Sourcing that starts at the source

A product’s journey begins long before it reaches us. We try to make that beginning as visible as possible. We check the producer we work with, the organic scope of the product and the sourcing conditions, and we link every batch we accept to its source. So when a product arrives at our warehouse, we have more than a quantity and a product name: we have a history we can trace back. Because for us, sourcing well means knowing the right source before finding the right product.

Every batch that arrives goes through our own checks. We take samples, assess the product’s physical characteristics and the required analyses, and compare the results with our acceptance criteria. A batch is judged on the product itself, not only on its documents. Analysis results, retained samples and acceptance or rejection decisions are recorded, and we keep these records for at least 5 years. This is how the trail that starts in sourcing becomes a concrete record at the inspection stage.

We work only with organic products; we do not accept conventional products into our facility or warehouses. But protecting a product’s organic identity goes further than that. At every stage from storage to shipment, we make sure the product is handled under the right conditions and never mixed with other products. We manage the process accordingly, from shipment planning to transport conditions. Because for us, the identity of an organic product is something to be protected not only at its source, but until the moment it reaches the customer.

At Biosmyrna, not every product we source ends its journey at the same point. Some reach our customers as organic commodities. Other raw materials become organic animal feed under our Bioyem brand at our facility in Torbalı, İzmir. Our facility has 1,000 m² of covered space and a production capacity of 20 tonnes per hour. This means that alongside sourcing and trade, we also run our own operation at the point where raw material becomes production.

How a product reaches the customer is decided by the need and the type of shipment. Depending on the customer’s request, we use 25 kg and 50 kg PP bags or kraft bags of the same weights; for suitable shipments, we deliver in 1,000 kg big bags or in bulk. The packaging may change, but the product’s batch information and traceability do not. Because for us, packaging is a choice at the end of the product’s journey, while the product’s identity is information to be protected from start to finish.

For us, a product’s story does not end when the shipment is complete. The certificate of analysis, certificate of origin and organic product certificate the customer needs travel with the product. Batch records are kept after shipment as well. When needed, we can trace a batch back to its source through our records. So what is delivered is not just a product with certain characteristics, but a batch whose source, checks and sourcing process can be traced back.