Kapi Kapi Growers Debuts Sustainability Report Highlighting ESG Progress for Retail Partners

As sustainability expectations continue to grow across the produce supply chain, Kapi Kapi Growers, a division of Grupo Acon, has released its first sustainability report, outlining environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities that will guide the company’s operations through 2030.

For produce retailers sourcing tropical fruit, the report provides new transparency into how the company is addressing carbon emissions, water usage, packaging waste and supply chain compliance across its pineapple, banana and plantain operations.

The company said the report is structured around Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and reflects stakeholder feedback and internal analysis to identify the areas where the company can make the greatest impact.

“This approach will allow us to communicate ongoing monitoring and management of our sustainability objectives and metrics,” said Sofia Acon, president of Kapi Kapi Growers. “We believe this will provide a solid foundation to enhance our sustainability efforts and help us better support our communities, workforce and organization.”

Carbon Reduction and Renewable Energy

Among the most significant initiatives highlighted in the report are investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the company’s growing and packing operations.

With that in mind, the company has installed large-scale solar energy systems to offset power usage in its facilities, helping reduce reliance on traditional energy sources while improving operational efficiency. 

Renewable energy programs are a key component of the company’s strategy to lower its environmental footprint and align with retailer sustainability goals.

For retailers that increasingly measure supply chain emissions as part of corporate ESG reporting, these types of initiatives can help provide measurable environmental data tied to product sourcing.

Water Conservation and Resource Efficiency

Water management is another central focus of the company’s environmental strategy. Tropical fruit production relies heavily on irrigation, and the company has begun implementing new water-conservation technologies designed to improve efficiency while maintaining consistent crop yields.

Efforts to reduce waste are also part of the strategy. The company is exploring ways to repurpose fruit that may not meet retail grade standards in order to reduce food loss and maximize the value of harvested crops.

Packaging waste is another area where improvements are underway. Kapi Kapi has implemented recycling programs capable of processing several tons of plastic materials each year, with the long-term goal of recycling all plastic used in its operations.

For produce retailers facing growing consumer scrutiny over packaging sustainability, such initiatives can help strengthen supplier partnerships and support in-store sustainability messaging.

Certifications and Environmental Stewardship

The report also emphasizes farm stewardship and third-party certifications that verify environmental and social practices.

All company farms are certified by the Rainforest Alliance, a certification program focused on biodiversity protection and responsible agricultural practices. The company also maintains significant areas of protected forest within its farming regions to preserve wildlife habitats and natural ecosystems.

Programs like these provide an added level of verification for retailers looking to source fruit from farms that meet recognized sustainability standards.

Supply chain transparency is another key component of the company’s ESG framework.

Each shipment of fruit can be traced back to the farm and packing facility of origin, providing retailers with detailed traceability information that supports food safety protocols and sourcing transparency.

The company produces more than 33 million cases of bananas and over 22 million cases of pineapples annually, supplying fruit to more than two dozen countries. The scale of these operations allows the company to support consistent year-round supply programs for retail partners.

In addition, the company provides private-label and customized packaging programs, currently packing fruit under more than 60 brands for different customers.

Social Investment and Workforce Development

The social pillar of the sustainability strategy focuses on employee well-being and community development in the regions where the company operates.

Initiatives include partnerships with local schools that provide books and educational resources, workplace health programs and training initiatives designed to build workforce skills and leadership capacity.

The company has also implemented women’s empowerment programs aimed at expanding opportunities for female employees and community members.

Aligning with Retail Sustainability Expectations

As sustainability reporting becomes more common across the produce industry, companies are increasingly expected to provide measurable data on environmental and social performance.

By publishing its first ESG report and aligning with globally recognized reporting standards, Kapi Kapi Growers is providing retailers with greater visibility into the practices behind its tropical fruit production.

For buyers and category managers, that transparency can play an important role in supplier evaluation as retailers work to meet their own sustainability commitments while maintaining reliable supply of key produce categories.