working, and we
beans: they are tested on residues,”
can trace raw materials to a cooperative
Mr Taciak added. “This mitigates the risks
at least. Farmers themselves are not
if a particular batch is contaminated.
always possible to trace because some-
Depending on origin of supplier, we test
times they are very small producers.”
from 10 to 25 per cent of all batches we
It is vital, therefore, that the company
receive in the Netherlands.
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TRADIN ORGANIC
I PROFILE
“When we find the residues we must
digital ID cards for each farmer, allowing
reject, most of our suppliers have no way
information to be exchanged in both
to sell the product further or cover the
directions and reducing paperwork.
difference. We, as partners for those people,
“We are also working with another
find ways to mitigate the losses. We don’t
NGO to explore a pilot programme with
treat them purely as business associates
a limited number of farmers which will
but also as part of the whole project.”
allow the ID cards to provide them with healthcare insurance,” said Mr Taciak.
Going the extra mile
“This is in the initial stage; it will take time
Tradin Organic has been working in Sierra
until we are going to get where we want
Leone since 2015, with 28,000 organic certi-
to be.”
fied cocoa farmers. The cooperative model
The company is also invested in refor-
uses the Fairtrade premium, and the com-
estation and regeneration, conducting
pany regularly invests in training and regis-
agroforestry projects in western South
tration for farmers to successfully pass the
Africa. The products derived from these
audit and start exporting organic cocoa. The
areas receive Regenerative Organic
farmers now function totally independently,
Certification (ROC), a step above organic
while Tradin has designed a local control
standard. This shows that Tradin Organic
system with dedicated quality coordinators.
is not only sourcing organically but
“We have our own team there,”
responsibly, ensuring that both farming
Mr Taciak explained. “When crop starts,
communities and ecosystems can thrive.
we have around 50 people responsible
“Certification was a very new idea a
for managing all supply chain opera-
few years ago, but it has grown to the
tions, quality checks and relations
level where the number of labels on
with local Sierra Leonean authorities
products is so high that it has lost
and cooperatives.”
meaning,” Mr Taciak reflected. “It has
Alongside several technical NGOs, the
caused mistrust. On any food, there’s at
company is also part of an innovative
least one or two labels and often an
scheme working towards personal
advertisement claims a product has
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been produced sustainably, or organically: but what does this really mean? “We are one of the only companies with such a long history in organic food and we have the largest portfolio of products. As a market leader, we play a key role in regaining trust. Organic certification is not green washing, it’s a robust programme that is not about simply doing well in a business sense.” Mr Taciak is clearly passionate about the work that Tradin carries out. As he explained, he has been able to make his mark at the company, joining when the Crown of Holland factory was being built and sales were at just 20% of capacity. “It was my job to fill our capacity, and after a few years to double it, while ensuring the factory continued to run smoothly,” he concluded. “With the help of several people, we did it. At Tradin Organic, we can really have an impact, which means we are also accountable. It’s a hands-on approach; something that’s very difficult to find in big companies. Here, there is a chance to introduce your own ideas and to make things happen. This is the value of being in a company like Tradin Organic.”
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