• The Chilean company, originally from the Maule Region, offset the emissions generated in the transportation of its organic apples to Europe and the United States, in line with the new demands of consumers in both markets.
• Additionally, they highlight their positive commercial results, with a significant presence in China, overcoming the difficulties of a global scenario marked by inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the remnants of the pandemic.
Copefrut, one of the largest exporters in Latin America, has just presented its first sustainability report, a document that transparently showcases its economic, social, and environmental performance, materializing after the introduction last year of its new corporate sustainability policy.
“This report represents a true milestone for Copefrut, which, after 67 years of history, formalizes the actions that we have been undertaking and that are currently part of an efficient management model that strengthens our daily work,” said the chairman of the board, José Luis Soler.
Among its results, Copefrut accounted for the carbon footprint mitigation in the transportation of its organic apples to the United States and Europe through the purchase of bonds to offset greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the demands of consumers in both markets. In this regard, they also highlighted the consolidation of their energy management system and the drive for innovation in the use of packaging materials with minimal environmental impact.
Andrés Fuenzalida, the company’s general manager, emphasized that “generating a global sustainable culture is imperative since each part of the company’s value chain has impacts that we must address, and it requires companywide commitment to add more value.”
Sustainable and competitive
In the financial focus, Copefrut consolidated its position as the second-largest exporter of cherries in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the top ten fruit companies in Chile. The publication reflects the results obtained in the three areas – social, environmental, and economic – in the 2021-2022 season.
In the past season, Copefrut exported 109,000 tons of fruit to over 50 countries on five continents, whilst further consolidating its commercial platform in Asia, one of its main markets. The company exports five fruit species, thanks to collaboration with over 270 growers and a workforce of 250 employees, as well as over two thousand seasonal workers.
Alba Llavona, the sustainability manager at Copefrut, commented that the results reflect long term relationships with local producers, progress towards operational excellence, and strong commercial performance, which has allowed the company to achieve positive figures despite a global scenario marked by the war in Ukraine, inflation, economic crisis, and the recent impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis.
“We continue to be competitive. We have successfully overcome challenges arising from the global geopolitical and economic scenario, thanks to efficient operations and solid financial management. We need this economic growth to generate wealth and be sustainable, aligned with our internal policies and the increasing demands of consumers worldwide,” stated Llavona.
In line with the promotion of a sustainability culture, Copefrut launched its corporate policy in this area in 2022, with the recently published report being one of its first milestones. The strategy aspires to create a corporate culture that engages all links in its value chain, focusing on governance, production, and sustainable environmental management.
