The Basil Charter
Our Company
Basil is the beating heart of what we do. Taking care of the basil supply chain means guaranteeing quality of our products, working side by side with our producers and protecting biodiversity.
Our commitment to sustainability
BASIL, 100% FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Since 2020, our basil has been grown according to sustainable practices and in compliance with the sustainability criteria of the ISCC PLUS system, thanks to annual checks on every actor in the supply chain.
More space for Biodiversity
For us, caring for basil means protecting the fields that host it, promoting crop rotation to protect soil health, and the inclusion of flowering areas to protect biodiversity and fight pests.
Our farmers, our family
We have built lasting bonds with our farmers, growing and improving together: we can count on excellent raw materials, they plan the work with greater confidence.
BASIL CHARTER
The Basil Charter is based on a set of agronomic, quality, and supplier relationship rules, defined in collaboration with scientific partners (University of Bologna and the Riviera Ligure Chamber of Commerce's Agricultural Experimentation and Assistance Center (CersaA).
It is composed of 9 rules designed to bring quality to our pestos, support the work of farmer communities, and protect biodiversity, including by safeguarding pollinating insects.
01
RELATIONSHIP WITH FARMERS
All Basil Charter members benefit from medium- and long-term direct contracts that protect the distribution of value along the supply chain through a sustainability premium for each actor involved.
02
VARIETAL CHOICE
All members of the Barilla’s sustainable basil supply chain must use only varieties specified in the Disciplinary, which have been selected to be naturally tolerant to fungal diseases.
03
CROP ROTATION
All members of Barilla's sustainable basil supply chain, starting from the crop year of joining the project, on an equivalent area (*), must adopt a crop rotation plan that includes at least no replanting of basil. *An area that is equivalent to the amount of basil allocated to Barilla, with a precautionary increase of 10%.
04
CROP PROTECTION
All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain must apply the guidelines recommended in the Disciplinary, which are more restrictive than current regulations.
05
SOIL HEALTH
All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain must monitor the biological quality of soils intended for basil, every 2 years, on 20% as a minimum of the equivalent area (*) by specific analysis (QBSAR and organic substance).
06
IRRIGATION
All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain must adopt precision irrigation systems aimed at increasing efficiency and saving water use.
07
BIODIVERSITY AREAS
All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain, starting from the 2021 crop year, must sow an area equal to 3 percent of the equivalent area (*) with plant essences to create habitats for pollinating insects (flower strips, hedges, tree rows, or a combination of the previous alternatives).
08
HARVESTING STANDARDS
All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain are required to cut the plant with a maximum length of 30 centimeters.
09
DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS-FIELD AND SUPPLY CHAIN DIGITIZATION
All members of the “Basil Charter,” starting from the 2024 crop year, must adopt decision-support systems, available in Barilla Farming, to optimize agricultural inputs according to the principles of sustainable agriculture.
Look for the logo on the shelves of your local supermarket "Basil from sustainable agriculture"
Barilla's commitment to sustainability, outlined in the Sustainable Agriculture Code, certifies basil production globally.
We are proud to partner with
Barilla Pesto is prepared with care, with quality ingredients and following a single watchword: delicacy.
Discover the delicate method
Transparency Loved by All
The journey of barilla's pesto alla genovese is tracked from the field to the jar and can be accessed directly from your smartphone
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF BARILLA PESTO BASIL?
Every year, more than 7,000 tons of basil arrive in our factory in Rubbiano, which is then combined with the other ingredients and transformed into our Barilla Pesto. Every single basil leaf that comes into our Barilla Pesto is 100% Italian and comes mainly from fields and situations near our factories to minimize the time between harvesting and processing.
IS THERE GLUTEN IN BARILLA PESTI?
All our Pesto are gluten free and are suitable for those who are intolerant to gluten.
DOES THE USE OF BASIL FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IMPACT THE TASTE OF BARILLA PESTO?
At Barilla, we have very high food safety and quality standards for our products and we do not accept this. In fact, we have been able to certify our basil from sustainable agriculture while preserving the quality of our Pestos and their delicious taste!
WHICH BARILLA PESTI ARE PRODUCED WITH BASIL FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE?
With the exception of the Pesto Recipe Gourmet which is still in the ISCC PLUS certification phase, all our Barilla Pestos containing basil are produced with "basil from sustainable agriculture". However, we have decided to apply the entire "basil from sustainable agriculture" logo only to the labels of Pesto alla Genovese, Pesto alla Genovese without garlic and Pesto Basilico and Rucola.