First Ivorian Processor Becomes ACA Seal-Approved

Founded in February 2013, Cajou des Savanes (CASA) is a cashew processor located in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire that currently employs 720 workers, roughly 80 percent of whom are women.  Over the course of one year, CASA worked with ACA’s team of technical experts - Dorcas Amoah (ACA Seal Coordinator) and Sunil Dahiya (ACA Business Advisory Manager) - to implement efficient manufacturing processes, quality control measures, as well as safety and hygiene practices. In under one year, CASA achieved the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal in February 2015, joining seven existing ACA Seal-certified African processors: Tolaro Global, Mim Cashew, Jungle Nuts, Anatrans, Cajou Espoir, Equatorial Nut Processors, and FoodPro. As the newest member of the ACA Seal family, CASA is also the first Ivorian processor to be granted certification.

ACA Seal Coordinator, Dorcas Amoah states “CASA is effectively managed by individuals who understand the importance of making a long-term investment in food safety and social responsibility. They took our recommendations very seriously and adhered to deadlines; as a result, they were able to secure the ACA Seal within a short period of time.”

Earning the ACA Seal provides cashew processors the opportunity to engage in new markets and build relationships with international buyers.  CASA’s Operations Director, Ashak Sheriff, “believe[s] the ACA Seal certification will significantly increase [CASA’s] negotiating power” with new local and foreign buyers; thereby expanding [its] clientele base. As the first ACA Seal-certified processor in Cote d’Ivoire, CASA has taken the initiative to produce the highest quality of cashews, and we hope others in the area will follow its lead.

The ACA Seal was created in 2012 and is awarded to processors who meet the highest global standards for food safety and social and labor laws. The ACA Seal ensures cashews are produced within facilities complying with the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act. Additionally, processors who are granted the ACA Seal often acquire other internationally recognized food safety certifications such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and ISO 22000.

For further information about how you can improve your processing facility, please contact Dorcas Amoah (damoh@africancashewalliance.com).