The company said that it is responding to growing consumer concern about the deforestation caused by the growth in demand for palm oil, and that it is committed to providing ingredients that are not associated with deforestation.
Faced with a complex issue with numerous technical challenges, Naturex says that it realised the need for a multi-faceted approach. The company has sought out a balanced solution built on two of what it believes are its core strengths: technical skills and supply chain expertise.
“Naturex’s R&D team has successfully replaced the palm-derived ingredients with non-palm source materials wherever possible,” said Amandine De Santi, business manager. “For example, since 2012, glycerin derived from palm has been replaced by a new source of rapeseed-derived glycerin in all colour formulations.”
“Regarding ingredients for which non-palm based alternatives are not yet commercially available, we have launched a global initiative that relies on our sourcing, quality, and R&D capabilities,” she continued.
In addition to the wild-harvest of many of its signature ingredients, Naturex has decided to participate in the Green Palm program, which the company says is fully in line with its environmentally responsible practices. Since the beginning of February, Naturex has been buying enough Green Palm certificates to cover 100% of the volume of palm oil derived ingredients used in the formulation of its products. These certificates are used to support sustainable palm oil production until the relevant supply chains become available. Naturex’s goal is to switch to fully segregated RSPO1 certified ingredients by 2015.
In response to the demand by manufacturers for ingredients that are entirely palm-free, Naturex has also developed a range of natural, palm-free colours. This range, according to the company, is a good compromise between current technical feasibility and consumer expectations for palm-free products.
