Sustainability Pillars

We put the Earth at the core of everything we do.

  1. BioDiversity

    We support biodiversity by reforesting the land with a diverse population of trees and plants. Some bear fruit to be wild harvested, some are intended to restore degraded and deforested land, and others are simply homes to the forest’s inhabitants. Together, they all help the ecosystem maintain its natural balance.

  2. Organic & Fair Trade Leaders

    Our operations at Candela Peru have helped create several organic and fair trade certifications by pioneering and setting the standard with their own practices and values. We were the first to get organic certification for brazil nuts, as well as lead the way for the FLOCERT standard in fair trade.

  3. Reforestation and Agroforestry

    In 1995, our Peru-based operations started our reforestation program to replenish the rainforest’s brazil nut trees that had been cut down. Currently, we grow a diverse group of seedlings in our greenhouse and aim to plant 50,000 of them in 2021 alone. We have helped others plant native crops like cupuacu in deforested areas, restoring 284 acres through organic agroforestry. These efforts will not only increase carbon capture for the planet, but it will help small producers return to these areas year after year for income.

  4. Environmental Protection

    By adding value to the rainforest in its natural state, we can give small producers in the area an opportunity for additional income. With their partnership, we have successfully protected 341,593 acres of brazil nut forest and 8,330 acres of bruiti forest. We do all we can to support the sustainable management of the Amazon rainforest, and take small steps to alter how we harvest and transport that can make a difference in the survival of a species.

  5. Waste Reduction

    We use every part of the products we harvest. Pulp becomes flour, shells are made into fuel, and pods are made into candles. We create feed for animals from the leftover. And we’re always thinking of more ways to address waste. We’re working on creating charcoal briquettes from our shells. And many of our products address issues of food waste by utilizing seeds that would otherwise be put into a landfill or incinerated, creating methane and other emissions. We have saved the tree species.

  6. Environmental Footprint

    We take our impact seriously, which is why we look for ways to reduce our footprint at every turn. We’ve created a process that uses leftover brazil nut shells to power our operations. Our offices are outfitted with solar panels, and we are currently working on a new water recycling system to reduce our consumption. We dispatch our products in large container shipments and warehouse them near our customers to reduce our shipping footprint as well.

We use 700 tons of brazil nut shells to power our facility each year.

CERTIFICATIONS