Sustainable Food Sourcing Questions Answered by JC Dudley
Sustainable food sourcing is the sourcing of food ingredients that “protect the environment, local communities and also the wildlife”. As a rather broad term, there is no legal definition for “sustainable” or “sustainable food”. However, the terms are generally used to reference practices that consciously consider how food is produced, distributed and consumed. These are things that a food ingredient company has to be particularly aware of. It is a responsibility that we take seriously.
The phrase is often used in conversations surrounding:
- Organic products
- Fair Trade food
- Ethically sourced ingredients
- Low-impact produce
Knowing whether a food is sustainable can be difficult to determine. This is largely because many factors contribute to food being more or less sustainable. It is not only the food itself that has to be considered, but the methods of production, practices of the producers, and how others across the supply chain may be impacted. Other things may include:
- Resources
- Food waste
- Farming methods
- Animal welfare
- Transportation
- Public health and hygiene
Why is sustainable food sourcing important?
Sustainability has been a hot topic recently, and we are glad this has been the case. From fashion to food, furniture to freebies, many of us are becoming more aware of the impact of our actions.
With more attention being given to where food comes from and the environmental and human cost it can come with, our food ingredient company wants to ensure that we do all we can to support sustainable sourcing.
You may have come across terms such as “sustainably sourced fish” or “sustainably grown grain” before, but fruit and veg should be grown and sourced sustainably, too! Consequently, we are always trying to partner with producers that are really making an effort and working to make a positive difference.
Why should you care about sustainable food sourcing?
Not only do we want to enjoy food now, but we also want to continue to enjoy great produce for years to come. This is where the sustainability of food has to be considered. Sustainable food sourcing is not important for only environmental reasons, but it is important to consider the knock-on effects of unsustainable practices in the future. Having sustainable food sourcing now can help us avoid environmental damage, unfair practices, and even combat food shortages. We believe that every food ingredient company has a duty to care about how their food is sourced.
How do JC Dudley carry out sustainable food sourcing?
As we are very much involved in finding and using the best ingredients in our products, we take it upon ourselves to seek out ingredients that are as sustainable as possible. To this end, JC Dudley is a food ingredient company that is part of Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange). Sedex is a non-profit organisation that encourages and empowers responsible supply chains.
Among other things, Sedex monitors and reports on:
- Health and safety
- Labour standards
- Business integrity
At JC Dudley, we also try to work sustainably so that even when you do want to use fruits and vegetables from abroad (that may have travelled many miles to get to you!), the environmental cost has been considered.
Although we are proud of the reputation we already have, we very much keep the objective of becoming an increasingly sustainable food procurement company in the front of our minds.
We continue to work on our sustainable food sourcing. Our sustainable food sourcing is not something we are complacent about; we are always trying to improve. We believe that we have made progress from when we first started in this industry, and we look forward to continuing to work on the sourcing of our ingredients. We hope to always operate ethically, and pass on great products and services to you.
If you have any specific questions about our food sourcing as a food ingredient company, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.