At this time of unprecedented interest in the impact of industry on the world in which we live, it is worth reflecting that for those of us in the fresh produce sector, ours is a position of both great privilege and immense responsibility.

That our primary function is the marketing of products, the health promoting properties of which have been firmly and definitively established, is something about which we here in Total Produce are incredibly proud.   Few industries can contend with such certainty that their core business- in this instance driving fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, makes so positive a contribution to public diet and general well being. That the products we market are associated with the lowest environmental impact of all the primary foodstuffs, serves only to illustrate further that ours is an industry of worth.

Prospects, though for increasing consumption still further, for our industry in general and for Total Produce, remain inextricably linked to the implicit trust attached to fresh produce by the consumer.  This trust, of course remains ever contingent on a confidence in the supply chain through which produce is delivered and in the integrity of those from whom it is sourced.  This section of our website details Total Produce’s commitment to the responsible and sustainable production of our broad portfolio of fresh fruits and vegetables from seed to store, farm to fork.

An Agent Of Carbon Reduction

Total Produce is, by its very nature, and by virtue of the products we sell, the scale and reach of our business and our role in fashioning the most efficient route to market, an agent of carbon reduction:

  1. Globally, the end product of our efforts to pursue synergies is most typically logistical and operational consolidation. Across production, throughout our logistics infrastructure and in the marketplace, we work with huge volumes;  the single, large, carbon efficient consignments on our ships, lorries and vans offering a compelling contrast to the multiple smaller, carbon intensive individual journeys associated with a fragmented supply base.
  2. Locally, in implementing our “Local Produce First” policy, we work to facilitate and assist local growers, manage seasonality, and importantly, promote locally sourced fresh fruits & vegetables to consumers. In doing so we, together with our retail partners, play a hugely important role in reducing the food miles associated with the fresh produce made available in the marketplace.
  3. Our products are inherently environmentally friendly. Fruit & vegetable production is associated with a much smaller environmental footprint than other comparable foodstuffs; a fact reflected in a widening consensus amongst environmentalists that meaningfully addressing climate change will inevitably require a move on the part of consumers towards plant based diets , e.g. the “Planetary Health Diet.”  In promoting fresh produce across the globe, we have an important contribution to make in influencing consumption and its impact on climate and the wider environment.

An Ongoing Journey

In Total Produce we know that, for a company such as ours, environmental conservation and sustainable production practices constitute not just a moral responsibility but also an absolute commercial necessity.

The standards to which our stakeholders hold us are clear. We must deliver premium quality, safe, traceable, responsibly grown produce to the consumer and be respectful of the responsibilities inherent in the pursuit of that goal; to our producers, the environment in which they grow and the markets in which we trade.

We believe we are.  We strive to adhere to best practice in all that we do.  We know too, however that much more can be achieved. We understand that for our industry and our company, the pursuit of ever more sustainable practices from seed to store represents an ongoing journey. And it is a journey to which we are deeply committed.

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