Kemin, a specialty ingredients manufacturer for the food, health and personal care industries, has received certification for the sustainable production of its rosemary plants.
After investing “millions of dollars” to develop a sustainable, agronomic approach to its rosemary production, according to Kemin, over 50% of the company's rosemary production has been certified as Sustainably Grown by SCS Global Services (SCS); Kemin's remaining fields are due to be audited later this year with the aim of receiving certification before the 2014 cropping season. The SCS certification recognises crops that have been grown with exceptional environmental and social responsibility as well as quality and safety requirements.
The certification now means that Kemin will be able to provide natural, rosemary extract based ingredients to customers who want to have the validation and recognition of the highest level of sustainable agricultural practices. Linda Brown, SCS Senior Vice President, said: “Kemin’s certification sets an important precedent for ingredient producers. It gives manufacturers of food, health and personal care products who are concerned about the long term sustainability of their ingredients a clear choice. It also opens the door to potential labelling of their customers’ products down the road.”
Dr John Greaves, Kemin Vice President of Specialty Crops, said: “This certification verifies the investment we have made in developing a sustainable approach to growing our proprietary rosemary plants. Our vertically integrated system produces a consistent and reliable supply of rosemary extract based ingredients.”
