Economy
The third pillar of the CSR strategy, a very important pillar in which we highlight the aspects of all economic considerations and aspects.
Financial strength is required to be able to (continue to) realize all these plans. This capacity is the result of a correct distribution of wealth between countries and companies within those countries. A correct economic distribution ensures the so-called win-win principle, in which the generated added value between the parties is more than the sum of the invested value on both sides. In other words, doing business is an activity in which it must be achieved that added value is not only created within the own organization, but also at buyers and suppliers. From the lowest link in the chain to the highest. Sure beef strives for the shortest possible lines of communication with suppliers (farmers and other suppliers). In doing so, we increase the influence on our purchase of quality slaughter cattle and other materials that we need in our process. Where possible, we implement this principle of “direct sourcing” to the maximum. We act, both locally and internationally, as a loyal, long-term customer and have commercial relationships with those companies that are initially interesting in terms of price, but especially in the field of quality, sustainability, food safety (FSCC 22000), environmental awareness, flexibility and operate socially in a manner consistent with the goals and principles set by our company.
As far as cattle for slaughter is concerned, we try as much as possible to work with those farmers who practice organic livestock farming and, if possible, are also Globalgap certified. However, conventional livestock farming systems are less sustainable in terms of sustainability and the environment, the researchers say. Organic livestock farming, for example, has less impact on the local area biodiversity and reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance from bacteria. In addition, organic livestock farmers have lower construction costs and a higher yield per animal. Combining the strengths of both types of animal husbandry systems is still a challenge.
The housing of the animals and the possibility of outdoor range should be weighed on the basis of animal welfare, yield, productivity, risk of infection and the pleasure that people get from seeing cows in the pasture. For example, the use of antibiotics must be limited as much as possible, while at the same time the welfare of sick animals must be guaranteed.
We would like to become buyers and stakeholders of these livestock farmers. If there is a permanent basis with a few of these livestock farmers / growers, Sure beef will eventually come up with branded meat in order to be able to offer it to the Surinamese butchers together with a marketing and commercial package. However, many steps still need to be taken for this, but the first steps have already been taken by Sure beef.
We live in a world where many, many things happen around us at the same time that we have no or cannot influence, think of the Covid-19 pandemic, and which can have major economic consequences for the world, the country of Suriname, but also for us as a company. As a result, we have started to diversify our turnover significantly. Sure beef is no longer only dependent on the turnover of slaughter costs, but we have also set up turnover groups such as meat transport, meat trade, butcher materials, a boning service for beef, the frozen cutting service and dog food, etc. More groups will be added in the coming year 2021. Contacts with the skins buyers abroad were also intensified in 2020, so that we can add value to all skins in 2021 and the future.
Prices are a direct derivative of supply and demand. Every entrepreneur knows that. Nevertheless, it is possible to steer within certain margins to convince customers and to make them receptive to certain important ecological and quality considerations. You will not see in Sure beef’s pricing policy that we want to compete with the cheapest provider of carcasses without paying attention to quality. We prefer to pay a little more at the farmer for good quality slaughter of cattle, sheep and goats.
In this way we encourage farmers to influence the purchasing behavior of our buyers. We will not give in to competitive pressure as long as the Sure beef company can demonstrate with know-how, love for nature and the environment, common sense and an irrevocable respect for people and animals that quality over quantity. This benefits the environment, the health of the population and the Surinamese economy.
Sure beef’s products and services are of course quantified within our company with value systems such as costs and margin. The intrinsic value of the product or service is therefore fairly easy to determine. However, the demand for the product and / or service is more often related to the external value of the product or service. The value that the customer / buyer can expect to achieve when processing the product or using the service. At Sure beef, we try to make the external value as high as possible, in continuous consultation with our farmers, suppliers, production employees and customers.
Sure beef would not be a healthy Surinamese company if it were not constantly working on saving. All processes that take place within the company are continuously screened for possibilities for cost savings. After all, a cost saving provides a better margin, but also environmental savings if we look at renewable energy as solar energy for the company. It is already being looked into having part of the electrical power generated by solar energy. The hot water already comes from our solar boilers, which also saves a lot on your energy bill.
Customer focus
We make the wishes and needs of our customers the highest priority by ensuring that they are satisfied at all times. The added value for our customers is that we deal efficiently and safely with the quality meat that has been slaughtered in a food-safe manner, which is stated in the international FSCC 22000 standard. As stated earlier, building good relationships with our customers is the basis for the continuity of the company.
Quality
We provide services of consistent quality and respond to the specific wishes and needs of our customers who meet regional and international standards. We continuously work on quality by meeting our services in accordance with the FSCC 22000 standards. Our company has three in-house quality managers and has its own quality department.
Innovation and ICT
We regularly work to improve our quality standards, while also innovating our services and introducing our own products. We are known as a flexible, dynamic, innovative slaughterhouse that is open to criticism, improvement and new services. (previously described above)
Data is the petroleum of the future. Data is becoming more important by the day. Sure beef has been a pioneer in the Surinamese slaughterhouse industry to have its own ERP slaughter and invoicing software made locally. Our process control and back office system is based on inputs from the declaration of slaughter cattle to the weighing and invoicing of the carcasses and the entire
tracing thereof if necessary. An internal Gmail-based email and communication system has also been set up so that each department can exchange information more quickly, which benefits the customer through fewer errors in the data and faster availability of answers to questions. The manual work that was written on paper has now been converted into a digital system and is always available for reference work. All reports are now also digital, which means that a trend analysis can be made more quickly in the coming months.
Sure beef continues to pay a lot of attention to technological innovation in software, data and technical fields. We are convinced that only modern companies with a high level of technological development will persevere within the strict rules and legislation. Only those companies that realize in good time that in these times quality can only be guaranteed by strict international agreements (also in our industry) on safety and origin protection will be able to set up such a way that meeting these requirements can also be made profitable.
Sure beef is a medium-sized flexible company where service provision is written in capital letters and is always central. Lines are extremely short and the organization is kept as flat as possible. In this way we create empowerment in the workplace and responsibility in the right place and the right time. We minimize the time it takes to make decisions. This also provides a boost in efficiency.
