Sustainability

Kagome Farms abide by sustainable practices and use seeds and seedlings from approved suppliers. The varieties chosen are determined by the applications and attributes required in the end product. For example; some seeds are developed as dice varieties for their shape integrity, others for paste as they produce high colour and viscosity.

Seedlings are transplanted over Sept-Oct according to a set plan to deliver a consistent volume of paste and dice fruit to the factory all harvest season. More than 50% of our tomato production is grown from our contract growers. 100% of our tomatoes are now grown using drip irrigation, which is better to control plant growth and for the environment.

Social Responsibility

Sustainability and social responsibility are our present and future goals. After all, our products are rooted in nature and the communities that support them.

Our goals include:

Recycle, reuse and reduce waste
Conserve water, electricity and natural gas
Shrink our carbon footprint, greenhouse gas and non-greenhouse gas emissions
Source ethically and responsibly
Support employee, supplier and community programs

Our Vision

We strive every day to become a low-carbon, zero-waste business, and inspire and lead change for a more sustainable tomorrow.

Our approach to business is guided by commitments to the following principles: Education, Leadership through Management, Transparency, Integrity and Continuous Improvement.

Kagome Inc. faces many challenges and opportunities, therefore we have prioritized the following issues: Climate Change, Water Conservation, Health and Safety and Financial Solvency.

Our Objectives

Our attention to environmental, social and economic responsibility includes working within the law and voluntarily exceeding legal requirements in order to be innovative and demonstrate leadership on the issues that are important to our customers and our employees. We have committed to a sustainable tomorrow by implementing the following practices and improvements to our facilities:

Implemented diversion of the refuse stream into 3 new recycling classifications; cardboard, plastic and metals.
Successfully began diverting a waste stream and sewer treatment plant by-product.
Completed a comprehensive upgrade to the refrigeration system.
Installed a clean burning boiler unit; reducing NOx emissions from 25 ppm to <5 ppm.
Replaced existing water softeners with low volume, extended runtime units resulting in a 10% reduction of water usage.
Redesigned perimeter of plant property with drought tolerant and low water-demanding landscaping.

Exchanged all metal halide and fluorescent lighting with LED lighting.
Installed 1 mega-watt, roof-mounted solar system with 3 MWh average daily production of renewable energy. This system offsets 1,200+ metric tons of C02 emissions each year.
We maintain continuous surveys of water usage for all processes including cooled seals. We also installed automatic shut-off solenoids for motors when not in use.
Investigated waste water processes to ensure effluent complies with local, state and federal guidelines.
Implemented continuous process improvements to ammonia system to reduce the amount of chilled water used in our facility.

2023 APCO Action Plan

Kagome Foods Australia has been a member of APCO since October 2022, so 2023 is the first year we have submitted a report and action plan. At Kagome, we have always strived to incorporate reusable, recyclable or recoverable packaging into our products, whenever this is technically feasible. We are committed to continuing to meet our obligations and improving our packaging sustainability within the APCO framework.

View Action Plan

Our Commitment to Gender Equality

Achieving gender equality is essential to creating a thriving, inclusive workplace. The publication of our gender equality report is part of a broader national conversation about fairness and opportunity. At Kagome, we are committed to fostering a culture where performance is recognised and everyone has the chance to succeed.

WGEA Reports

In line with the requirements of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Kagome Australia has completed reporting for 2023/2024. These reports outline our progress in promoting gender equality and creating an inclusive workplace. You can view all three reports here: