Sustainable Juice
We build sustainable solutions across the juice value chain
Juice is the only business where LDC grows agricultural goods itself. As such, from our 38 citrus farms in Brazil to our juice merchandizing activities in destination markets, our sustainability efforts truly cut across the full value chain.
People
With farming activities in Juice, LDC employs approximately 8,000 people at peak season, primarily in Brazil.
This responsibility involves a massive commitment to training in order to run our operations as safely, efficiently and sustainably as possible.
Each year, we run hundreds of training sessions covering a range of topics, including workplace safety, product quality and agricultural best practice.
We go to great lengths to ensure that the work environment at LDC aligns with industry best practice – including on employment terms and work conditions.
Certification
A key part of our sustainability efforts is our certification process and partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and other partners.
Our juice operations are Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM at two levels: farm level certification and chain of custody certification.
Chain of custody certification tracks a product from a certified farm to its final destination, giving consumers full confidence in the product’s supply chain. The Rainforest Alliance certification has strict standards covering:
- Effective planning and management
- Biodiversity conservation
- Natural resources conservation
- Improved livelihoods and human wellbeing
Community
LDC is an important employer in the Citrus Belt, Brazil’s main region for juice production, generating income for local communities and helping to improve their quality of life. As such, we continually contribute to social projects that aim to improve the living conditions of local residents.
We also run our own best practice communication programme, Programa Compartilhar, to share our know-how with external partners and third-party fruit suppliers, including training on LDC policies and sustainable production methods.
The Environment
Our juice production is a zero waste process, with every part of the fruit used.
Juice is extracted, oils are recovered and all remaining pulp is transformed into citrus-pulp pellets. These pellets are used as an animal feed ingredient, rich in energy and fiber. Oil essences and aromas are primarily used by the flavor and fragrance industries.
LDC has invested in the construction of a state-of-the-art dry-peel plant, which produces dry peel from our ripe oranges, lemon and lime. This is used for pectin extraction. Pectin is sold on to the food industry as a gelling agent, thickening agent and stabilizer in food.
In addition, we are making significant strides in measuring and improving our environmental footprint during juice production itself, across the following areas:
- Industrial energy consumption
- Carbon footprint
- Water usage
- Waste generation
CASE STUDY
Technology to Improve Pest Control Efficiency
In Brazil, LDC has invested in new automation technology to help our teams inspect and monitor pests. Following a successful pilot, the ProMIP (Project of Inspection of Pest Mobile) is improving the efficiency of pest control through the use of a mobile application for data collection by pest inspectors on motorcycles.
CASE STUDY
Together for the Environment
Supported by LDC, this initiative aims to raise awareness among elementary school pupils in Brazil about the importance of protecting the environment. We bring children from local schools to visit LDC’s orange farms, teaching them about the importance of responsible water use, riparian forest, wild fauna, recycling and sustainable agriculture.
