How we face the biggest challenge: to make this industry predictable
The undeniable truth is that the only way we can transform this unpredictable business is by taking care of the source. Without that first part in place, it isn’t possible to achieve our desired outcome. Having this in mind from the beginning of the Unispice journey, we decided to face this challenge head-on and move towards a predictable and sustainable production model.
The industry’s unpredictability leads to inefficiencies and the fragmentation of the chain, making it impossible to deliver what is expected without innovative change. We realized that if the source becomes predictable, so does the rest of the chain.
Taking care of the source is crucial because it forms the foundation of the entire production chain. Any issues at farm level can have a domino effect, leading to disruptions throughout the end-to-end process. Ensuring the source is well-maintained allows for smoother operations downstream, from processing to distribution making it a predictable flow.
To achieve this, we work with real data to make meaningful decisions and create better plans. Gathering data from the first step is vital to making this business sustainable and reliable for everyone involved. We must take care of the source. If we don’t, there is nothing that can be done through the rest of the chain for it to work. Taking care of the source is a win-win situation that guarantees the produce is coming from a safe source and is of excellent quality.
We are committed to making our production predictable for our supermarkets, food services business and customers. We all understand that having the right produce at the right time is good business for everyone, and this can only be done through reliability of the source. By basing our practices on sustainability, predictability and complying with food safety , we can achieve health for our farms.
We would like to walk you through some of the practices that we’ve implemented to take care of our source and make this business sustainable and predictable, as follows:
Soil Health:
We’ve prioritized practices that improve soil fertility and structure, including cover cropping, and crop rotation. Healthy soil is more productive and can better support plant growth.
Biodiversity:
Our goal is to create and maintain a diverse farming system that includes a variety of crops, flora, and wildlife. This enhances ecosystem resilience and productivity.
Water Management:
We implement efficient irrigation systems and practices to conserve water.
Carbon Sequestration:
Our use of farming practices captures and stores carbon in the soil.
Not taking proper care of the source means poor soil health in the fresh produce industry, with a drop in crop yield and quality, a lack of biodiversity, and inefficiencies. All these factors can disrupt the supply chain and reduce product quality. For Unispice, the source is the heart and soul of the business. Without the right source, nothing else can function properly.