Cargill Expands Segregated Sustainable Palm Oil Capacity in North America
New offering meets certification standards for Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil
As part of ongoing efforts to increase the availability of sustainably sourced ingredients, Cargill will become one of North America’s first large-scale suppliers of segregated palm oil certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Beginning December 2020, all palm oil production from the company’s Charlotte, North Carolina refinery will be solely dedicated to providing the sustainably sourced product.
“Palm oil plays a critical role in feeding and supporting millions, as it is the world’s most widely used vegetable oil,” said Reid Kinde, North American commercial leader for Cargill’s global edible oils business. “With growing numbers of brands pledging to source palm oil responsibly, we are now positioned to supply North American food manufacturers with sufficient quantities of segregated RSPO-certified product to meet their sustainability commitments.”
The expanded supply means consumers may soon see the sustainable palm oil used in many of their favorite foods, including bakery, snacks, confectionery and dairy, as well as popular non-dairy creamers.
Segregated certified palm oil must be produced according to the principles and criteria established by the RSPO, which verifies that forests are protected, and social and environmental safeguards are met during the oil’s production and harvest. To carry the segregated RSPO designation, all product must be kept separate from commodity palm oil supplies and be traceable throughout the supply chain. It is produced on RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil plantations, refined at RSPO-certified facilities and ultimately used by a RSPO-certified manufacturer.