This integrated partnership between Rodale Institute and personal care brand Davines will propel the regenerative organic movement beyond food and fiber to beauty and personal care, with a focus on empowering Mediterranean farmers.

The Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center is Rodale Institute’s first international Regional Resource Center located in Parma, Italy. This Center will bring together experts from Rodale Institute and Davines to focus research and education on the relationship between food, regenerative organic agriculture, and beauty.

Learn More About the Center

Why Italy?

Across Italy, organic products are facing a rise in demand as a result of increasingly health-conscious consumers. In 2019, organic packaged foods and beverages recorded a growth rate of 7.9%, with a market value of 1.5 billion USD. Italy continues to outpace most of Europe and the European Union on average in terms of organic farming area, with 15.2% of the country’s utilized agricultural area comprised of organic farms, compared to only 7.7% in countries like France and Germany.

As the organic market in Italy continues to grow, European consumers are looking for food, fiber, and personal care products that serve the health of people and the planet. The Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center will provide support for Mediterranean organic farmers, supporting the rise of regenerative organic agriculture through the region.

About Davines

Founded in Italy in 1983 by the Bollati Family, Davines Group is a producer of high-end hair care products designed for salons worldwide. In 1996, Davines added [ comfort zone ] skin care to its line of products, and is now a B Corp with an international presence in more than 90 countries.

Davines believes in being the best for the world through beauty, ethics, and sustainability. The company currently leads the way in the relationship between food, farming, and personal care with their Slow Food Presidia projects, an effort to boost local economies and support local artisan traditions. Each family in the Davines Essential Haircare line contains one specific active ingredient from a Slow Food Presidium farm (extracts from plants like red celery, lentil seeds, olives, and more).

At the Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center, Davines aims to illustrate the natural progression from Slow Food to a regenerative organic farming system, which encompasses not only soil health but animal welfare and social fairness.

Goals for the Center

The Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center serves as a research and education hub focused on:

  • Increasing the number of organic farms and acres in organic production in the Mediterranean region
  • Solving challenges for farmers in the region, including pests, disease, and weed management
  • Identifying a path forward for incorporating regenerative organic sourcing into personal care products & positively impact the consumer goods supply chain
  • Establishing a long-term research trial to determine changes in soil health, yields, economic models, and more in this unique climate & soil type.

The Farm

The Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center will be located within Davines Village, 11,000 acres of land in the hills just outside of Parma, Italy. The global headquarters of the Davines Group, Davines Village is dedicated to a carbon-neutral village, botanic garden, restaurant, and more.

The Center will encompass a 10-hectare regenerative organic farm and research center on the grounds, in close proximity to Davines researchers, product development, and employees. Scientists and staff of the Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center can study alongside the Davines R&D team to find ways in which regenerative organic agriculture can influence the supply chain of personal care products, support local farmers, and elevate regenerative organic sourcing in the emerging consumer and packaged goods space.

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