From field to roundtable: a fresh produce tour of Morocco

Last month, our Technical Manager, Stephanie Collister, travelled to Morocco to take part in three days of grower workshops and industry roundtables.

Held in Morocco’s key fresh produce region of Chtouka Ait Baha, the event was organised by Partner Africa in collaboration with a coalition of UK retailers.

Growers, packhouses, workers and supply chain partners came together with a shared goal: to openly discuss the challenges facing the industry and identify practical solutions that can be implemented more quickly and collaboratively.

Below, Stephanie shares some of the key insights and takeaways from the event.

Starting where it matters: workers’ voices

The event began with a series of worker workshops, creating a dedicated space for workers to openly share their experiences within the industry. While progress has been made in recent years, the conversations highlighted that there is still more to do — from improving working conditions and strengthening supply chain collaboration to addressing the ongoing challenges created by climate change.

The workers Stephanie spoke with shared valuable ideas and practical suggestions on how the industry can continue moving forward. Crucially, the feedback from these workshops fed directly into wider discussions between retailers and suppliers throughout the three-day event.

“It was incredibly valuable to hear directly from workers about their experiences and where improvements could still be made — particularly around working conditions, transport and day-to-day life,” said Stephanie.

A shared commitment to action

By the end of the event, retailers and suppliers had agreed on a clear commitment to put the solutions discussed into practice. The sessions concluded with a practical roadmap focused on keeping worker wellbeing at the centre of decision-making, while also encouraging greater collaboration, transparency and the sharing of best practice across the industry.

For Stephanie, one of the most important outcomes was the sense of shared responsibility and momentum among everyone involved.

Why Morocco matters

Morocco is not only a key sourcing region for MWW, but also for the wider UK fresh produce industry. Building strong partnerships in the region is essential to helping address shared challenges and improve standards across the supply chain.

The workshops and roundtables demonstrated what can be achieved when workers, growers, suppliers and retailers come together with a common focus on progress and accountability. The challenge now is to maintain that momentum and turn conversations into meaningful, measurable change.

Continuing to do the right thing

At MWW, responsible sourcing and supporting the people behind our supply chain has always been important to us. Events like this provide an opportunity to listen, learn and work more closely with partners across the industry to drive positive change.

For us, sustainability is not only about reducing environmental impact — it’s also about ensuring workers across the supply chain are supported, heard and able to work in safe and fair conditions. The discussions in Morocco reinforced just how important collaboration and transparency are in creating long-term progress.