The journey of SAMBAZON's Açaí, what the company calls "Palm to Palm" — from the palm of the Açaí tree to the palm of consumers' hands — is guided by three sustainability pillars: pioneering traceability, safeguarding the Amazon, and a light footprint. The company's latest impact report details how SAMBAZON measures these efforts.
"The conventional Açaí supply chain relies on middlemen, which can lead to unfair pay for harvesters and a lack of supply chain transparency without origin control or accountability," said SAMBAZON CEO Ryan Black, who helped found the company following a life-changing surfing trip to Brazil. "SAMBAZON's priority has always gone far beyond profits. We created the first direct business model in the Açaí industry, one that's built around safeguarding the Amazon Rainforest and creating positive and personal benefits for our harvesters and their communities."
Since its founding, SAMBAZON has invested more than $1 million into its harvesting communities in the Amazon. In 2024 alone, SAMBAZON worked with 256 Acaí harvester communities and 827 individual Acaí harvesters in the Amazon. In a survey conducted last year by 60 Decibels on behalf of SAMBAZON, 93 percent of the harvesters surveyed say their lives have improved since working with SAMBAZON. All harvesters surveyed said the company has contributed to the development of their communities.
"We start by paying our harvesters a fair price for their Acaí so they can have a sustainable income," Black said. "Our goal is for their families and communities to be more economically stable, reducing the need for logging or clearcutting trees for agriculture. We require sustainable harvesting techniques, protecting against deforestation. We also support construction projects and quality of life improvements within our harvesters' communities."
SAMBAZON's impact report highlights stories of its harvesters, such as 29-year-old Jair Furtado, who helped his father build a school in their community, and Nelson De Vasconcelos Filho. Filho shares how conservation and sustainable Açaí management are valued by residents of Amazon riverside communities — and now there is a greater economic incentive to keep the forest standing.
The 2024 SAMBAZON's Fair Trade certified harvest area in the Amazon Rainforest has grown to 100,204 acres — about four times the metropolitan area of Paris. SAMBAZON's way of doing business, including its Organic and Fair Trade certifications, help safeguard this vital ecosystem, including endangered species, and promotes biodiversity.
SAMBAZON'S wild harvested Acaí isn't treated with fertilizers or pesticides. The company's Organic and Fair Trade certifications are an additional assurance that forbidden pesticides and other chemicals are not contaminating the harvesting environment.
The company's latest impact report details many results of the company's cumulative impact since it began. A few noteworthy achievements include:
- 661 million pounds of certified Organic and Fair Trade ingredients purchased — equivalent to the weight of 254 giant sequoias.
- 100% of harvesters believe SAMBAZON contributes to the development of their community, according to a 60 Decibels survey conducted on behalf of SAMBAZON.
- In 2024 alone, 4.5 million metric tons of carbon were stored in SAMBAZON's Fair Trade-certified acres. That's as much as about 3.8 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles
- being driven for one year.
- 96.4% of SAMBAZON's waste is turned into energy, reused or recycled.
- 98.6% of the company's energy used at its headquarters and processing facilities in Brazil is renewable (solar, wind, hydroelectricity).
- SAMBAZON is working towards its goal that by 2030 all of its retail and food service packaging will be from recycled or plant-based materials, and be recyclable or compostable.
As SAMBAZON concludes its 25th year in business, it looks forward to continuing its cycle of positive impact in the Amazon and around the world.
About SAMBAZON
Founded in 2000, SAMBAZON®, an acronym for Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon, was the first company to introduce "Certified Açaí" to the world, supplying Organic and Fair Trade certified Açaí products such as Smoothie Packs, Ready-to-Top Açaí Bowls, Juice, and Energy drinks from a proprietary supply chain, and pioneering transparency from the "Palm of the tree to the Palm of your Hand."
SAMBAZON's Fair Trade certification has helped to protect the Amazon Rainforest and its rich biodiversity and has helped to positively impact thousands of local growers by donating over $1 million to build or renovate healthcare centers, community centers and schools.
SAMBAZON Açaí Bowls retail concepts are available for franchising and licensing, transforming quick-serve restaurants for various segments such as Universities, Healthcare, Stadiums, Airports and Neighborhoods.
To learn more about SAMBAZON, visit www.sambazon.com or follow @sambazon on Instagram.
SOURCE SAMBAZON
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