Mim Cashew officially awarded ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal

On December 14, 2012, Mim Cashew became the second company to be officially certified under the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal. Mim, located in Ghana’s Brong-Ahafo region, was provisionally approved in October after a visit by ACA Seal Team Advisor Jim Giles. After a final audit was completed, ACA Finance Manager Ernest Dankwa presented to Mr. Lars Wallevik, owner of Mim Cashew, Mr. Joseph Yeung, General Manager and  Mr. Kumaris Anil, the factory’s Production Manager, with their official Seal certificate. 

“This is not the first certification we have received. We are also certified organic, Free Trade, and other minor ones. But with the ACA Seal we have received, hence getting is a milestone that we are very proud of,” said Mr. Anil.

The ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal is an industry-supported mark signaling compliance with international food safety, quality, and labor standards. Mim began the Seal-approval process in March, when the initial site assessment was conducted by Giles.  During subsequent follow-up visits, Mim worked with the ACA Seal team to develop systems to ensure the production of high quality and sustainable cashew compliant with international food safety standards. “The overall processing reorganization we undertook through the adoption of ACA seal procedure has been extremely useful. The seal process not only improved hygiene in the factory and knowledge acquisition – we also have an improved relationship between management and the work force,” noted Mr. Anil. 

The following companies currently enrolled in the program are still in the implementation phase: Anatrans SARL, a Burkinabe processor, Afokantan Benin Cashew, Cajou Espoir of Togo, and Southern Jumbo Cashew  of Tanzania. The Seal expanded to East Africa in November with the program launch at Southern Jumbo.

With ACA Seal Approval, Mim Cashew joins Tolaro Global in the ranks of African processors producing cashew kernels under internationally-recognized food safety and sustainability standards. “I especially noticed the marked improvement demonstrated by the facility,” noted Mr. Dankwa. “Mim obviously put a lot of thought into their processing and is clearly operating under the highest standards of safety – I was particulary impressed by their security system. Mim is yet another factory that other African processors should look to for motivation to improve their quality and sustainability”

The company now has a platform from which to achieve its next goals – says Mr. Anil, “The seal approval has come at the right time, when Mim Cashew is in the process of re-strategizing to storm the international market.”