As the world marks Sustainable Gastronomy Day on June 18, SAMBAZON highlights how certified organic and Fair Trade supply chains can support rainforest protection, biodiversity and Amazonian communities.
As the world prepares to mark Sustainable Gastronomy Day on June 18, SAMBAZON – the pioneer of certified organic and Fair Trade Açaí – is spotlighting the role that responsible sourcing can play in protecting biodiversity, supporting harvesting communities, and creating a more sustainable future for food.
Sustainable Gastronomy Day highlights the importance of food systems that respect natural resources, reduce waste, preserve biodiversity and support more responsible ways of growing, sourcing and consuming ingredients.
For SAMBAZON, this message is central to the brand’s mission. Since its launch in 2000, the company has built its business around a “Triple Bottom Line” philosophy, balancing People, Planet and Profit, proving that commercial growth and environmental responsibility can successfully work together.
At the heart of SAMBAZON’s approach is a simple, but powerful, idea: when rainforest communities can earn a fair and sustainable income from harvesting Açaí, there is an economic reason to keep the forest standing. Through certified organic and Fair Trade Açaí harvesting, SAMBAZON supports a model of commerce that helps protect Amazon biodiversity while creating long-term value for the people who act as stewards of the rainforest.
SAMBAZON’s latest impact data shows that its Fair Trade-certified harvest area in the Amazon now covers 117K acres, or 47K hectares – around four times the size of Paris. Through its certified organic and Fair Trade model, the company supports sustainable Açaí harvesting practices that help keep the forest standing, safeguard biodiversity, and protect endangered species.
In 2025 alone, SAMBAZON’s Fair Trade-certified acres stored an estimated 5.2 million metric tons of carbon, equivalent to around 4.5 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. Since its founding, the company has also purchased more than 750K million pounds of certified organic and Fair Trade ingredients, equivalent to 340,000+ metric tons.
The company’s impact also extends beyond conservation. Since its beginning, SAMBAZON has invested more than US$1.2 million into Amazon harvesting communities, supporting education, healthcare, infrastructure, quality-of-life improvements and community development projects in Açaí-harvesting regions.
In 2025 alone, it worked with 350 Açaí harvester communities and 1159 individual harvesters, while a 60 Decibels survey conducted on SAMBAZON’s behalf found that 93% of surveyed harvesters said their lives had improved since working with the company, and 100% said SAMBAZON had contributed to the development of their communities. These efforts are designed not as charity, but as long-term investments in the people whose knowledge, labour and stewardship are essential to protecting the Amazon.
Ryan Black, Co-Founder and CEO of SAMBAZON, said: “Sustainable gastronomy is not only about what appears on the plate. It is about where ingredients come from, how they are grown or harvested, and whether the communities and ecosystems behind them are respected. From day one, SAMBAZON believes that business can be a force for conservation when the model is built properly. Every certified organic and Fair Trade Açaí product we produce is part of a wider commitment to fair wages, biodiversity protection and a healthier planet.”
Sustainable Gastronomy Day also offers an opportunity for consumers to look more closely at the claims behind the food products they choose.
As sustainability language becomes more common across retail, SAMBAZON is encouraging consumers to look beyond vague terms such as “ethical”, “natural” or “sustainably sourced”, and instead ask whether those claims are backed by recognised certification, traceability and measurable impact.
SAMBAZON’s own approach is built around what it describes as “Palm to Palm” traceability, following Açaí from the palm of the tree in the Amazon to the palm of the consumer’s hand. Its Fair Trade certification is independently audited, while its wider impact reporting reflects a commitment to measurable progress across people, planet and profit.
Black added: “Consumers have more power than they often realize. Every time people choose products with credible certification, transparent sourcing and measurable impact, they send a message about the kind of food system they want to support. Ethical consumption is not about perfection. It is about informed choice.”
SAMBAZON’s sustainability work also includes ongoing efforts to reduce packaging impact and waste across its operations. The company has introduced packaging innovation to reduce plastic use, including a 43% reduction in plastic per ounce of product through its Açaí Smoothie Cubes, while continuing to divert the vast majority of operational waste away from landfill.
As conversations around food sustainability continue to evolve, SAMBAZON believes preserving biodiversity must be treated as a core part of responsible gastronomy. While local and seasonal sourcing remain important, the company is highlighting the need to consider global ingredients through a more complete lens, one that accounts for ecosystem protection, fair trade, traceability and the communities that make sustainable food systems possible.
Black concluded: “The Amazon is one of the world’s most important natural ecosystems, and its protection is a shared responsibility. Businesses, governments and consumers all have a role to play. At SAMBAZON, we want to show that food businesses do not have to choose between profit and purpose. The future of sustainable gastronomy depends on building supply chains that regenerate, protect and empower.”
About SAMBAZON:
Founded in 2000, SAMBAZON®, an acronym for Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon, was the first company to introduce “certified Açaí” to the world, supplying organic and fair trade certified Açaí products such as smoothie packs, ready-to-eat Açaí bowls, and much more from a proprietary supply chain, and pioneering transparency from the “palm of the tree to the palm of your hand.” SAMBAZON’s Fair Trade certification has helped to safeguard the Amazon Rainforest and its rich biodiversity, and has helped to positively impact thousands of local growers by donating over $1.2 million to build or renovate healthcare centers, community centers, and schools.
