#205: Chipping in for nature

You will perhaps have seen the current TV ads for McCain potato products.

Take a look at the company's logo...

Tree... rolling fields and terrain... and some bird in flight. They are trying to position the brand as being connected with the landscape and nature, and perhaps a rising or setting sun for the overall shape of the logo.

McCain was founded by two Canadian brothers in the early 1900s.

They are chipping in and moving over to regenerative / sustainable agriculture use from all their suppliers and this is prominently displayed on the packaging of their products.

When thinking about branding, you can see particular words often appearing on packaging.

Here's their work:

In 2020 they launched the McCain Potato Farmer Pledge, a £25 million investment designed to help ensure the long-term sustainability of British agriculture, in the face of increasing climatic events like droughts and floods. 

Since 2020, they have committed a further £50 million to British farming to safeguard the UK’s potato industry. This includes significant contract price increases for growers, as well as a supplementary energy support package.

As you can see, they are very active in East Anglia.

They also say:

As 80% of all potatoes eaten in the UK are home grown, they don’t need to travel far from the field to the plate, and this kind of local sourcing is great news for the environment. But for food retailers and consumers, local sourcing goes beyond simply decreasing emissions, it also supports hundreds of British farmers and farming communities.

When it comes to our supply chain, quality and traceability are key. 100% of our British potatoes come from certified Red Tractor growers –the UK’s leading farm and quality food production certification, that assures food safety and traceability.

There's plenty of interest in this website

This might make a good example of how decisions made by companies have the potential to have an impact on the countryside.