BERKELEY, CA — Once Upon a Farm, a nutrition brand for children, announced a partnership with the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), a certification nonprofit that works to improve the lives of farmworkers and drive business performance.
Through the collaboration, Once Upon a Farm is committed to sourcing and paying premiums on produce from EFI-certified suppliers. The premiums will be directed to non-salaried farm employees as a bonus to reward the workers for the extra diligence and training they bring to the fields through the EFI program.
Once Upon a Farm’s mission to provide children with better-for-you snacks aligns with the core of the partnership, prioritizing the health attributes of the products as well as the physical and psychological wellbeing of employees.
EFI trains and engages farmworkers to create safer food production while empowering them to vocalize their thoughts on improving working conditions. Once Upon a Farm set a goal to source 7 million pounds of organic produce from EFI-certified suppliers, which will cover an estimated 30% of ingredient purchases for its core portfolio in 2024.
“At Once Upon a Farm, we believe that, to drive the systemic improvements in childhood nutrition we are committed to, we must also drive systemic improvements to how our food is grown, picked and produced,” said John Foraker, co-founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm. “A healthy food system begins with healthy farmworkers.”
“Given the diversity in our supply chain, there is not a one-size-fits-all model for responsible sourcing, but Once Upon a Farm believes complexity should not equal complacency.” — John Foraker | co-founder and CEO | Once Upon a Farm
EFI partners with stakeholders across the food system to transform the lives of farmworkers and recognize their essential role in the industry. EFI’s certification provides third-party assurance that workers are treated and paid fairly and engaged in producing the safest, highest-quality food possible.
“Multi-ingredient consumer goods often have opaque supply chains, not by choice, but rather as a by-product of their complexity,” Foraker explained. “We use over 110 different ingredients in our products, from suppliers big and small. Given the diversity in our supply chain, there is not a one-size-fits-all model for responsible sourcing, but Once Upon a Farm believes complexity should not equal complacency.”
By partnering with EFI, Once Upon a Farm can increase its impact within the supply chain. The collaboration is the first step within the company’s larger initiative to advance equitable sourcing.
“We have an opportunity to see farmworkers as true partners in our mission to create safe, healthy products that parents trust,” Foraker said. “We also have an opportunity to be honest about the challenges and imperfections, so that we can work collectively with others in the industry on how to improve.”
A defining trait of EFI farms is the worker-manager collaborative teams that identify and address food safety concerns and social accountability issues. This approach breaks down hierarchical silos within the industry and equips farmers to add value throughout the fresh produce system.
For more information on the company’s sustainability initiative, visit the Once Upon a Farm website.
