Cutting the carbon: steps toward net zero in food and beverage production

In the food and beverage industry, reaching net zero will be a complex and difficult task. Consumer awareness of environmental challenges is high, with issues as varied as livestock emissions, single-use plastics, sustainability of agriculture, ocean biodiversity, and food miles all prominent in the news – and unlikely to go away.

In the UK, the Food and Drink Federation, the voice of the industry, published its Roadmap to Net Zero in 2021, citing a need for “rapid decarbonisation” to achieve Paris agreement goals. In our recent interview with Emma Piercy from the Food and Drink Federation, she also highlighted that manufacturers and retailers are already looking at the sustainability credentials of potential suppliers – so anyone in the supply chain who doesn’t prioritise their decarbonisation plan risks being left behind.

FoodDrinkEurope, meanwhile, commissioned a similar roadmap in 2021, while the EU has also published a wide-ranging Farm to Fork Strategy as part of the European Green Deal.

However, direct emissions from heat remain hard to decarbonise. And transforming our food systems is even more challenging against a backdrop of rising energy prices and a global food security crisis.

But when it comes to cutting carbon for your food manufacturing business, how do you find the energy innovations that suit you? And how can you implement these technologies while keeping costs under control? Our new practical report, Making it your Business: How to pursue net zero, outlines a pathway that may help.

Steps toward net zero in food and beverage production

As gas prices have increased in recent months, it’s forced food and drink manufacturers to reassess how they manage energy costs. But your net zero goals haven’t gone away, and the days left to 2050 are ticking down.

In our practical guide, we explore the areas that you can focus on, to both reduce your carbon emissions and get more control over your energy costs. Our recommendations include:

Use data to underpin decisions

The first section of our guide focuses on the importance of setting clear goals – and this starts with using data to understand the state of your energy spend.

Using data in this way can help you pinpoint carbon emission hotspots in your organisation, so you know where to focus efforts and monitor performance over time.

See the example of Altex Group, who used device-level energy insights to take control of energy costs; or Italian producer Zini, who installed detectors on its gnocchi production lines.
 

Find solutions to suit your needs

After setting objectives and gathering data, the next step is to focus on outlining technical solutions and assessing feasibility. Given the variety in the food and drink sector, it’s important to find solutions that are unique to you.

For example, we partnered with Albers Alligator in the Netherlands to install a floating solar panel on a water basin for horticultural grower Kwekerij de Noordhoek. This helps with energy costs while supplying energy to the grid.

Manage the details of installation

Our guide also focuses on best practices for installing and integrating your chosen technical solution – which means remaining respectful of the local environment.

For example, we partnered with the Bridge, a family-run company in a village in northern Italy, on a CHP project.

The project reduced their carbon emissions and their costs – and, as part of the project, attention was paid to reducing noise from the plant to help ensure the company maintained good relations with its neighbours.

Operation and optimisation

Finally, we examine the need for robust inspection and maintenance protocols – to make sure everything is running optimally, and that sustainability and cost gains are being maximised.

Yet improving sustainability isn’t only a technical challenge; it can also be a cultural one.

In the food and drink sector, challenges are technical but also varied, so working toward net zero can mean a change of mindset for middle managers who must also respond to supply chain pressures in the short term.

That’s why our guide recommends working to “future-proof” your organisation by working on your sustainability culture.

What’s your next step?

Download our practical guide to find your next step to reducing emissions in the food and drink sector. At each step of the journey, it includes key action points for you to follow.