The HiPP Organic Seal
Before organic food was available in the supermarket, the HiPP family believed in organic farming. We've unreservedly pursued organic principles, as we're convinced by their importance for babies and the planet.
We created our own organic seal because we go beyond legal requirements with quality. Stefan Hipp, the fourth generation owner, explains the difference between standard organic and HiPP organic quality in more detail.
Why does HiPP have its own organic seal?
Stefan Hipp: First of all, our quality is based on long-standing tradition. We started organic farming in 1956, over 60 years ago when organic farming wasn't a big topic. Going against convention at the time, my family promoted organic farming with full conviction. In doing so, we set new, higher standards for the quality of baby food. These quality measures go further than the law requires - we consider them in the soil we choose, plant cultivation and when we process every HiPP organic product.
But the legal organic logo also stands for quality, right?
Stefan Hipp: Of course. The EU Organic regulations are a good thing. It bans chemical-synthetic sprays and fertilizers, green genetic engineering, artificial colours and preservatives, aromas or flavour enhancers from being used.
Is it still necessary to use a separate organic seal?
Stefan Hipp: Absolutely. The standard organic logo is good and important. However, it doesn’t regulate the quality of the organic ingredients after they've grown. Pollutants in the air, in the soil or from neighbouring fields can still contaminate the fruit, vegetables or grains we grow. Accordingly, the provisions for baby food allow for a low quantity of pesticides in baby food. But this is not the case with HiPP. We strive for significantly lower values than the law requires. We don't allow these residues, so we carry out complete quality checks at a high technical level. Only impeccable organic ingredients are used in our products and, therefore, receive our organic seal.
The HiPP Organic Seal stands for higher quality organic standards. How is that achieved?
Stefan Hipp: Firstly, we take soil samples to check whether a field is suitable to grow our special produce. Many years ago, we exclusively contracted the most suitable growing areas for the respective vegetable variety. Over decades, we've acquired knowledge of how crop rotation should be carried out. During cultivation, we support the organic farmers and work closely with them. Later, upon delivery, we only accept the produce if it meets the strict HiPP purity requirements in our laboratory tests.
How far does your control of harmful substances go?
Stefan Hipp: We examine our raw materials for over 1,000 harmful substances - significantly more than the EU organic regulations require. For example, the contents of a HiPP baby food jar go through more than 260 quality controls - we're much stricter than the law. With our sensitive measurement technology, we could detect a single grain of salt in a 25 metre swimming pool.
At HiPP, we have voluntarily imposed these strict limits on all known harmful substances and impurities. However, a valuable contribution in terms of quality also comes from our organic farmers, who have known about our uncompromising attitude for many decades. We're jointly committed to providing the highest quality ingredients, as we believe they make a big difference to feeding your little one everyday.
