How NatureSweet® is

Transforming Agriculture

All of our Associates are trained to recognize and respond to food safety hazards. They are also trained in a detailed health and hygiene policy, where they also learn to identify illness and will be reassigned to tasks not involving direct contact with produce.

The NatureSweet story begins with our powerful Associates. In addition to the Fair Trade seal, each Cherubs®, Glorys®, and Constellation™ package sold nationally at Walmart and Kroger (and beyond) has a FoodID code on the bottom. Each time someone scans the QR code, they learn exactly where their NatureSweet tomatoes were grown. A video introduces them to one of our Associates, and a quick tour gives our consumers a glimpse of what makes our tomatoes unique. It’s all a part of our corporate initiative towards full traceability. As a vertically integrated company, we have full visibility of our tomatoes from seed to shelf, and we choose to share that transparency with our consumers.

Our water sources and systems are assessed for risk, quality, and safety standards. Our facilities, equipment, and procedures are designed and monitored to reduce potential for contamination from water, allergens, microbials, and chemicals.

Water for irrigation at all of our greenhouses is drawn from NatureSweet’s own water wells, drilled hundreds of feet deep and monitored regularly for purity.

NatureSweet greenhouses use 58% less water than open field farms. Our drip irrigation systems help us to improve water conservation. We are also working to install a water recirculation system that will allow us to decrease the usage of both water, and fertilizer.

Our energy conservation plan has led to an 8% reduction in electricity consumption. To continue our trend of reducing energy consumption, plans are in the works to install solar panels at our packaging facilities.

NatureSweet leads with an approach of integrated pest management (IPM) which focuses on long-term prevention through ecosystem management. IPM drives all pest management decisions and reduces the risk to people and the environment. We monitor regularly to identify pests and determine if they are a threat. If found, we employ a host of methods – biological, cultural and physical – prior to use of chemical controls.

We have redesigned the packaging of several NatureSweet products to be made with highly recyclable PET plastics. Soon, our snacking tomato packaging will be 100 percent recycled and recyclable PET. We have also decreased the amount of cardboard in our shipping trays by more than 10%. Additionally, our retail boxes were redesigned so that more product fits into each pallet, reducing transport costs and emissions.

About half of the inorganic waste at NatureSweet is recycled. Our hydroponic production uses a coconut substrate to grow our famous tomatoes. We are exploring options to recycle the substrate, as well.

Leveraging their professional expertise, our Associates supported tree-planting programs and made improvements at a local water-treatment facility.

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More than 5% of the land NatureSweet owns is used for the conservation of habitats. There are more than 110 species of local fauna and this includes endangered species. Our protected land is also used to support the conservation of pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, and bats.

All of NatureSweet’s tomatoes are grown in greenhouses which allow us to grow the perfect plants year-round. We regularly review the greenhouses, and we do a process audit to ensure that the tomatoes are harvested in the correct conditions.

We train our Associates to ensure everything is done with best practices — this includes hand washing, pest control, cleaning and disinfection.

Our quality team takes a sample for evaluation - we sort for colors and defects and then determine quality based on the NatureSweet standards!

Once we pack the tomatoes into their package, we weigh and label every single bowl. We also code each bowl so you, the consumer, can trace your tomatoes back to the greenhouse where they were grown.

We then cool the tomatoes for preservation.

Finally, we load the tomatoes into refrigerated trucks and send the fruit to the packing area.

Our commitment to a safe and prosperous workplace is not just self posturing. We hold ourselves to the high standards of independent leaders in positive, systemic change. As such, we've sought and earned the sterling recognition of BCorp certification, joining a community of corporate change makers that are steering the course of business for the benefit of workers, customers, and our world. As essential members of the NatureSweet family, our Associates' prosperity, health & safety, wellness, and career development are a top priority because they are the hearts behind all we grow and do. Not only do we support, protect and celebrate these fine folks as individuals—we see and honor the important roles they play at home and in our communities. We make Associate development and civic support a prominent, transparent part of our Raised Right mission, because it's only through positive growth and empowerment in our green houses and beyond that we can provide as high quality, great tasting produce as we do.

B Corp certification recognizes companies that lead with environmentally innovative production processes and whose products have a positive environmental impact. As a certified B Corp, NatureSweet meets and must continue to meet high criteria in environmental management practices and impact across our entire organization. We grow not just for now but for the future through industry-leading sustainable sowing and irrigation methods.