Hey @Alex_Schwalb,
Nice to hear that you like that Jake is vegan. We think it’s more than a great start, it’s the single most important step we can take to a more sustainable diet.
Regarding sustainable and ethical production, we prefer ingredients from within the EU. That’s why the big majority of the ingredients in Jake are produced within the EU. Some ingredients, such as the chocolate, must be sourced from outside the EU. As these are mostly the aroma’s and as they represent a very small part of the product, we don’t source these products directly from the farmers.
For e.g. the bananas that are part of the banana flavouring in Jake, we work with 'International Flavors & Fragrances Inc'. IFF buys the bananas they use from several producers/wholesalers. This purchasing by IFF depends on several factors and we have no direct influence on this.
What we do have an influence on, is the choice for our suppliers, and in this example the IFF flavour house. For us, this is a choice for a supplier that actively focuses on a sustainable and fair chain. We always keep this in mind when selecting suppliers for the ingredients. Furthermore, we are constantly looking at developments in the ingredients. And our suppliers like to keep us informed of developments on their side.
While choosing for a certain ingredient, there are multiple factors to keep in mind to achieve the most sustainable product. For example, a complete organic version of Jake may sound great but could lead to a less sustainable Jake. How come? In order to call a product organic, every single ingredient has to be certified as organic, but choosing this ingredient doesn’t always have to be the more sustainable choice. For example, a non-organically produced pea from Belgium can be more sustainable than an organically produced pea from China, while it may be more sustainable to use the Chinese pea if you’re a Chinese company.
Price is another important factor. Say we can make the product even more sustainable, the price goes up a bit and the products are bought less. The non-buyers eat their normal non-vegan meals, which may result in a loss in overall sustainability.
Sustainability drives us, and it can be pretty complex. We always have to make certain considerations to achieve the most sustainable and fair result. For us, this can e.g. result in a choice for a supplier that actively focuses on a sustainable and fair chain.
