Leading dried food producer Taze&Kuru Inc. will integrate 100 small scale Turkish farmers to support local production with their new commitment to the Business Call to Action (BCtA). The company has also pledged to establish more production facilities in Turkey by 2018, employing primarily women in several locations where the available geothermal resources will be used to dry, fruits, and vegetables.

Turkish based Taze&Kuru Inc. has been active in the food industry and retailing as an innovator in promoting healthy food options. The company has drawn upon ancient methods of preservation and pioneered a unique renewable-energy-powered food drying process which produces healthy snacks that are free from preservatives, coloring and all additives. This patented indoor system protects foods from the negative externalities of sunlight, dust and other harmful elements during the drying process so that aflatoxin formation and contamination, the main hygiene problem of food drying industry, are prevented. As a result fruit and vegetables retain their real flavors and high nutritional value for 12 to 18 months.

The innovative technology of Taze&Kuru Inc. offers a solution to the thousands of tons of unharvested agricultural products that were left on the ground due to high transportation, storage, and distribution costs. The company’s drying method turns locally sourced fruits and vegetables to high value added products for premium quality markets. Taze&Kuru Inc. has focused on expanding its patented unique manufacturing method for more efficient food preservation to further combat with the problem of unutilized harvest that the small scale farmers are facing.

As part of its overall mission, the company is also working to change perceptions about nutrition and environmentally sound techniques to dry fruits and vegetables.  In an effort to support small scale farmers, and as part of Taze&Kuru Inc.’s BCtA initiative, the company is planning to integrate hundreds of small scale farmers and help them produce according to EU production standards.

The company has been successful in reaching low-income populations who traditionally do not have access to the various farming methods and equipment, including drying and food storage techniques that may prolong vegetable production and harvest yields. In an effort to provide more employment opportunities for women in its geothermal production efforts, the company plans to promote the inclusion of underserved farmers in the company’s value chain and its facilities in less developed provinces.

“We are greatly encouraged to have Taze&Kuru Inc. join the Business Call to Action. The company is working to integrate underserved populations in their production efforts. This model will positively affect local partners and women from the region who are empowered with tools and techniques, while being trained to enhance their full potential,” said Sahba Sobhani, Program Manager of the BCTA initiative.

Through its specialized employee training for small scale farmers, Taze&Kuru Inc. hopes to improve the livelihood of local communities and expand its distribution to support an estimated 17 new retail chains in Turkey and in Europe by 2015.

“Taze&Kuru Inc. has a unique network of community partners and local female employees who we believe are eager to develop and promote our technique and are interested in expanding our operations. The business model is potentially very scalable, especially with the growing demand for our healthy products,” said Dr. Nusret Yurter, Chairman of Taze&Kuru Inc.

About Business Call to Action (BCtA)

Business Call to Action is a global initiative that challenges companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for development impact along with commercial success. The initiative is the result of a partnership between the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development, United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Clinton Global Initiative to meet the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Companies report on progress toward commitments on an annual basis. To learn more, please visit www.businesscalltoaction.org or join the conversation on Twitter at @BCtAInitiative.

Business Call to Action (BCtA)

Business Call to Action (BCtA)

Business Call to Action is a global joint advocacy platform that works to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging and supporting companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for both commercial success and development impact. It is hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UK Department for International Development (DFID). To date, 230 companies from around the world have signed on to commit to contribute to the SDGs, from large multinational companies to national and small- and medium-enterprises in 70 countries.

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