Waitrose has expanded its range of Waitrose Foundation-supplied products, with the addition of 13 of its precut herb lines.
The supermarket reinvests 2% of the retail sales value from Foundation-sourced products back into the supply chain.
The farmer support scheme serves two main purposes. The primary is to improve the livelihood and conditions of farmers supplying Waitrose from across Africa and central America. The second is to maintain year-round supply of fresh lines. Waitrose will now source fresh herbs from growers in Kenya at “key times” in the year when there is less supply from British farms.
The herb lines include basil, parsley, mint, sage, rosemary and thyme. The packaging of included lines will now feature the Waitrose Foundation logo.
It takes the number of Foundation products to 150 in total, covering 13 categories within topfruit, salads, grapes, flowers and wine. The herb lines are the first to be introduced since the addition of passion fruit sourced from Zimbabwe and Zambia in 2020.
The funds raised through the sales of herb lines will be donated back to grower committees in Kenya, who will best decide how to distribute the investment. The farms can supply Waitrose all year round, however between May and November is typically the high season for supply.
“We’re thrilled to strengthen our partnership with our supplier through the Waitrose Foundation, and to co-invest in the communities where our herbs are grown in Kenya,” said Marija Rompani, John Lewis Partnership director of sustainability and ethics.
“We’re excited to see how the workers will use their funds to create projects that meet their community’s needs. With rising costs and tough climate challenges, the Foundation remains crucial in supporting the workers and their families.”
Since the Foundation began in 2005, Waitrose has raised £2.4m through sales of its products.
In March 2023, Waitrose extended the initiative with the launch of a new Climate Resilience Programme, aimed at helping growers in Africa and South America better respond to the growing impact of climate change.
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