ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal Highlight: Anatrans
On June 17th, 2015, the processing facility of Anatrans was re-approved for the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal Certification following a visit to their facility earlier that same month. Anatrans subscribed to the ACA Seal program in July 2012, and in May 2013 the facility became the first processing facility in Burkina Faso to be ACA Seal-approved.
Anatrans was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between a Burkinabe company, Anatrans S.A., and a Dutch company, White Bird International B.V. It is located in Bobo-Dioulasso, which is the second largest city in Burkina Faso, about 355km from the capital, Ouagadougou. Throughout its growth, the facility has undergone different phases of expansion with the assistance of the Dutch ministry of economics. Anatrans is currently the largest producer of cashew kernels in Burkina Faso, with an installed capacity of 5,000 MT per annum and processed 3,400 MT in 2014. Currently, Anatrans employs 610 people, of which 80% are women from the surrounding local communities.
In order to secure the re-approval of the Seal, the ACA Seal Coordinator, Dorcas Amoh, visited Anatrans from June 1-3, 2015. During the visit she assessed the facility’s compliance with the ACA Seal standards with regards to food safety, quality, and social responsibility after two years of becoming ACA-Seal approved. The scope of the assessment covered procurement of raw materials, processing and bulk packing of kernels. During the visit, continuous improvement opportunities were identified in regards to food safety prerequisites of the facility per processing section, while several good manufacturing practices were also observed. She provided recommendations and templates for the closure of observed gaps. Amoh will continue to correspond on a monthly basis with the factory team and will make a follow-up visit in 2016.
The ACA Seal program has been highly successful since its launch in 2012. There are currently 8 processors who have received full ACA Seal Certification while nearly 10 others are under implementation. The ACA will continue to work with processors across Africa to increase compliance with internationally recognized standards of quality, food safety, as well as social and labor standards.
