Kind has announced that it seeks to become the first snack company to exclusively source its almonds from bee-friendly farmland across the globe by 2025.
For Kind, almonds are the lead ingredient in most of its products and it claims it sources 1-2% of the world’s almonds. The snack bar manufacturer’s latest commitment aims to protect pollinators by significantly increasing their habitat and eliminating specific pesticides.
By working directly with farmers, suppliers, researchers and other brands, Kind aims to significantly expand the usage of bee-friendly practices among almond farmers. This includes asking its suppliers to reserve 3-5% of their farmland for dedicated pollinator habitat and eliminating any use of neonicotinoids and chlorpyrifos.
As the marketplace for bee-friendly almonds further develops, Kind says it will use both the certification and verification programmes currently available, as well as explore new methods, to validate its suppliers’ practices.
While California is said to currently produce the vast majority of the world’s almonds, according to Kind, it is estimated that less than 20,000 acres of its nearly 1.53 million acres of almond orchards are verified as bee-friendly. Through the mentioned practices, Kind intends to significantly increase the availability of almonds grown on bee-friendly farmland.
“We have been energised and inspired by the leadership demonstrated by some of our peers and partners to more actively protect pollinators. We are also incredibly proud that many of our almond suppliers have led the way, proving that incorporating more bee-friendly practices is not just good for pollinators, but also good for business,” said Daniel Lubetzky, Kind’s founder and executive chairman.
He added: “But we can do more to make these practices central to the way the almond industry does business. While we know we can’t do it alone, we are proud to lend our voice and scale to call for this much needed change.”
In addition, Kind Foundation – its nonprofit organisation – will invest $150,000 in the Williams Lab at the University of California, Davis, to fund its research on bee health and the tracking of farm-level improvements.
The announcement also comes as Kind signs up to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, targeting 100% recyclability, compostability, or reusability across all its plastic packaging by 2025.
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