Acai travels several thousand kilometers before reaching the bowls of European consumers. This reality regularly raises questions: how can a fruit from the Amazon be transported responsibly? How can its quality be guaranteed after such a long journey? And why choose sea freight over air freight?
At Nossa!, we have chosen transparency. Behind each of our acai products lies a rigorous supply chain. Everything is designed to preserve the quality of our products while limiting their environmental impact.
From production in the Amazon to final delivery in France and Europe, discover how our acai makes its journey.
Why Nossa! chose sea freight
To limit the carbon footprint associated with importing acai, Nossa! chose to use sea freight exclusively. Air freight is not part of our practices. Although it allows goods to be transported more quickly, its environmental impact is considerably higher.
By contrast, sea freight makes it possible to consolidate shipments and optimize vessel capacity, thereby reducing the environmental cost of transporting goods.
For example, importing a 24,000 kg container of acai generates around half the CO₂ emissions of a one-way Paris-Rio flight taken by a single person.
This choice is part of a broader approach. Our acai is picked manually and using traditional methods. Its production requires neither fertilizers nor pesticides. In addition, the agroforestry systems in which acai palms grow help maintain the carbon stored in Amazonian soil and vegetation.
For most foods, transport is not the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural practices and production methods often play a more significant role. That is why we seek to take action at every stage of our supply chain.
Discover how Nossa! acai is harvested
From Brazil to Le Havre: acai's journey
Each production run is assigned a specific batch number. This corresponds to a production date and a specific product.
This traceability is an essential part of our quality approach.
“This traceability allows us to quickly isolate a product if necessary and precisely identify its origin,” explains Émilie, logistics manager at Nossa!.
Once produced, the batches are loaded into refrigerated containers departing from the port of Vila do Conde, located in the state of Pará, in northern Brazil. These containers keep the products at a constant temperature of -22 °C to ensure they remain perfectly preserved throughout the journey.
The cold chain is continuously monitored. To verify that the temperature has been maintained throughout the entire transport process, recording devices called dataloggers are placed in the containers. They make it possible to check that the products have remained under the required conditions, from Brazil until their arrival in Europe.
Why do ships make several stops?
When we imagine sea freight, we often think of a direct journey between two ports. In reality, however, logistics are quite different.
Ships generally make several stops during their journey. This arrangement makes it possible to consolidate freight flows, optimize routes and limit unnecessary travel.
A container may also be transferred to another ship along the way to optimize logistics routes. This operation, known as transshipment, is an integral part of international sea freight.
Even when a container is transferred from one ship to another, its traceability is maintained. Each container has a unique number that makes it possible to track its journey to its final destination.
From arrival in France to delivery
After approximately a month and a half in transit, Nossa! acai arrives at the port of Le Havre in France. Customs clearance procedures are completed there before the container continues on to our partner warehouses.
To preserve the cold chain, the container is transferred directly onto a refrigerated truck for transport. The products are then stored in facilities suitable for frozen goods.
All inventory is tracked electronically, both by reference and by batch number. This system makes it possible to know exactly how much stock is available and to ensure complete traceability through to the end customer.
Order preparation and shipping are then entrusted to several logistics partners specializing in temperature-controlled transport. Depending on the geographical areas served, different providers are involved to optimize delivery times and the routes taken.
Our goal is to guarantee product quality while maintaining the cold chain until the products reach their destination.
Logistics designed to limit its impact
Transporting a product from the Amazon involves responsibility. At Nossa!, we are aware that importing food products raises legitimate questions about its environmental impact.
That is why we seek to limit the footprint of every stage of our logistics. The use of sea freight, shipment consolidation and route optimization help reduce transport-related emissions. No industry player benefits from running empty vehicles: this optimization addresses both economic and environmental concerns.
Sea freight is not a perfect solution. However, it currently represents the alternative most consistent with our commitments.
Transporting a product from the Amazon involves responsibility. At Nossa!, we seek to limit the impact of every stage: from traditional harvesting to final delivery, by prioritizing logistics solutions consistent with our commitments
To learn more, also discover the carbon footprint of our acai purée.
Do you have any questions?
Why doesn't Nossa! use air freight?
Because sea freight has a significantly lower carbon footprint and makes it possible to consolidate freight flows.
How long does it take to transport acai from Brazil to France?
The journey takes an average of one and a half months from departure in Brazil to arrival at the port of Le Havre.
How does Nossa! guarantee the cold chain?
The products are transported in refrigerated containers maintained at -22 °C and equipped with dataloggers that record the temperature throughout the journey.
What is a datalogger?
It is a temperature recording device used to verify that the storage conditions required for frozen products have been maintained during transport.