Our goals

Sustainability is embedded in the entire Staay Food Group chain. We always actively seek growers that work as sustainable as possible. For the future, we believe in local-for-local for specific parts of our group, which means producing and processing 'at the consumers' doorstep' as much as possible.

For instance, Staay Food Group has growing projects for fresh fruit and vegetable products in various continents (Central-and South America, Africa and Asia) and we invest in Vertical Farming. This enables production and sales around the world. 

We consider the sustainability aspect of our growing processes very important, and consequently hand-pick our growers worldwide for their performance in this regard.

All our suppliers across the world must, have to meet the same high quality demands. We always first screen our growers, to ensure that they have the proper certification and comply with the European standards. Specific requirements are always agreed contractually. In addition, each product that arrives is analysed. That ensures that the product meets the quality requirements each time.

All our products meet the strict quality requirements of Staay Food Group starting from the production over the packing station until delivery to our customers all over the world. 

Service already starts in production for us. Any special requirements of our customers in terms of packaging, delivery and distinction are met and continuously monitored.

Therefore we can report each step in the production process with our client at any time. We offer to service all steps of the process within Staay Food Group. In this way we are able to quickly align our departments and strategic partners in order to serve our customers throughout the world quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.

In addition, Staay Food Group grows fresh fruit and vegetables at its own locations. We also work closely with selected partners worldwide. This enables us to match supply and demand and to deliver freshly harvested products quickly.

We know how important food safety is and what role we play. Staay Food Group has a transparent policy on food safety, divided in three cornerstones: Supply chain management, structural residue control and professional management.

Supply Chain Management
Staay Food Group guarantees the highest standards for the delivery of safe, fresh and healthy produce. In addition, we are constantly developing new techniques for, among other things, cultivation and processing in order to be able to further underrun the standards.

Our quality and environmental department daily informs, advises and checks our growers and suppliers. This pro-active attitude has resulted in a selection, which is grown under GlobalG.A.P. verification. 

Structural residue controls
An active residue monitoring plan whereby residue analyses are conducted by licenced laboratories at our suppliers as well as in house, guarantees optimal safety.

In addition, we oblige our regular suppliers/growers to conduct residue analyses every month. Should the outcome of our residue analysis differ from that of the supplier, we require a Root Cause Analysis to be conducted. 

Furthermore, we participate in a risk-based monitoring programme in which an independent QS certified laboratory conducts the residue analyses. We enter the outcomes of these analyses in the logbooks we maintain per supplier. This enables us to accumulate a track record of the quality and environmental performance of our suppliers.

Initially, new suppliers will be assessed frequently and as reliability becomes proven, the residue control frequency will be reduced to the default as set out in our residue monitoring plan (based on Directive 2002/63/EC).

Certification: Professional business operations
The Staay Food Group trading companies are certified according to various standards, depending on the exact wishes and requirements applicable at each location. We have BRC, IFS, QS, RIK and SKAL certificates among others and furthermore we are AEO certified. The logistics administration is configured so that, if necessary, each product can be quickly traced.

In principle, our suppliers must have their own certified quality system that is recognised by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative).