The Cashew Concern Certification is an exciting new program offering a unique service to roasters and retailers of cashew nut products. The CCC has taken the best of several different certification and compliance programs and rolled it into one, offering clients an outsourced, turnkey compliance and tracking program as well as a marketing tool for commanding a premium price - guaranteeing the consumer that they are taking proactive steps to ensure a safe and labor friendly product.

Cashew nuts are imported from 4 major regions - India, Africa, Brazil and Vietnam. There are numerous grades and variations, and the nuts are processed in facilities which vary widely in quality, cleanliness and labor practices.

For years, high quality roasters and food manufacturers have struggled to market the fact that they are offering product from top tier shippers, since there is no foolproof way of identifying where the raw material comes from. David Rosenthal, the creator of the CCC, came up with the idea of commodity specific certification after finding out that the food safety status of several companies overseas (with widely recognized certifications) was questionable. A long time friend and colleague who had carried out a multitude of inspections explained that this was because many of the facilities that were visited did not subscribe to the certifiers standards. Why?? Because many of the companies overseas have several facilities under one company name. Therefore it is more appropriate for the cashew industry to certify facilities, not companies.

There are several major differences between CCC and other certifying agencies. First, all parties involved with CCC are experts in the cashew industry, they know what to look for and what questions to ask with regard to meeting the CCC standards for food safety and labor conditions. A generic certification agency is much like taking a suit off the rack and hoping that it fits the customer… CCC is finely tailored to fit perfectly for the facilities it is certifying.

CCC also will initiate a tracking system to monitor the stages of transport from the processing facility to the roasters facility. The seal of approval will be stamped with a tracking number, lot code and production date to ensure easy traceability in the event of a recall or other occurrence.

In order to develop a workforce of inspectors CCC will implement a mentor program where recent college graduates can get first hand experience with overseas food production. This could be a wonderful introduction into an industry that needs to develop a next generation. CCC product will also be inspected upon arrival by individuals who have a vast knowledge of the cashew industry and will ensure that the client is getting a good product that is coming from a facility that takes foods safety and labor practices seriously.

The CCC will also act as a marketing agency, working with roasters and manufactures to promote the value of taking a proactive stand on food safety through commodity specific certification. Many of today’s certification agencies rely on trust as a means to ensure food safety. CCC takes this several steps further and addresses deeper issues specific to the cashew industry.

Finally CCC as a non profit entity will initiate a “give back” program where the profits will fund projects that will benefit the local communities where cashews are shelled. These projects would include micro loan enterprises, Peace Corps partnerships and financial support for orphanages. The beauty of this concept is that as an agency that visits these areas frequently we will be able to document first hand that the money is used for the projects we contribute funds to. We will use this money to do good for people less fortunate than us!!

In light of the increased scrutiny of imported foods brought about by the recent scandals, commodity specific certifications such as CCC will become not a luxury, but a necessity. Consumers want to know where their food is coming from, and with regard to cashews, the CCC will be able to provide this assurance.