Farming
Farming
Colors was established by fruit producers with the goal of directly linking their product to the market. We consider the “grower-packer-shipper” nature of our business model as the key success driver and have expanded our directly owned and managed farming interests accordingly.
We are convinced that, as consumers around the world become more conscious of quality, health and food safety, the more concerned they’ll become about the environmental and ethical “performance” of the products they buy.
And as they increasingly challenge the overall sustainability of the systems underlying the provision of the foods they eat, so the demand will increase for foods from sources they are able to trust i.e. those that supply fresh, healthy, safe and sustainably produced fruits which transparently conform with these requirements. Being fundamentally connected to the source is therefore not a luxury, it is a business imperative, and we are thus committed to becoming a model of ethical practice and social and human development in all our farming businesses.
The Colors Farming Division is the custodian of our farming strategy and farming operations. Already farming on 750 hectares of owned and shareholder-owned land (supplying 15% of our current volumes), our aim is to expand this to 30% over the next 5 years.
The Farming Division - and the range of operations which it influences and controls - secures many advantages and benefits for us:
- It underpins the uniqueness of our fruit offering, whether it is intrinsically unique as a product, or seasonally unique in its availability earlier or later than others
- It provides the test bed for the scientific solutions that help us manage many farming risks, inherent technical challenges and the unpredictability of nature, allowing us to provide proactive guidance to our broader supply-base
- It allows us to lead the move to sustainable farming by harnessing the best of science and the best of nature, resulting in strategies that range from measuring and reducing carbon emissions and water usage, to improving soil health or protecting biodiversity
As we grow into a far-reaching vertically integrated organization, our Farming Division keeps us firmly attached to the soil and rooted in the values of our origin.
-
A related PDF factsheet is available to download or print.