Dümmen Orange reacts to the situation, as their Guatemala farm is located nearby the volcano. “The situation in Guatemala has our highest priority. Given the circumstances, Dümmen Orange is taking care of this situation as much as possible.”
Nicolette Straver, Corporate Communication Specialist at Dümmen Orange, says that in regards to staff the HR department has tried to call all employees in Guatemala. “However, four of our employees didn't reply. We don't know what their situation is right now. We also found out that some employees suffer from losses of relatives. Due to the contamination in the air, the medical doctor recommended to retire our pregnant colleagues from work.”
While their major concern is finding out about the missing employees, the farm itself has not been damaged. “Our farm, crops and shipping are not being affected. The greenhouses are covered with ashes only. Safety measures (emergency plan, protective clothing, etc.) have been implemented at the farm. The farm is ready for evacuation at any moment.”
She concludes: “We are constantly tracking the information from the national government and the media. Our colleagues over there are supporting the local people and local emergency teams with bottled water, food, medicines and clothes.”