From May 2022, MultiTrace, the Rainforest Alliance’s online traceability platform, will include all fresh and processed fruits, vegetables and cut flowers, so it will become even easier to trace Rainforest Alliance Certified products through supply chains. Royalty for fresh fruits and vegetables begins 1 July 2022.
Processed fruit traceability will begin in MultiTrace Q4 2022. Royalty will also begin in Q4.
Bananas, orange juice and coconut oil will continue in Marketplace 2.0 until Q4 when they will also move to MultiTrace.
Traceability matters
Our stakeholders–including consumers, brands, other NGOs, and consumer advocacy groups –regularly challenge us to demonstrate how we ensure our claims of Rainforest Alliance Certified content. Traceability helps us back up the claim that any products bearing the Rainforest Alliance seal come from Rainforest Alliance Certified sources. It means that consumers and companies can trace a product back to a Rainforest Alliance certified farm of group. This process helps us safeguard the integrity of the Rainforest Alliance seal.
Collecting this data centrally at the Rainforest Alliance, allows us to have visibility through the entire supply chain, from origin to final distribution, and thus can assure the integrity of the Rainforest Alliance seal.
Every stage of its journey documented, so consumers are certain of what they are buying. Companies can also benefit from traceability because it can make their supply chains more transparent, identify possible weak spots and work on further improvements. And farmers can track farm development, but also gain access to new markets.
Frequency
It is required that your trading stock is updated at least once every three months. Volumes sold as certified should be recorded at the latest two weeks after the end of the quarter within which the shipment took place. Please note that importers will be invoiced monthly, based on certified volumes coming into their account.
It is very important to perform transactions regularly so your buyer has the purchased volumes available for their own processing/trading activities in MultiTrace.
The use of the traceability system will be checked during your (surprise) audit, and when done correctly, it will avoid non-conformities.
If you have any questions about our traceability systems and methods, and what it can mean to your company, please contact customersuccess@ra.org.
Please note that you should only record fruit and vegetables certified under the Rainforest Alliance 2020 Standard.
Royalty
Royalty on fresh fruits (excluding bananas) and vegetables will commence from 1st July 2022 in our MultiTrace system.
Royalty is charged once in every supply chain, on the incoming transaction certificates of importers.
Invoices will be sent monthly, based on the traded volumes in the account on the last day of the month. Learn more about royalty costs.
Guidance
FAQ
What is MultiTrace?
MultiTrace is an online platform used by the Rainforest Alliance to trace Rainforest Alliance Certified products through supply chains, and to authorize trademark approvals. Farmers and companies now have a single transactional system to record all purchases and sales of Rainforest Alliance Certified fresh and processed fruits, vegetables and cut flowers. MultiTrace will be accessible through the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform (RACP), once traceability comes into force (May for fresh fruits, Q4 for processed fruits). MultiTrace replaces our MarketPlace traceability system.
Do I have to register on RACP to gain access to MultiTrace?
Yes, all companies must register on RACP as part of the transition to our new standard. You can register here.
How can I find information on using MultiTrace?
You will be able to access MultiTrace in RACP once it becomes available. You can register and log into RACP here. Further guidance and training will become available soon.
Who needs to register transactions?
Any company buying or selling from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms including producers, processors, exporters, importers, ripening facilities, bottlers, and wholesalers will need to report their incoming and outgoing transactions using the online traceability system. See chapter 2 of the Rainforest Alliance Supply Chain Requirements here
How are the volume transactions tracked?
Certified producers are allocated a maximum quota of Rainforest Alliance Certified volumes at the time of audit. Our traceability system will track volumes of the Rainforest Alliance Certified fresh fruits, fruit juice and by-products, and vegetables and cut flowers from certified producers all the way to brand/retail packaging, to support the Rainforest Alliance Certified claim. The system records volume transactions of Rainforest Alliance Certified products, linking the product claim to certified farms.
What crops will be traceable in MultiTrace?
| Fruits |
| Acai |
| Apple |
| Apricot |
| Avocado |
| Banana |
| Blackberry |
| Blueberry |
| Cape gooseberry/Physalis |
| Cherry |
| Citrus |
| Clementine |
| Fig |
| Grapefruit |
| Grapes |
| Lemon |
| Lychee |
| Mandarin |
| Mango |
| Mangosteen |
| Melon |
| Nectarine |
| Papaya |
| Passion fruit |
| Peach |
| Pear |
| Pineapple |
| Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit |
| Plantain |
| Plum |
| Pomegranate |
| Raspberry |
| Soursop |
| Strawberry |
| Watermelon |
| Vegetables |
| Artichoke |
| Arugula |
| Asparagus |
| Bean |
| Beet, beetroot |
| Brussels Sprout |
| Calabash |
| Carrot |
| Celery |
| Chard |
| Corn |
| Cucumber |
| Eggplant, Aubergine |
| Green bean/string bean |
| Lettuce |
| Manioc/Cassava |
| Onion |
| Pea |
| Potato |
| Spinach |
| Squash |
| Sweet Potato |
| Tomato |
| Flowers |
| Flowers |
| Foliage |
| Sunflower |
When do I need to register transactions?
Per our 2020 Supply Chain Requirements, volumes sold as certified must be recorded in the Rainforest Alliance traceability platform at the latest two weeks after the end of the quarter in which the shipment took place.
When should I record transactions – monthly or quarterly?
The standard allows certificates holders a period of two weeks to record their online traceability transactions after the end of the quarter in which the physical shipment took place. However, note that importers will receive monthly royalty invoices based on incoming volume transactions received within the prior month.
Do I need to register transactions if I do not intend to use the Rainforest Alliance seal?
If your company wants to claim that the products it buys or sells originated from a Rainforest Alliance Certified farm then the transaction must be reported in the traceability system, irrespective of whether the products carry the green frog seal or other Rainforest Alliance trademarks on stickers or packaging. Similarly, all transactions of products which carry the green frog seal or other Rainforest Alliance trademarks on stickers or packaging must be reported in the traceability system even if the final buyer does not want to claim that these products have been sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. This enables us to validate all claims that the products have been sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms and protects the credibility of the Rainforest Alliance trademarks, including the green frog seal.
How does the Rainforest Alliance ensure data privacy?
The Rainforest Alliance places a high priority on protecting your data and your privacy. Sales data is treated as confidential and will only be accessible to the suppliers and customers that you interact with directly. The Rainforest Alliance understands that you may have a desire to keep your individual and business information private and secure. We are committed to taking all reasonable and appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information. Read more in our privacy policy here
I don’t have internet access; how can I report a sale?
Internet access is required to declare transactions. For users that have limited access to the internet, users can enable their buyers request a transaction to the Producers by using the “Purchase” option at the time of issuing a transaction. Both companies will need to set the other up as a Mandated Trade partner in the Dashboard.
Where can I find manuals for MultiTrace?
Traceability guidance and training will become available in the future.
I forgot my password to MultiTrace. How can I log in?
To recover your password, go to the login page at https://portal.ra.org/RA_Certification_Theme/Login and click on “Forgot password” after attempting to enter a username. If you continue to have issues logging in, email us at customersuccess@ra.org. If you continue to have issues logging in, email us at customersuccess@ra.org.