FDBusiness.com

Lamb Weston/Meijer, a leading company in the area of high quality potato products, has published its sustainability report for 2015-2016. Headquartered at Kruiningen in the Netherlands, Lamb Weston/Meijer is well on its way to achieving its sustainability objectives for 2020. Over the last two years the company has made a number of significant investments to support those ambitions.

Compared to the reference year 2008, energy consumption per tonne of product has reduced by more than 21% and potato utilisation has improved by 4.5%. Increasing transport by water and rail has reduced road transport by more than 6 million kilometres per year. Furthermore, Lamb Weston/Meijer pre-fries more than 82% of its products in a healthier frying oil. On an annual basis this equals a reduction of 9.6 million kilos of saturated fat through its products.

Lamb Weston/Meijer has a sustainability strategy that goes beyond corporate social responsibility. The strategy focuses on six areas – the Sustainable Six. These are Water, Energy & Emissions, Potato & Waste, Employees, Food Safety & Quality and Nutrition & Health. In 2015, the company opened a state-of-the-art receiving area in Kruiningen. This has led to better potato utilisation and improved product quality. In November 2016, it opened a new production line in Bergen op Zoom with the latest energy-efficiency technology. The new production line comprises innovations in the areas of cutting, optical grading, frying, freezing and utilities. All contributing to the ambition to produce even more sustainably and efficiently.

Lamb Weston/Meijer is also focusing heavily on a circular economy. By finding the most useful destinations for all the by-products and waste flows from its processes, it achieves environmental gains and more efficient production. Since 2008 Lamb Weston/Meijer sends zero waste to landfill and as of 2016 only 0.2% (mixed company waste) is incinerated. For further information visit www.lambweston.eu/sustainability.