NICOVERDEwascreatedbyNicofruttainCostaRicatosupportandstrengthenthesupplychainofsmallpineappleproducers.Qualityandsafetyindevelopingthebusinessofsmallproducersinthecountryisguaranteedbymeansofaninternalcontrolsystemandatried-and-testedproductionprotocol,whilsttheprotectionandsafeguardingofbiodiversityisensuredthroughareductionofpesticidesandfullcompliancewithinternationalregulationsandcertifications.Theobjectiveistoachieveanoptimumendproduct,inlinewithEuropeanstandards.
Ourcertificationsandpartnershipsareatestamenttothiscommitment.
Fairtrade
We have been a Fairtrade licensee since 2004, the most internationally recognised, ethical certification mark in the world. Fairtrade standards stipulate fair prices for raw materials, the payment of a premium for projects in aid of the community, decent working conditions, and long-lasting business relationships for producers and workers in developing countries. Fairtrade also means caring for the environment. The certification requires us to increase and sustain eco-friendly production that must be GMO-free, protect natural resources such as water and forests, and allow for biodiversity to be maintained.
BlueFlag
Another important achievement for the Verona-based Nicofrutta Srl and its company in Costa Rica, Nicoverde S.A., was earning the prestigious Ecological Blue Flag in the Biodiversity category. Nicofrutta was the first Italian trading company to receive this award. The accolade was granted by a group of organisations and commissions in recognition of the decision taken by Nicoverde to implement concrete actions that protect and ensure ecosystems remain intact in the areas it operates in.
Partnerships
In 2018, Nicofrutta signed a public-private partnership with the develoPPP.de programme implemented by the German cooperation, GIZ, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ). This alliance has enabled us to develop a replicable model to strengthen the value chain of certified pineapple production in the hands of small producers in Costa Rica by means of an action plan for the pineapple production system that supports biodiversity.
