Food Safety & Environment
BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 7), Global Markets Programme
Transylvania Food Company Srl is pleased to announce that following an audit by DQS Romania it has been confirmed that we meet the requirements set out in the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 7), Global Markets Programme, an entry level programme specifically designed for smaller and developing sites. We are the first micro-enterprise in Romania to achieve this status.
The BRC Global Standard has become a market leading brand that provides confidence and assurances to the food industry. The standard ensures good manufacturing practice and the safety of food products and was first created in 1998 in response to industry needs. The food standard was designed to ensure retailers wholesalers and brand owners were able to produce safe food products at a consistent quality. There are now 41 Romanian companies listed in the BRC Directory.
For further information visit their website at www.brcglobalstandards.com
Packaging
In our efforts reduce and even remove single use plastic, we found new and more sustainable alternatives. That is why we have replaced bubble wrap with Hexcel wrapping paper, why we now seal our boxes with paper tape instead of plastic, why we use biodegradable shrink wrap for our pallets and recyclable carrier bags made out paper instead of plastic.
Carbon Offset
For many years I have been concerned about the negative environmental impact of regularly flying to and from Romania and so we have decided to offset this by buying carbon credits. Our flights for 2018 were audited by the Uganda Carbon Bureau, established by our friend of 45 years, Bill Farmer. We purchased credits with Ecotrust Uganda who help farmers living in the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains. In 2003, Bill and I were on an expedition to climb the Rwenzori and we have both worked in Uganda on many projects.
Going forward we plan to become carbon neutral or even positive by offsetting our vehicle fuel and electricity.
Anybody interested to follow our initiative and offset their own air travel and energy consumption should contact the Uganda Carbon Bureau
(http://www.ugandacarbon.org/).
Annual EIA for Wild Harvesting
Each year we commission an Environmental Impact Assessment for the sustainable wild harvesting of the flowers, fruit and berries we will collect in the coming year.
Waste recycling
Each household produces around 1 tonne of rubbish each year. There is an acute need to recycle more of the waste we produce, in order to help our planet, which is the reason we signed contracts not only to recycle our plastic waste, but also our metal, glass and paper waste.
Upcycling
We here at Pivniţa Bunicii understand that each one of us can have a positive impact on our environment and that is the reason that we sell our products in jars and bottles made out of glass instead of plastic. We also upcycle our cordial bottles, and use them as glasses for our tastings or as vases for our wonderful meadow flowers. Our upcycled jars are being used as little bowls for our chutneys and jam for our Taste Experiences.
