January 5, 2025

5 MIN READ

As the new year begins, we’re taking a moment to reflect on some of the key milestones that shaped the past year at Certified Origins.

It was a year defined by growth, new projects, and continued collaboration with partners across the global food industry.

Here’s a look back at some of the highlights that marked our year!

Engaging with the global private label community at PLMA

At Certified Origins, PLMA trade shows represent an important opportunity to engage with global retailers, strengthen long-term partnerships, and exchange insights on the evolving private label landscape. In 2025, we participated in both PLMA Amsterdam and PLMA Chicago, connecting with international and North American partners, exploring new collaborations, and sharing our approach to traceable and responsibly sourced food products.

We appreciated everyone who took the time to visit our stand, whether reconnecting with long-standing partners or starting new conversations.

We are already looking forward to PLMA 2026, as global events like these reinforce what drives us every day: building trusted relationships, delivering consistent quality at scale, and supporting retailers in meeting the evolving expectations of today’s consumers through tailored, high-integrity private label solutions.

Decoding food retail with Global Retail Brands Magazine

In collaboration with Global Retail Brands Magazine, in October we released the special issue Private Label and National Brands: Decoding Food Retail, examining the evolving relationship between private label and branded products in today’s complex retail landscape.

The issue explores how both sides are responding to changing consumer expectations, from building buyer trust and leveraging smart design to optimizing sourcing strategies and driving innovation.

Packed with global insights and practical perspectives for over 20 experts, the publication highlights how private and branded labels are evolving to compete and grow in a changing marketplace

Expanding our portfolio: we got nuts!

Because food feels better when it’s rooted in authenticity, this year also marked our expansion into tree nuts, nut butters, and nut-based products, further strengthening our ability to support retailers with premium, responsibly sourced solutions.

This expansion responds to growing consumer demand for healthy, nutritious food and allows us to apply the same principles that guide our core business: quality, traceability, and authenticity.

The range includes a wide selection of varieties and formats, from whole and blended nuts to nut butters, with solutions tailored to different market needs.

From field to packaging, this expansion reflects our ongoing journey to deliver food that not only tastes good, but is better for people and the planet.

Strengthening our U.S. presence with the Virginia facility

Growth continued in the United States, with the opening of our Virginia facility. This strategic investment supports greater operational flexibility, improved logistics, and closer proximity to customers across North America.

Designed to improve efficiency and flexibility, the facility strengthens our supply chain while ensuring that products reach U.S. customers with the same quality standards that define our Mediterranean sourcing.

More than a production site, the Virginia facility represents a bridge between Mediterranean sourcing and the North American market, enabling closer collaboration with partners and positioning Certified Origins to grow alongside a dynamic retail landscape.

EVOCA: Olive Farming, Climate Action, and Supply Chain Value

At the end of 2025, we launched our work with EVOCA (Extra Virgin Olive Oil Carbon Farming), an initiative coordinated by Coldiretti Toscana, part of Italy’s largest farmers’ organization, in partnership with Certified Origins, and developed with Impresa Verde Toscana, CREA Agriculture and Environment, CAICT Formazione, the OL.MA Cooperative, PSR Innovazione Toscana, participating olive farms in Tuscany, and scientific partners FOLIA and REGENALIA.

EVOCA is a pilot program designed to ensure Italian olive farming remains environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and rooted in responsible land stewardship by linking agricultural production with the voluntary carbon market through a measurable, science-based approach.

By adopting verified responsible farming practices, farmers participating in EVOCA can measure and monetize the carbon stored in their olive groves, creating an additional and more stable revenue stream alongside traditional olive oil sales.

In this way, EVOCA connects olive farming with traceable climate action, benefiting farmers, consumers, the olive oil supply chain, and global markets alike.

Looking Ahead

As we look to the year ahead, we remain focused on growing thoughtfully, investing in the right partnerships, and delivering food programs rooted in quality, transparency, and trust.

Thank you to our partners, collaborators and teams for the commitment that made this journey possible. We believe meaningful progress comes from doing things well, together, and always with good food.

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