Growing Ricola herbs is hard physical work. As cultivation strictly dispenses with the use of herbicides and pesticides, weeds can only be eliminated by mechanical means. This tiresome weeding process must be repeated many times before the herbs are ready to be harvested.
About half of the farms that plant our herbs enjoy bio-certification. Therefore, Ricola works in close collaboration with the Bio Suisse umbrella association, whose members in Switzerland include more than 30 bio-agricultural organizations and over 5000 farming operations that produce biologically. Based on rigorous quality guidelines governing biological cultivation, Bio Suisse awards the "Bio Suisse Knospe" quality label. All bio-farmers that operate in line with Bio Suisse guidelines are monitored at least once every year. Only when inspections have proved satisfactory are bio-farmers awarded the "Knospe" certificate for the coming year. It is planned that in a few years' time, all the farms that grow Ricola herbs will have bio-certification.