CPG in the NEWS

KRAFT HEINZ SETS GOAL TO ELIMINATE 100M POUNDS OF VIRGIN PLASTIC IN PACKAGING

Kraft Heinz says it plans to reduce the use of virgin plastic in its global packaging portfolio by 20 per cent by 2030, equivalent to an estimated 100 million pounds of virgin plastic, or five Eiffel Towers in weight.

The goal builds on existing investments the company has made across its portfolio to reduce plastic use and meet its broader packaging goals, including aiming to make 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025, and aiming to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by 2050, while halving emissions by 2030. As part of the goal, it plans to increase the use of recycled content in its packaging. For example, in Canada earlier this year, Nabob coffee replaced its non-recyclable flexible plastic coffee bags with recyclable canisters made from 80 per cent paper fiber from renewable resources. This move alone is estimated to eliminate about 2.5 million plastic bags annually.

Maple Leaf Foods partners with kids’ group Earth Rangers to fight climate change

Maple Leaf Foods is joining forces with children’s conservation organization Earth Rangers to help combat the 2.2 million tonnes of food wasted in Canada annually. Launched in fall 2022, children across the country took part in the Earth Rangers’ app-based “All Taste, No Waste” Challenge for six months. They learned how to form and log environmentally friendly “habits,” such as selecting misshapen produce, composting, reusing leftovers and more. The challenge reinforced how small changes can have a big impact on the environment.

More than 9,300 Earth Rangers across Canada used fun resources to learn about and log over 119,000 new sustainable food habits, such as “Being a Clean Plate Champion,” whereby kids dished up only as much as they could eat, saving 19,192 plates of food from landfill – enough to provide lunch for a person for 53 years. The “upcooking” habit prompted kids to log 14,834 meals made from leftovers. As a reward for being climate champions and logging 100,000 habits collectively, Earth Rangers across the country unlocked an “All Taste, No Waste” leftovers-focused cookbook as a “thank you” for protecting our planet.

BEL GROUP TARGETS FOOD WASTE, INSECURITY

Bel Group Canada says it’s accelerating its commitment to fighting food waste and food insecurity by committing to initiatives to help halve food waste globally by 2030 and work to improve food security.

As part of its strategy, the company has implemented measures to address food waste at multiple stages of its operations. For example, at the Baby bel production plant, it has optimized production efficiency to reduce losses by 76 per cent since the plant opening in 2020, and it’s investing in specialized equipment to go one step further towards net-zero destruction. A by-product of cheese production, whey is used as an ingredient for animal feed, making sure that every component of the milk stream is valued as opposed to ending as waste. Bel Group Canada also works on an ongoing basis with its distribution partner, Congébec, to avoid food loss during warehousing and transportation, and ensure that 100% of products delivered can be sold by retailers.

Danone’s Silk Bee Line campaign aims to protect pollinators

Danone’s Silk Canada and Carl Social Club collaborated with Pollinator Partnership Canada and local merchants earlier this year to launch a social impact campaign using an urban pathway in Montreal to help travelling pollinators move safely from one green space to another. The “Silk Bee Line,” located along Place de Castelnau in Montreal, was a brightly coloured route featuring fresh pollinator-friendly flower planters, along with facts about bees, bee hotels for bees to rest along the way, and a pollinator inspired mural created by Canadian artists that spanned three blocks. Local merchants joined the movement and received bee-friendly flower boxes to put in front of their store all summer long to feed the pollinators and help them move around. The campaign had an amplified presence across Canada with 95 bee hotels placed on billboards in key urban areas in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver – a continuation of Silk Canada’s pollinator health research project in partnership with Pattison Outdoor Advertising and the Université de Montréal. As a result of its efforts, Danone’s Silk Almond beverage has received the 2023 Bee Friendly Farming (BFF) certification from Pollinator Partnership. Given to farmers who preserve and protect pollinator populations, the BFF certification aims to support more acres that reduce threats to pollinators and increase floral resources.

Lactalis Canada invests in eco-friendly Ontario distribution centre

Lactalis Canada plans to open a new environmentally friendly distribution centre in Oshawa, Ont. in 2024. The 379,000 sq. ft. centre will consolidate multiple shipping locations used to service the cheese and table spreads category into a central, modern facility. The facility will be the largest distribution centre, from a capacity standpoint, for Lactalis Group globally. The building will be zero-carbon ready, with the potential to be Zero Carbon Building certified. Energy will be sourced from the Ontario power grid with no additional reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Lactalis plans to use energy-efficient lighting controls and equipment, and high insulation values to reduce the power load on the refrigeration system. And heat generated from the refrigeration system will be fully reclaimed and used to heat the facility’s offices and the truck apron to melt snow for safety reasons. The company also plans to install solar panels on the roof in a future phase, which will provide renewable power to offset reliance partially or completely on the power grid under certain conditions.