庞大的树木，这是一个半到两个半米高，长行紧密地站在一起。在这里，在巴西的Ceará状态，Acerola Cherries因炎热的天气和丰富的光而尤其良好地生长。收割机挑选水果，小心地将它们放在铲斗中，然后在宽阔的浅绿色容器中收集它们。在同一天，他们由卡车驱动到几公里的工厂。这很重要，因为否则有价值和精致的物品迅速破坏。在工厂中，将水果加工成果汁，然后小心地集中。之后，它将在大容器中运送到法国。在Antrain的戴安娜食品厂，布列塔尼 - 距离旅游景点Mont-Saint-Michel的几公里 - 果汁浓缩物最终在喷雾干燥厂中加工成高芳族粉末。

The effort is worth it because the reward is the important and equally valuable ingredient of acerola cherries. It is considered the fruit with the highest content of vitamin C. The juice of this slightly sour stone fruit contains up to 50 times as much vitamin C as in a lemon – depending on where the cherry is grown. The ones from Ceará contain between 2,000 and 3,000 milligrams per 100 grams of fruit. They also contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium and secondary plant substances such as flavonoids, pectins and anthocyanins. This diverse mix offers great benefits. Acerola, for example, has an antioxidant and cell-rejuvenating effect because it boosts the metabolism.

Naturally better

许多人通过服用含有Acerola的食物补充剂受益于维生素升压。Nathalie Rirher表示，需求不断增加，他在健康和营养区工作。雷竞技二维码作为产品经理，她负责Acerola产品，以及其他事情。Symrise已经为这些产品提供了20年。近年来，业务经历了重大推动。“客户越来越希望来自大自然的产品，”Nathalie解释道。“通过维生素补充剂，这使得很多意义，因为天然维生素比合成的维生素更好地代谢。因此，他们工作得更好。“除了平板电脑外，粉末还用于饮料或旨在增加福祉的功能性食品。

为了获得最佳原料，戴安娜食品已经参与了生产国多年。在巴西，该公司与该地区的几家供应商合作，以确保水果的可用性和最佳品质。公司又从亚马逊地区居住的一些农民购买Acerola Cherries。“我们帮助改善培养和收获方法以实现更高的品质，”纳撒利说。为此，来自供应商的农学家和戴安娜食品股票信息。“例如，他们规定，当农民应该在即将成熟时收获水果，因为这是维生素含量最高的时候。”仍然绿色的acerola樱桃落在篮子里。这最初引起了令人难以置信的外观。然而，农民迅速意识到他们的产品必须为此目的而被收获 - 并且通过这种方式，他们可以增加收获的价值，从而增加他们的收入。

多年来，有机趋势在该地区发生了农业。“超过10％的Acerola购买现在来自有机农业，具有强大的上升趋势，”纳撒利解释道。戴安娜食物最终带来市场的阿尔罗拉粉的维生素C含量为17％。另一个含有两倍的成分的两倍来自常规农业。它主要用于保留加工肉类等食品。作为一个强大的抗氧化剂，它非常适合这一点。

不仅仅是有机

Now, in September 2020, Diana Food has launched a new acerola powder. This one goes a step further. “We were the first company worldwide to develop a fair trade acerola powder,” says Marie Le Henaff, Global Sustainability Manager within Symrise Nutrition. A customer specifically commissioned the concept, which also includes organic certification. “Now it will be expanded to other customers, especially in Europe,” says the company’s sustainability manager. The certification, which is verified by the strict “Fair for Life” seal, requires very different measures and is checked by external experts. This includes, for example, quality, traceability and food safety. Social and ecological aspects as well as long-term commitment to suppliers also play a role.

“In the beginning, we looked for a partner among our suppliers who already produced organic ingredients anyway,” continues Marie Le Henaff. The positive impact on the environment was important, and now the social component can be added. “The new certification that we started in May 2020 fulfills several purposes at once for us: We can really make a difference for the people in the region while diversifying our product portfolio and meeting the demand for fair trade products,” Marie Le Henaff explains. This is how sustainability and economic success work together.

承诺规划稳定性 

But that’s easier said than done, Marie Le Henaff emphasizes. To receive the “Fair for Life” certificate, which is verified annually directly with the farmers, companies must be committed and address the entire value chain – from the farmer to the factory to the customer. An important element is that suppliers pay farmers at least 10 % more for fair trade raw materials than for conventional ones. This is guaranteed for three years so that both sides can count on it in the long term – no matter how the market develops. 

“如果他们知道我们将在很长一段时间内与他们合作，那么农民只能转换他们的生产，”玛丽·勒·赫夫仍然是玛丽·勒·赫夫。但金钱不仅流入农民口袋;它也应该用于改善过程。“我们的供应商已联合讨论新农业实践的农民委员会。”这些包括，例如，水管理和培养技术。承诺的另一部分涉及往往与农业无关的问题 - 从卫生保健和教育到平等机会。“但农民的独立对我们来说也总是很重要，”玛丽·勒·赫夫说。“他们可以与我们合作，但他们没有必要。”

在困难条件下认证

The certification process took place in the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. “It wasn’t easy because the ‘Fair for Life’ employees were not allowed to travel,” Marie Le Henaff remembers. “But we absolutely wanted to implement the certification.” Therefore, the first audits were initially conducted online by the third party. Afterwards, when the number of cases and thus also the restrictions decreased, the auditors could travel to the farmers. The first interim results are positive. “For us, this is a pilot project that we want to expand,” says Nathalie Richer. “Together with our suppliers, we can achieve a great deal.” The fair trade component has a future, explains the project manager. “We estimate that 5 % of the market will be suitable for this in the coming years.”