Ingredient Supply

There are 4 parameters we look for when sourcing ingredients:
Quality - taste, texture, freshness.
Supplier - reputability, labour practices, duration of business experience, organic practices & certifications.
Price - we try and find competitive prices; this is always important!
Location - as close to home as possible.

We'd like to introduce you to two of our suppliers; please read below to find out more about Fatima and Roux Foods.

FATIMA

Fatima Imports & Exports Ltd. work with Indian cashew nut supplier Zantye Cashew Nuts, a responsible grower and employer based in the beautiful region of Goa.

Goa is the only place in the world where every nut is handpicked from the cashew fruit. Harvesting takes place only when the fruit has fully ripened and naturally fallen to the ground, thus enhancing the taste of the nuts. This contrasts with harvesting practices in other Indian states, where the fruit is often picked prematurely and sun-drying is required to obtain the nut.

The grass on the cashew farms, which is grown naturally during the rainy season, is often used for cattle grazing. Milk dairies are often set within cashew farms and the composed cattle dung is used as an organic manure for the cashew trees.

Zantye Cashew Nuts have been exporting 100% organic cashew nuts since 1928 and have set up 4 processing units across Goa and Maharashtra. They are currently leading the cashew processing industry in Goa, selling quality Goan cashew across India through numerous outlets and e-commerce. Due to their ethical practices, Zantye have successfully undergone audit for SEDEX certification. Over 250 farmers in the region are paid a premium for the raw & handpicked cashews, as price rates are controlled and regulated by the state government. Furthermore, Zantye Cashew Nuts’ processing units have generated around 300 employment opportunities in the town of Bicholim, Goa. Around 90% of their employees are women.

Indian Women Sorting Ethical Organic Cashew Nuts

Factory employees at Zantye work on a daily contract or permanent basis. They are paid in the range of £8 per day, which is well above the minimum wage as per standard of living in the Bicholim area.
The employees are also entitled to additional benefits, such as festival bonuses and flexible working hours. Employees working on the processing plants are provided with appropriate personal protective equipment to protect against injury and minimise occupational hazards.

Indian women shelling cashew nuts in Goa.

ROUX FOODS

Ramah Farm, the home of Roux Pecans, is located on the banks of the Orange River in the Northern Cape of South Africa, where the Roux family has been farming for over 100 years. Ramah is 2,800 Ha in size, of which 120 Ha is dedicated to pecan trees. The remaining 2,680 Ha is kept as a natural reserve. Roux Pecans is owner managed, with Bob Roux (MD) and his wife Sarah living on Ramah, overseeing every detail of the operation.

Roux Pecans forms part of a social ecosystem, where their actions have the power to impact those living on the farm and those in the broader rural community. As a family who have lived within the ecosystem for nearly a 100 years, they are vested in its overall health. Roux Foods proudly employ many people in the area by granting living wages (not minimum wages), benefits & accommodation. 70% of their employees are women, 20 of whom are purposefully aligned to state of the art machinery to carefully select and manage the overall appearance of the finished pecan product, and who have years of Roux Pecans quality and expectation top of mind. Where there is a move globally toward total mechanisation at the expense of people, we find it best to find the balance between the two.

Due to their selection of of improved pecan tree varieties as well as our unique processing techniques, Roux Pecans kernels are especially known for having a very smooth, yet crisp pecan texture and flavour and an excellent light amber colour.