Flagstone Foods Announces Intent to Source 100% of its Almonds From Bee-friendly Farms by 2025: A First in the Private Label Nut Industry

MINNEAPOLIS, June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of its landmark Healthy Bees, Happy Snackers initiative, Flagstone Foods, a premier private label manufacturer of snack nuts, trail mixes and other nut-based snacks, announced today its commitment to promoting a more sustainable almond industry by sourcing 100 percent of its almonds from bee-friendly farms by 2025, the first such manufacturer commitment from the private label nut industry. This pledge furthers the company's longstanding commitment to sustainable and ethical sourcing practices that protect the environment and lift up farmers and farming communities around the world.

"As North America's leader in private label snack nuts, few buy as many almonds as we do. We believe this distinction brings with it a responsibility to cultivate a more sustainable almond industry," says Flagstone Foods' Chief Executive Officer Robert Scalia. "We aim to work collaboratively with almond growers, processors and bee-friendly organizations through our Healthy Bees, Happy Snackers initiative, all focused on supporting the needs of the honey bee, which ultimately aids the almond industry as a whole."

To Flagstone Foods, the importance of promoting bee health is crucial for the company, the industry and the nation's food supply. Honey bees, critical to pollinating over one-third of the U.S. food supply and directly responsible for nearly 100 percent of almonds, are disappearing at a high rate. In fact, on average 40 percent of honey bee colonies die each year due to poor nutrition, pesticides, parasites and pathogens.¹

In addition to its bee-friendly almond sourcing pledge, Flagstone Foods' Healthy Bees, Happy Snackers initiative will include:

• Support of Sustainable Farming Practices: Partnering with select growers and processors to advance sustainable, bee-friendly farming practices.
• Bee-Friendly Certification and Verification Programs: Using the most current certification programs to verify that its almond suppliers are following bee-friendly farming practices.
• Bee-Friendly Philanthropic Support: Making charitable contributions to Project Apis m. and its Seeds for Bees^® program, which provides almond growers with the seeds and skills they need to create habitat and forage for bees while also improving soil health.

For more information on Flagstone Foods' bee-friendly commitment, visit: flagstonefoods.com.

About Flagstone Foods

Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Flagstone Foods is a premier private label manufacturer of snack nuts, culinary nuts, trail mixes and other nut-based snacks servicing the nation's top retailers in the club, mass, grocery, drug, limited assortment and convenience channels. The company also manufactures ingredients for commercial use, provides contract manufacturing services to branded food companies and offers a wide array of value-added services including consumer insights, global sourcing, commodity advising and product development.

^1. Project Apis m.: News from Project Apis m.

SOURCE Flagstone Foods