THE PROCUREMENT INTERVIEW
As sustainability pledges give way to operational realities, Mars Food & Nutrition is demonstrating how procurement can drive meaningful agricultural transformation.
Dale Creaser, Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Mars Food & Nutrition, oversees the sourcing strategy for Ben’ s Original, one of the world’ s largest rice brands, placing him at the centre of efforts to make rice farming more sustainable while maintaining supply reliability across global markets.
The challenge is substantial. Rice feeds 3.5 billion people daily and provides income to approximately 19 % of the world’ s population. Yet traditional rice production consumes roughly 40 % of the world’ s irrigation water and accounts for up to 10 % of global methane emissions. For a procurement leader managing such a critical commodity, the imperative to transform sourcing practices is both environmental and commercial.
Building resilience through geographic diversification Mars Food’ s approach to supply chain transformation begins with strategic diversification – a procurement fundamental that takes on new urgency in an era of climate volatility. When drought affected rice production in Spain, where Mars sourced the majority of rice for European markets, the procurement team moved swiftly to establish Uruguay as a viable alternative sourcing region within six months.
Rice provides income to approximately
19 %
of the world’ s population
“ Strategic diversification – reducing dependence on single origins while improving environmental performance – is central to our long-term procurement approach and supports business and supply chain resilience,” Dale explains.
The Uruguay diversification illustrates a key principle in Mars’ s procurement strategy: geographic risk mitigation can deliver environmental benefits alongside supply security. Despite longer transportation distances, Uruguay’ s efficient water management practices and crop rotation systems improved overall sustainability metrics. Mars now sources rice from both Spain and Uruguay, integrating sustainability considerations into ongoing sourcing decisions.
This diversification strategy extends beyond Europe. In recent years, Mars Food has systematically reduced exposure to high-risk sourcing regions by diversifying its supply base and assessing alternative origins for environmental impact and quality. For procurement professionals navigating similar challenges, the lesson is clear: resilience and sustainability need not be competing priorities.
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