The new GGN label ensures traceability and will fight misappropriation in fresh produce

In the latest interview with Fructidor, Felix Von Eynern, Global G.A.P Key Account Manager, explained in plain language what is the GGN label and its role for consumers.

Felix Von Eynern: "Global G.A.P is in the market for over 25 years now and has always been B2B. We launched our GGN label for fruits and vegetables two years ago, including fresh, cut, mixed, and frozen products. The idea was to give producers, brand owners, traders, and retailers the option to communicate about efforts they do for responsible farming. So far, if a producer is GLOBAL G.A.P-certified, and has a GGN number on the product, it doesn’t say anything to shoppers, it’s a b2b thing that a consumer doesn’t understand. But with the GGN label, we seek to reach out to the consumers, so for the label we stick to our existing standards that are fulfilled by many thousands of producers, traders, etc. If a producer fulfilled our IFA standard and GRASP assessment, and if the supply chain also fulfills the chain of custody certification, then the product can be labeled. With the label, you’ll find the direct link to the producer. The GGN label guarantees transparency, traceability, workers’ well-being, food security, animal welfare, and environmental protection. It doesn’t require any additional certification, expenses, or time, since the producer is already IFA-certified and has GRASP.”

Fructidor: "Recently a grower from the Netherland told us that it is very often happens now that Spanish or Polish wholesalers would buy pears from the Netherlands, rebrand, repack and resell them to supermarkets as “grown in Poland”, “grown in Spain”. Can the GGN label solve similar issues?"

Felix Von Eynern: “When someone applies for the label, we check if every step is certified, we also define who is putting the label on the product. Before putting GGN label, packer should send us project of packaging, and we need to approve it, if we see that the product comes from different origin, and they cheat, we will not be able to approve it. GGN label is a solution to Germany's new Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, that came into force in on 1st January 2023. It requires large companies to make sure social and environmental standards are observed in their supply chain. Companies must monitor their own operations and their direct suppliers worldwide, and take action if they find violations”. And even stricter legislature is being discussed now in the European Union. So good to be ready when it will be implemented by having the GGN label.”

If you want to use GGN label, the first step would be to send email request