Our Sustainability Vision
We created our sustainability vision to help us stay focused on our mission and long-term sustainability goals.
Our vision is built on three key pillars:
Thriving Together in a Healthy Workplace, Green Forward, and Collaborate for Change.
These pillars reflect our core values: fostering a healthy work environment, advancing a green, carbon-neutral future, and building meaningful, sustainable partnerships.
Download Fruitsnacks’ sustainability brochure below:
Thriving Together in a Healthy Workplace
We strive to create a healthy workplace for both our employees and yours. Our mission says it all:
“Creating a healthy workplace by inspiring our partners with a local, family-driven story.”
Actions for a healthy workplace:
Healthy workplace for our employees
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Personal onboarding programs for new team members
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Coaching and training to help employees grow in their roles
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Monthly team meetings that share updates on Fruitsnacks’ operations and sustainability efforts
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Fresh fruit and soup at work for all employees, plus weekly take-home fruit for their families
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Comfortable housing and nutritious meals (prepared by a chef) for seasonal workers
Healthy workplace for your employees & a learning environment for students
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We promote healthy snacking in workplaces and schools through fruit deliveries
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Companies offering fruit to their staff for over a year receive the Healthy Workplace Label, becoming ambassadors for well-being
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Our blog series, “The Fruit Talks", showcases partner efforts to build healthy workplaces and improve wellness policies
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The Fruitsnacks Award recognizes companies with outstanding health and wellness initiatives
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We provide educational materials on healthy eating and invite schools to visit our farm and discover fruit cultivation firsthand
Green Forward
As fruit growers, we feel a deep responsibility to care for nature. For years, we’ve embraced eco-friendly techniques to boost biodiversity and reduce pesticide use. Our ultimate goal? To become climate-neutral by 2035.
Sustainable fruit growing
- We use eco-friendly techniques in our orchards to enhance biodiversity both within and around the orchard, while minimizing the use of crop protection agents.
- Pheromone traps to combat pests naturally.
- Nest boxes for weasels, owls, and falcons to control harmful pests and rodents.
- Bee hotels to support pollination during the blossom season.
- Biodiverse hedgerows and flower strips to attract beneficial insects and birds.
- Efficient water usage:
- 600,000-liter rainwater collection tank.
- Digital weather station to optimize watering decisions.
- Drip irrigation to provide water directly to the root zone of trees.
- These methods help us regulate watering frequency and volume.
We continue to explore new opportunities, including more resistant varieties, alternative crops, and different fruit species.
Green energy
- Our solar panels generate 550,000 kWh (equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 40 households).
- Our wind turbine produces 170,000 kWh (enough for 157 households).
- Energy-efficient cooling systems using ammonia instead of freon.
- The residual heat from the cooling units is used to heat the offices, production areas, and accommodations for seasonal workers.
- With the ammonia-based cooling cells and heat recovery system, we reduce our annual CO2 emissions by 63,400 kg.
- Our EMS system that tracks Fruitsnacks’ energy profile to inform decisions.
- A portion of our delivery vans are already electric, and we plan to further upgrade our fleet in the future. For the vehicles that are not yet electric, we use green diesel, which annually compensates for 66,365 kg of CO2.
An efficient and sustainable route planning
We reduce mileage and CO2 emissions through:
- We plan our routes as sustainably and efficiently as possible using the Odoo business application. This tool helps minimise the number of kilometres per route.
- After the baskets are assembled in Nieuwerkerken, a portion is delivered to one of the four depots (Haasdonk, Rebecq, Roeselare, and Reuver). The drivers depart either from the main headquarters in Nieuwerkerken or from one of the depots. This allows us to save 258,912 kilometres annually, equivalent to 24,555 kg of CO2.
- Deliveries are consolidated on fixed days. Fruitsnacks delivers to companies on Mondays and Wednesdays and to schools on Tuesdays. This means neighbouring companies' fruit is carpooled in the same delivery van.
Sustainable packaging
- Our cardboard boxes are made from 100% recycled cardboard.
- The wicker basket is included with the first delivery, after which companies reuse the basket. The white cloth inside the basket is washable, and with each delivery, a blue-purple paper is provided to place at the bottom of the basket. This keeps the basket clean at all times.
- Our partners reuse the cardboard boxes, giving them a second life.
- We do not take back the baskets and boxes. This way, there is no risk of cross-contamination, and we do not have to make extra trips from the depots back to Nieuwerkerken.
- Cardboard, residual waste, and wood are fully recycled separately by Bongaerts Recycling.
Towards a climate-neutral Fruitsnacks
- Our goal is to be climate-neutral by 2035, 15 years ahead of the European Green Deal target.
- To map the CO2 emissions of our business activities, we used the quantitative Climate Survey from KBC. These calculations show that we emit 64.18 tonnes of CO2 equivalents annually and save 1.93 tonnes of CO2 equivalents by using renewable energy.
- Annual investment in Climate Neutral Group’s sustainable energy projects to offset 65 tons of CO2.
- Participation in Climate Farm Demo and Klimrek-T projects to track and reduce emissions.
- The preliminary results assign 264 tonnes of CO2 equivalents to fruit cultivation at Fruitsnacks in 2023. The fruit trees, hedges, and soil contribute a total of 260 tonnes of CO2 equivalents stored."
Collaborate for Change
With more people, you can accomplish more work and therefore create more change. In collaborations, we seek partners with a passion for sustainability. As a family business, we support various charitable causes.
- Partnerships with organizations like Boerenbond, PC Fruit & Fruitconsult
- We participate in (pilot) projects such as Climate Farm Demo, Klimrek-T, and a project on regenerative fruit farming.
- Our suppliers must meet our sustainability requirements.
- We share knowledge through guest lectures and internships.
- We donate our surplus fruit to charities and wildlife rescue centers.
- We support charities such as Make-Wish® Belgium-Vlaanderen, Kom op tegen Kanker, Wandeling tegen dementie, Stefanie’s Rozenfonds, …
- Collaboration with social enterprise de Wroeter for organic fruit production.
The journey to sustainable business begins here
Would you like to get started with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a business?
Then be sure to visit the CIFAL Flanders website for inspiration, practical tools and concrete actions.
