Nestlé announced it closed its joint venture with the Indofood Group last month, while PepsiCo reiterated its stance to not source palm oil – either directly or indirectly – from the company and its subsidiaries, purportedly linked to deforestation and...
Unilever has become the first consumer goods company to publicly disclose all the suppliers and mills it buys palm oil from, both directly and indirectly, it says.
Becoming the first country to certify the sustainability of its palm oil will boost exports and undermine 'unfair' labelling practices, a leading industry official has told us in an exclusive interview.
Global palm oil production is expected to grow by 6m tonnes this year, after output was hit hard in 2016 due to the strong effects of the lingering El Niño weather system from the previous year.
There's "a gold rush mentality" in the palm oil sector preventing it from becoming truly sustainable, says Danish NGO NepCon. But its database Sourcing Hub can help manufacturers make the most sustainable possible choices when buying palm...
With a recent European resolution calling for tariffs and trade barriers against any palm oil linked to deforestation, Malaysia's minister for plantations and commodities warns: "We will react and respond accordingly to any discriminatory measures...
Ferrero has won a court case against Belgian retailer Delhaize for claiming its palm oil-free, Nutella-style spread is healthier and better for the environment than a product with palm oil.
A new variety of oil palm developed using traditional plant breeding techniques will increase crude palm oil yields by up to double current levels, says SMART Tbk, a subsidiary of Golden-Agri Resources (GAR).
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has issued its first RSPO Next certification, a stricter voluntary add-on, to Colombian-based agribusiness Daabon Group.
Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Sweden has removed palm oil from 98% of its products, meaning 1,500 fewer tons of saturated fat in consumers' food. But what were the technical challenges and how was it received by fellow members of the Roundtable...
Food manufacturers are struggling to tackle deforestation because of failures by governments both at home and overseas, according to candid interviews with a number of high-profile firms.
Today the European Parliament voted to implement tough new palm oil resolutions, which if enforced would see its elimination from use in biofuels and enforce stricter regulations on production and certification throughout the continent.
FoodNavigator approached industry and campaigners for their reflections on the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)'s 2016 Impact Report. What are the challenges and opportunities in the next 12 months?
Ferrero has launched a TV advertising campaign defending its use of palm oil in its flagship product Nutella, saying palm oil is currently suffering "an unfair smear campaign" in Italy.
Back in 2014 I interviewed Hans Jöhr, who at the time was corporate head of agriculture at Nestlé. We had a (refreshingly) open discussion about certification schemes. Some of them are “cheating consumers” and “cannot help farmers be better farmers per...
Amnesty International has uncovered “systemic” cases of child labour and labour rights abuses in Indonesian palm oil plantations operated by Wilmar, tracing the palm oil back to firms including Nestlé, Unilever and Kellogg – companies that all claim to...
Film maker Michael Dorgan went to the forests of Latin America and Africa to investigate palm oil production while observing a palm oil-rich diet and returned convinced only multi-stakeholder action can provoke real progress.
'Let me be frank: No other broad certification scheme for a sustainable agricultural crop goes as far as RSPO for palm oil.'
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is battling a number of issues, from its own members adding 'palm oil-free labels' on product packaging to calls at an EU level to strengthen its certification criteria. But according to United Plantations...
New commitments to tackle deforestation in commodity supply chains have almost doubled in the past 12 months, but pledges remain “piecemeal” with very few companies looking beyond palm oil, according to a recent analysis.
At a time when the conversation around palm oil centres on deforestation, fires and habitat loss – and global demand shows no signs of abating – several companies have come together to create Palm Done Right, a new standard for ethical palm oil production....
Greenpeace's damning report on Malaysian palm oil supplier IOI, just one month after its membership of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was renewed, could be damaging for the certifier, according to one sustainability consultant.
Greenpeace activists are blocking palm oil imports from Malaysian trader IOI at Rotterdam harbour in protest at the firm's involvement in forest destruction, peatland fires and use of child labour.
Voluntary market initiatives from the largest buyers and sellers of palm oil could help curb deforestation linked to the crop, researchers say, noting South America and Africa are most at risk of future damage.
Replacing tropical lowland forests with oil palm plantations can damage 11 out of 14 functions of a healthy ecosystem, some of which will be irreparable, researchers say.
Swedish oils giant AAK has struck a deal to buy Richmond, CA-based California Oils Corp from Mitsubishi Corp in a bid to increase its presence in the US market.
Palm oil that is harvested at the right moment, pressed quickly and processed at appropriate temperatures contains insignificant levels of contaminants - if any, says the Italian Union for Sustainable Palm Oil. "This should be the standard for quality...
After less than two years in existence, the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge has disbanded to the dismay of environmentalists who say its member companies were bullied by the Indonesian government into adopting weaker standards.
Rice, soy, corn, wheat and palm oil are the “new frontier” of climate action, said Oxfam this week, as it published new data detailing the “massive” environmental impact of the world’s major commodities.
French politicians have dropped the proposed palm oil tax, leading some politicians to say the country is being blackmailed by producer countries. "We are legislating with a knife at our throats," said one.
After finding that 12 kids' food products from Nestlé, Barilla, Ferrero and Danone contain high levels of carcinogen 3-MCPD, Italian consumer group Altroconsumo is calling on parents to stop giving products that contain palm oil to children.
Confectionery products account for 1% of total packaged food that carries a sustainable palm oil label, according to new ethical labels data from Euromonitor.
While going from zero to a forecasted $100m in revenues in fiscal 2017 largely under your own steam (it sold a minority stake to VMG Partners in 2013) is no mean feat, tying the knot with Hormel will propel Justin’s nut butter into CPG’s major league,...
Vegetable oil, processed food, infant formula and cancer: All the ingredients for a consumer food scare over the carcinogenic contaminant 3-MCPD are there - so why hasn't there been one yet?
Almost one fifth of young children exceed the tolerable daily intake for potential carcinogen 3-MCPD, says the Dutch food safety authority, as EFSA prepares to release an assessment on the compound next week.
Four of the world’s biggest food companies have moved swiftly to cease trading with Malaysian firm IOI after it fell foul of sustainable palm oil rules, but NGOs say it’s too little too late.
From non-GMO glycerine-based solvents to sustainably sourced hydrocolloids, more and more companies are seeking ethical certification for 'invisible' ingredients – but what’s fuelling this demand when consumers probably don’t even notice?
GreenPalm sustainable palm oil certificates will now offer buyers traceability back to the mill, meaning it is now the only fully inclusive supply chain open to all growers, says the trading platform. But campaigners are still calling it a "false...
Ferrero comes out top for its commitment to deforestation-free palm oil with Nestlé close behind - but other companies are simply failing, warns a Greenpeace report which ranks firms for their sustainable palm oil supply chains.
The Russian government is considering imposing a tax on palm oil and sugary drinks in a bid to fill state coffers and improve public health, according to reports.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) will publish maps of all its members’ palm oil plantations – with the exception of Malaysia – in the hope closer monitoring will prevent forest fires and peat land destruction. But is this enough?
Scientists have identified a genetic defect in oil palms, called bad karma, which reduces yields – a finding that could save industry both time and money, they say.
The Norwegian national investment fund has cut ties with four major Asian companies, citing the risk of ‘severe environmental damage’ as a result of palm oil plantations.
A sustainable logo is known to add value to a brand – so why are so many manufacturers not showing their Fairtrade, organic or sustainable credentials?
The Malaysian government says it is assessing what action it should take to address ‘no palm oil’ labels in France and Belgium, the legal grounds for which have come under scrutiny.