Thread by @adrianzenz

Breaking: major investigation by several int'l media outlets finds Nestle/Del Monte/Unilever process Xinjiang tomatoes in 3rd countries & sell products at major grocery chains.

I provided research findings on coercive labor in tomato harvest/processing. cbc.ca/news/canada/ma…

Export records showed Del Monte, Unilever, Nestle and UFC NutriAsia purchased thousands of tonnes of tomato paste in the last two years from Cofco Tunhe, a company implicated by new research in the coercive labour transfer scheme.

Tomato paste was shipped from Xinjiang to factories in Southeast Asia, processed as spaghetti sauces and ketchups, then exported under the Product of Philippines, India, Pakistan origin labels.

Labels don't mention use of Xinjiang or Chinese tomatoes.

CBC interviewed Adil, a Uyghur witness, who says that every year up to 12 members of his family were forced to plant/harvest/process tomatoes in Xinjiang. He stated that Uyghurs face fines and retribution if they are unable or refuse to engage in such state-mandated labor.

CBC investigative journalists posed as potential customers to Chinese tomato suppliers, who were either evasive or downplayed how much they relied on it.

Cofco denied using forced Uyghur labour and did not respond to further questions after CBC revealed they were journalists.

CBC found Canadian grocery stores such as Loblaws, Sobeys & Whole Foods work with Italian processors who admit to using Xinjiang tomatoes, but said these products don't come into Canada - they are sent instead to markets like the U.K, Australia and Africa.

Antonio Petti Fu Pasquale Spa — currently under investigation by Italian authorities for allegedly passing off foreign tomatoes as 100 per cent Italian — is a major processor that makes private label pastes and sauces for Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

Following CBC's inquiries, Whole Foods said it pulled its 365 Double Concentrated Tomato Paste off store shelves and will cut ties with their Italian supplier.