Our farmer and producer partners are an integral part of our efforts to prevent waste from the farm field all the way to your kitchen table, and we’re continually amazed by their creativity and resourcefulness.
Recently, we worked with Covilli Brand Organics to offer their Fair Trade heirloom tomatoes in cardboard clamshells instead of the plastic packaging most tomatoes come in. They’re one of several partners that have specially packaged their produce for us to help the Imperfect community cut back on single-use plastic. By thinking creatively about how to safely transport and deliver groceries to our customers, we’re preventing more waste from entering our landfills.
In recent months, Covilli also worked to pack their #2 Fair Trade zucchini and yellow straightneck squash in a consistent size just for us. These #2 products come in quirky sizes and shapes, which can prove tricky to transport at scale. Covilli’s efforts mean we can deliver these veggies to the doors of our customers in a more sustainable way.
In addition to being our partners in fighting waste, Covilli is also a champion of Fair Trade practices. When you see an item certified as Fair Trade, that means it’s produced and sold in a way that prioritizes respect for people and the environment at every step of the supply chain. Covilli’s Fair Trade certification is a guarantee that their farm workers have safe working conditions, access to healthcare and education for workers’ children, regulated hours, and personal and sick days. Fair Trade also verifies their sustainable farming practices.
Covilli’s farmworker population are mostly migrant workers from the Mexican states of Guerrero and Chiapas. The majority are part of indigenous groups that have been generationally marginalized. Together, this community of workers became a legally recognized entity known as Nuchi Sansekan, which means “All Together” in Náhuatl, an indigenous language of Mexico. As a community, these farmworkers take ownership of their future by being able to choose how to use the Fair Trade premium from Covilli’s sales to benefit generations to come. This includes adding medical transportation units, building a new health center, and improving a day care facility.
Want to support this hardworking community? It’s as easy as adding some tasty heirloom tomatoes or zucchini to your Imperfect cart! We’re proud to partner with folks like Covilli to eliminate food waste and build a better food system.
