Ribena’s blackcurrant growers met with their local MPs at a special celebratory dinner in the House of Commons on Tuesday 8th March 2022. It’s the first time that the group has been able to meet since Covid. They were joined by Farming, Fisheries and Food Minister Victoria Prentis MP.
100 per cent of Ribena’s blackcurrants are British grown, and 90 per cent of the British crop goes to produce the much-loved drinks. As such, the relationship between Ribena and its farmers is a close one – for some of the blackcurrant grower families, the relationship goes back four generations.
Biodiversity is at the heart of what Ribena’s blackcurrant growers do. SBF GB&I has worked closely with them to put in place annual Biodiversity Action Plans which protect local habitats around the UK’s 35 Ribena blackcurrant farms. This includes creating wetlands, restoring ponds, planting woodlands, as well as sowing an area bigger than the City of London with pollen and nectar-rich wildflower seed.
It was fantastic to reconnect our blackcurrant growers with their local MPs. There is a lot of support for Ribena in parliament, including what we’re doing with our growers to improve nature and protect biodiversity. We had an excellent discussion and am delighted with our shared desire to work together to achieve sustainable growth.
Suntory’s Coleford factory has been one of the Forest of Dean’s flagship employers since the 1940s and continues to sustain many skilled jobs today. As the Forest’s MP, I am always pleased to champion this brilliant local employer and I was delighted to host an event in Parliament which brought together Suntory, blackcurrant growers from the Forest and around the country with the Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food. Suntory have been leading the way in their sector in improving their sustainability and protecting our country’s biodiversity as well as continuing to invest in their world-class Coleford factory. I look forward to continuing to do what I can to support this important local employer.
Our local MP has been extremely supportive and clearly recognises the importance of the supply chain for Ribena. Growing blackcurrants is a long-term endeavour, requiring significant investment and commitment. We are grateful for the sustainable relationship blackcurrant growers have with Ribena and SBF GB&I enabling both ends of the supply chain to act with confidence.
SBF GB&I has invested over £10m to improve the sustainability and quality of British blackcurrant crop, including a five-year project to develop new breeds of climate-resilient blackcurrants.