A study commissioned by Kerry has revealed that upcycled cheese powder delivers impressive environmental benefits without compromising on taste. The product carbon footprint (PCF) shows that upcycled cheese powders are 45% lower in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than standard cheese powder and reduce food waste.
The capability to avoid GHG emissions presents a significant opportunity for food companies who wish to improve their product’s sustainability positioning and reduce scope 3 carbon emissions while still creating great-tasting products.
Carmel Collins, global portfolio director of Dairy Taste for Kerry, says that upcycled foods prevent food from going to landfill and avoid additional unnecessary emissions.
“This is a big benefit as food manufacturers are actively looking to reduce their scope 3 carbon emissions and improve the sustainability positioning of their products. Brands are increasingly sharing their stories with consumers to demonstrate that they are making a conscious effort to create great-tasting products that are more environmentally sustainable,” she explains.
According to data from Innova Market Insights, 44% of consumers are willing to pay extra for products that help fight food waste, and a third of consumers agree that upcycled ingredients are more appealing to them.
“Therefore, it is no surprise that here at Kerry, we are seeing a demand for these products,” notes Collins.
“Cheese is wasted throughout the supply chain across the industry,” she continues. “At Kerry, due to our novel sourcing model, scientific skills and technical capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to upcycle this cheese into high-quality and shelf-stable cheese powders that deliver an authentic cheese taste.”
By doing this, Collins believes Kerry is “maximizing the potential of the food source and the resource it takes to manufacture the cheese in the first place while simultaneously minimizing food waste.”
Appeal for consumers
The PCF shows that Kerry’s cheese powders deliver lower carbon solutions for its customers’ products. According to the company, this is a great attraction for consumers seeking upcycled products that are better for the environment while still tasting great.
“We have focused on creating cheese powders from upcycled cheese as it enables us to have a positive impact on the environment, while delivering great tasting dairy products in a way that’s better for our people and our planet,” outlines Collins.
“The synergy of our verified supply chain, scientific expertise and manufacturing capability enables us to create great-tasting cheese powders that reduce food waste and enable our customers to position their products sustainably,” she adds.
Kerry’s future food vision
According to Collins, Kerry wants to be its customers’ most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition.
“Sustainable nutrition refers to our ability to provide positive and balanced nutrition solutions that help maintain good health while protecting people and the planet. A key component of achieving this goal is ensuring that our innovation strategies are focused on meeting the industry’s biggest challenges.”
“We have set several ambitious goals to achieve this and align with the Paris Agreement of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. For example, we increased our initial targets for Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions reduction from 33% to 55% by 2030.”
This goal strengthens Kerry’s Beyond the Horizon sustainability strategy and commitments, including a target to halve its food waste and reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.
With the UN estimating that a third of all food is wasted, Kerry also recently launched its Food Waste Estimator, which allows consumers and manufacturers to quantify and understand the financial and environmental impact of reducing food waste in the food chain or the home.
In addition, the estimator enables food manufacturers to determine the impact they can have in reducing global food waste by using shelf life extension technology across their portfolios.
