OUR HAZELNUTS
Ferrero’s activities to achieve sustainability along its hazelnut value chain include the traceability of this ingredient.
Our hazelnuts come mainly from Turkey, Italy, Chile and the USA. Ferrero is committed to achieving full traceability of its sourced hazelnuts in its hazelnut value chain. Traceability in Ferrero’s hazelnut value chain refers to being able to trace the hazelnuts back to their origin, either the individual farm or “farm cluster”. Achieving this commitment has been challenging in some countries where supply chains are larger and more complex. In other countries, higher levels of traceability have been reached. In Chile and the USA, for example, Ferrero has achieved full traceability.
Ferrero has published a Charter document dedicated to hazelnuts, which has been developed together with Earthworm Foundation. The Ferrero Hazelnut Charter outlines Ferrero’s requirements and commitments regarding the responsible sourcing of hazelnuts. The Charter is based on Ferrero’s selected priorities in three areas: Human Rights and Social Practices, Environmental Protection and Sustainability and Supplier Transparency, towards its aim to be a driving force behind a hazelnut industry that creates value for all. Central to enabling the implementation of the Charter will be Ferrero’s sustainability programme, Ferrero Farming Values (FFV) for hazelnuts, as well as partnerships and collaboration with suppliers, trusted partners and other value chain actors.
Ensuring quality and freshness
The hazelnuts used in Nutella® come from hazelnut orchards, which are mainly found in Mediterranean type climates. Our hazelnuts come from different parts of the world, our main origins are Turkey, Italy, Chile and the USA. Turkey’s Black Sea region is the world’s largest producer of hazelnuts and as a consequence where we source the main part of our hazelnuts. Ferrero’s expertise and tradition with this fruit goes back to its roots in Italy, as supply can also be found in Piedmont - where Ferrero was founded - as well as in Lazio and Campania. The harvest takes place between the beginning of August and the end of September.
To ensure the availability of quality and fresh hazelnuts, cultivation also takes place in countries in the Southern Hemisphere to provide an additional harvest from February to March. As part of this approach, Ferrero has established hazelnut farms (Agrifarms) in Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Australia, in addition to Georgia and Serbia. Through these Agrifarms, Ferrero is developing a sustainable business model with local farmers, to share and promote good agricultural practices (nurseries, training, agronomic assistance, etc.). Discover more in Ferrero's latest Sustainability report here.
Sustainability in hazelnut sourcing
Ferrero’s vision towards sustainability aims to improve the conditions of the hazelnut communities where it operates.
Durante la temporada de cultivo de 2019, nuestros equipos visitaron más de 400 huertos al día, alcanzando los 21,211 agricultores. Las plantaciones que participaron aumentaron sus rendimientos en un promedio de 40-45% en comparación con los otros huertos en las mismas áreas.
Ferrero también ha colaborado con GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) para desarrollar un Sistema de Monitoreo y Evaluación con el fin de evaluar e informar el progreso y el impacto de las actividades e intervenciones sociales sobre el terreno. Este sistema refleja los datos recopilados de diferentes partes interesadas, incluidos agricultores, trabajadores, intermediarios laborales y líderes de opinión de la comunidad ".
Uno de los países en los que se cultivan las avellanas que cumplen nuestras normas de alta calidad es Italia, e históricamente ha sido así en las regiones de Piamonte, Lacio y Campania, por eso es importante cuidar el desarrollo sostenible de la cadena de valor y la preservación en dichas zonas. Como parte de su plan de abastecimiento responsable, Ferrero colabora desde 2015 con DNV GL, una organización que ofrece servicios de aseguramiento técnico. Gracias a esta colaboración Ferrero puede desarrollar actuaciones concretas sobre el terreno con los agricultores y las asociaciones, incluyendo la formación y la asistencia sobre el terreno.
La primera explotación agrícola de Ferrero, Agrichile, se estableció en 1991 en Chile, que disfruta de un clima favorable para el cultivo de avellanas. El resultado de más de 25 años de actividad de Agrichile, junto con la experiencia de nuestros agrónomos y las grandes habilidades de los agricultores chilenos, ha sido la creación de una cadena de valor completa. Los propios procesos de producción de Ferrero en Chile fueron certificados en 2019 bajo la norma de Crecimiento Sostenible por SCS Global Services, un programa de certificación acreditado. Este programa garantiza que las avellanas cumplen con varias normas ambientales, que los trabajadores y las comunidades agrícolas están protegidos y comprometidos, y que la explotación agrícola es fuerte desde un punto de vista económico.
Joining forces with key stakeholders
At Ferrero, we take ethical practices, including better employment practices within the hazelnut value chain, very seriously. Ferrero actively participates in an extended Public-Private Partnership with CAOBISCO (European Association of Chocolate, Biscuits & Confectionery Industries) and the ILO (International Labour Organization) in Turkey, through a project that aims to contribute to the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in hazelnut harvesting. Ferrero is also partnering with Earthworm Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on positively improving value chains, on its responsible sourcing program for hazelnuts.
