Cultivating Partnerships

We have come a long way since our beginnings in 1930. As a family business, thinking long term is part of who we are. Some of our more than 100 organic farming partnerships have developed over decades and generations. Through long-term contracts with fixed price guarantees, we create financial stability for farmers and their families, while preserving the rural environment and local agricultural economy.

Today, Ricola is enjoyed in over 45 countries, thanks to our agricultural partnerships. We want the communities in which we operate to benefit from our success. That is why we provide training in sustainable agriculture and the cultivation of high-quality herbs. We work together with our network of farmers to strengthen environmental stewardship and community spirit.

Sustainability is an integral part of our approach to long-term partnerships. It starts with our herb production in accordance with Bio Suisse standards, but it also extends to the entire supply chain. We want to know our partners as well as possible. To ensure sustainability and transparency, we work closely with third-party organisations such as B Corp, Ecovadis (supplier sustainability rating), and Sedex (ethical trade membership organisation), to rate our sustainability efforts.

Biodiversity is important to us. That’s why we work with partners to protect and enhance biodiversity in our value chains. For example, we have partnered with IP Suisse, one of the most important agricultural production organisations in Switzerland. IP stands for Integrated Production and requires producers to apply certain standards for climate-friendly and biodiverse agriculture. Through this partnership, we support the sustainable cultivation of sugar beet, of which we require 190,000 tonnes every year.