{"id":5210,"date":"2024-08-14T22:47:15","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T22:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sourceofchange.spadel.com\/2024\/08\/14\/the-spadel-naturality-framework-updated\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T04:45:31","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T04:45:31","slug":"the-spadel-naturality-framework-updated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sourceofchange.spadel.com\/nl\/2024\/08\/14\/the-spadel-naturality-framework-updated\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spadel Naturality Framework, updated"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lot has changed since we first introduced the Spadel Naturality Framework back in 2015. Environmentally, socially, economically, and technologically. Just as our world and expectations evolve, so must we. Which is why we\u2019re proud to introduce the updated Spadel Naturality Framework as part of our Source of Change 2025 CSR strategy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With this update, we\u2019re addressing important strategic and commercial concerns explains Marianne Mahieu, Group Formulation R&D Manager in the \u2018Brand, Innovation & Sustainability\u2019 Team at Spadel.<\/p>\n

Innovation doesn\u2019t sleep<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Strategically, we need to embrace all the innovations that the food and beverage industry brings. Commercially, we need to ensure every decision we make is both sustainable for the planet and for the company.<\/p>\n

Our Naturality Framework helps us respond to consumer demand for more natural and less processed products at affordable prices. It also gives our suppliers clear technical criteria on what ingredients and compositions we consider to be natural whilst keeping the door open for future innovations.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo stay true to our promise to deliver pure, healthy beverages, we need to provide suppliers with clear technical criteria whilst keeping the door open for future innovations.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why do we need a Naturality Framework?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Although natural mineral water<\/a> is strictly regulated, there is no legislative framework on what is considered a \u2018natural\u2019 product. To label a product as \u2018natural\u2019 you merely need to comply with the \u2018general principles of fair practice\u2019, which is a rather vague definition.<\/p>\n

It is precisely because of this regulatory limitation that the Spadel Group has developed its Naturality Framework, first in 2015. We want to communicate as transparently as possible about all our product developments as we further enhance stakeholder trust.<\/p>\n

Why update the guidelines?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Economic pressure and challenges such as feeding the world\u2019s growing population and responding to the increasing demand for vegan products have led to all sorts of new technological processes being developed.<\/p>\n

And although the food industry is strictly regulated, science and technology are evolving faster than the regulations that govern them. It\u2019s therefore essential that we lay out the ground rules for our suppliers and our customers. A set-in-stone assurance on what does (and does not) go into our \u2018other than water\u2019 products.<\/p>\n

What remains the same?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

With our 2025 update we stay true to our DNA: all ingredients, colours and additives must be naturally present in nature or come from natural origins. This means they are mainly derived from fruits, plants, vegetables, algae, fungi or even mineral deposits. The clue is that the origin raw material comes from nature, not from a lab.<\/p>\n

GMO sources, chemical organic synthesis, nanotechnology and petrochemicals remain a hard \u2018no\u2019 for us. Just as we\u2019ll never use intense artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose or aspartame.<\/p>\n

What has changed?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The main change is that we have adopted the international ISO\/TS 19657 norm to evaluate whether an ingredient is natural or not, and we have replaced our initial naturality pyramid by the clear decision tree which is part of the ISO norm.<\/p>\n

While doing this, we shift from our objective to use the most natural ingredient solution (whatever its cost) to the objective of proposing the most globally sustainable, natural solution.<\/p>\n

Five Key Points:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

All in all, our new Naturality guidelines are easy to understand and can be summarised as 5 key points:<\/p>\n