There is a clear relationship between the food industry and the environmental impact. The food we consume every day has the well-known consequences of deforestation, land conversion, the overfishing of our oceans, waste and of course the tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. The sector also uses huge amounts of natural resources, including approximately half the world’s ice- and desert-free land and 70% of its fresh water. Of course, everyone needs to eat, but what can we do in order to reduce the aforementioned consequences? Nowadays, more and more companies introduce innovative ways of food production or solutions for reducing food waste. All these initiatives contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the food industry. Are you curious about what these initiatives are? Then you have come to the right place, because we have made a list for you of the 10 most inspiring companies that contribute to reducing food waste and the GHG emissions.
1. Impossible Foods
Who thought that the impossible could be true? Well, one company for sure did. Impossible Foods makes “meat” out of plant-based ingredients, such as soy and potato protein. Their target audience is not vegans or vegetarians, but people who love meat. Because, they knew if they wanted to radically transform the global food system, they had to make burgers that taste like meat, for people who love meat.
What is the secret behind their products, it is nothing less than the essential molecule heme. This molecule is what makes meat taste like meat.
2. Too good to go
Every day, restaurants and shops throw away thousands of kilos of food. Often while it is still in perfect condition. In total, the catering industry wastes as much as 10 million tons of food per year! Too Good to Go wants to change that. This sustainable start-up is doing everything in its power to put food waste on the map.
By using the app, you can buy boxes with fruits and vegetables, sushi, smoothies, you name it. All these boxes with food would otherwise be thrown away. So, it is better for the environment and better for your wallet.
3. Winnow Solutions
Another company that aims on reducing food waste globally is the British start-up Winnow. They have developed a smart trash bin that registers the amount of food ending up in the bin each day, such that chefs can use this information to drive improvements in their production processes to cut food waste in half. The user receives a message each day, with the statistics about the cost and the sort of food that has been thrown into the bin. These insights ensure that restaurants save money and reduce their environmental footprint at the same time. With this solution they have introduced the kitchen of the future!
4. Tony’s chocolonely
This one you probably know. In 2019, the Dutch company Tony's Chocolonely won the Sustainable Brand Index. This is due to Tony's green mission: they want to move towards a sustainable and slave-free cocoa industry.
5. Beyond meat
Beyond meat produces vegan meat substitutes. It is supposed to be so similar to meat that you as a consumer do not realize that it is not meat..... The burger consists for the most part of peas and beet coloring. Also some rapeseed, sunflower and coconut oil, sugar and yeast extract. It tastes delicious in our opinion.
6. Protix
Co-Founder of Protix Tarique Arsiwalla believes that insects are super efficient. They can convert fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be wasted into usable animal proteins and fasts. That is why Protix makes it possible to convert food waste on an industrial scale into what the world needs: high-quality animal proteins and fats.
Low-value residual flows in, high-quality proteins out. That, in a nutshell, is the contribution that Protix is making to a global problem. At a time when the production of food - and especially protein - is putting enormous pressure on the planet and at the same time unbelievable amounts of food are wasted, Protix is working on a solution to both problems.
7. Globally Local
Made from plants. Made by us, is the slogan of Globally Local, the first vegan fast-food company to go public! They believe in creating accessible and delicious plant-based foods that do not use or exploit animals. Their team spent five years developing an advanced fast-food restaurant, with one mission: revolutionize the fast-food industry and change the world. I don’t know about you, but we're pretty psyched to try it out.
8. Arla Food
This Dutch company believes that the fight against climate change cannot go fast enough. That is why they have set an ambitious target for themselves, namely that by 2028 their farms will emit 30% less greenhouse gases compared to 2015. In addition, they are focusing on making the production process more sustainable. How do they plan to achieve this? Every year, they carry out an extensive climate check on the Dutch organic dairy farmers with whom they work. These farmers already work a lot with nature and therefore they only use green energy, just like Arla itself. In addition, Arla only uses biogas, which is released during the fermentation of vegetable waste. Finally, they use recyclable packaging, which is made from unbleached cardboard. All these solutions make Arla foods a notable company on the list of inspiring 10.
9. SIRPLUS Supermarket
Have you ever seen wonky vegetables that made you hesitate to buy them? We can assure you that the taste of these products is not diminished by the shape. The supermarket SIRPLUS in Germany argues in the same way. They sell expired products and misshapen vegetables/fruits in order to reduce food waste. In Germany, it is legal to sell products that have passed their expiration date, as long as the customer is well informed. SIRPLUS has already saved 2,000 tonnes of food waste in one year with this new and innovative supermarket!
10. Oatly
Oatly is probably a well-known company to all of you. They make milk products, based on oats, which is not only very tasty but also more sustainable. The emission of oat drink is on average about 75% lower than that of cow's milk, so you can greatly reduce the carbon emission of your coffee by replacing cow's milk with oat drink. With their innovative products they have the mission to help people live healthier and eat better without putting a reckless burden on the earth. In 2021, they even went public! This Swedish company is rocking!
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