“Florida Food Products now offers fair trade certified aloe vera to manufacturers worldwide,” the company said in regard to its food, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications.
The certification began in 2009 and meant its supply chain was fully scrutinized by IMO towards earning its Fair for Life Social & Fair Trade Certification.
Because of the detail of the inspection, certification is rarely awarded in the first year, but the approval came through this year.
“In the beginning five years the operation was small with limited sources,” said vice president and owner, Tom Brown.
“Over the last ten to twelve years employment has more than doubled. When running the factory and farms, total employment including managers is about 65 people. When weeding and harvesting our farms there are about 25 more workers employed. In addition, the self employed vendor growers are at times employing additional workers for farm activities, harvesting and weeding. This is the direct activity of our operations - most of the employment gains have been at the vendor grower level.”
Fair for Life opened fair trade certification to many new producers and has raised the bar for Fair Trade brand holders, by providing a stringent standard and certification system that is free of political, religious or economic preferences and that has ‘Life’ in its heart.