Growing our raw materials
In 2022, we asked our growers to provide details of the CO₂emissions from the growing process. This concerned growers of oranges, bananas, kiwis, strawberries, raspberries and mangos. TheCO₂emission data was then used to calculate the overall CO₂emissions for our cultivation process. On the basis of this data and with the support of the French database, Agribalyse, we then calculated theCO₂ emissions of the growing process for raw materials.
These emissions for our raw materials amounted to around 11,073 tonnes of CO₂ in 2021; in 2022 this was 18,045 tonnes. If we break this down further, it equates to 0.38 tonnes of CO₂per tonne of raw material in 2022, compared to 0.26 tonnes in 2021. This variance is down to our optimised emission factor for the oranges used. In 2022, we calculated the CO₂ emissions from oranges based on data we received from our growers. These emissions are more precise but are also slightly higher than the emission factors from the database we used in 2021. This means that more CO₂ is emitted from the cultivation of oranges than we had predicted. Also, more oranges were used overall in 2022. The higher emission factor, combined with the higher use of oranges meant emissions were higher in 2022 than in 2021.
These emission calculations provide us with an insight into which crops emit the most CO₂ which, in turn, helps us to set up potential reduction measures.Having asked growers to provide details of their CO₂emissions for our calculations, we then asked them to supply a plan for reducing them. These growers are now getting to work on their plans. We will ask our growers to provide their data once again at the end of 2023 so that we can see whether any reductions have been realised. In 2023, we will ask more growers to deliver their CO₂emissions data, ensuring that theCO₂emissions from our growing processes are based on hard facts and actual data.
In order to create focus within our activities, we will first concentrate on the top 10. The crops in this list represent 90% of the overall volume and 76% of CO₂ emissions.
The top 10 we will focus on is set out below:
- Strawberries
- Pineapples
- Apples
- Bananas
- Raspberries
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Pears
- Oranges
- Ginger
Upstreamtransport
A high percentage of our CO₂ emissions in the chain are caused by transport. To keep this to a minimum, we transport goods by boat when we can. In this context, our philosophy is ‘as close as possible and as far away as necessary’. Apples, pears and various types of vegetables, for instance, come from the Netherlands wherever possible. The fact remains, however, that raw materials for our fresh juices are sourced around the world, depending on where the best quality crop can be found at the time. This might include South Africa, Egypt and various countries in Central and South America.
For most of our raw materials, we calculate the CO₂ emissions every year as a consequence of upstream transport, i.e. from the supplier to our production location. Below, you can see how emissions as a result of transport compared to emissions from our own production location. This excludes road transport in the country of origin. We are currently working on charting the transport of our own packaging too.
In 2021, the emissions from our upstreamtransport amounted to 6,778 tonnes ofCO₂. In 2022, theseCO₂ emissions increased to a total of 9,753 tonnes. To clarify further, tonnes of CO₂per tonne of raw materials in 2021 was 0.16; in 2022 it was 0.21. This increase in transport emissions is because, in 2022, we sourced more oranges from Spain, Greece and Portugal than in 2021. This is due to the availability of sufficient oranges with the right specifications. Using the right oranges is vital in order to realise the appropriate balance between sweet and sour in our juices. Given that these locations are in Europe, the oranges were transported using lorries, whereas oranges from locations that are further away are transported by boat. With respect to CO₂, the emissions of a container travelling by boat are lower than a container travelling by road. This explains the increase in our emissions from upstreamtransport.
Commuter journeys
Since last year, we have also reported the CO₂ emissions between our production location in Zwanenburg and the distribution centre/cold storage facility in Velsen. In 2022, this amounted to 8.7 tonnes ofCO₂, an increase compared to the 5.9 tonnes ofCO₂in 2021. This is due to an increase in the number of journeys between the production location and the storage facility of 632 trips and overall emissions increasing accordingly.
Downstream transport
When it comes to transport from our production location to the customers, we collaborate with transporters that work as sustainably as possible. Our in-house transporter Heinis Logistics uses refrigerated lorries, for example, that are fitted with Euro-5 and Euro-6 engines. The last truck and tractor unit with Euro-5 engines will be replaced in 2023 with models with Euro-6 engines. They are also moving towards the purchase of an electric truck and/or bus in the future. Our other transporter Stef has been working on the energy transition for years and has realised impressive results. Stef encapsulates its environmental efforts within the new climate programme ‘Moving Green’. We also continuously focus on logistics improvements in order to deliver juice to our customers as quickly and freshly, using the fewest possible journeys.
Our products are delivered around Europe, and this obviously has consequences for our CO₂ emissions. It is worth noting here that our supplies may form part of another load, so we have made our calculations using the weight of the delivery. In 2021, these emissions amounted to 3,901 tonnes ofCO₂; in 2022 this totalled 3,987 tonnes ofCO₂, including our trips with samples. This equates to an increase of 86 tonnes of CO₂. Although an increase often sounds negative, this is not always the case. In 2022, there were around 500 trips more than in 2021, an increase of 7%. Overall, these trips were more effectively loaded, however, leading to the average weight per journey increasing by 16%. As well as realising better loading levels, our journey distances have also decreased. Among other things, this is due to Hoogesteger making fewer deliveries to more remote countries such as Romania and Hungary, and more deliveries to the Netherlands. Essentially, this equates to 4.5% lessCO₂emitted per trip compared to 2022 and this is an amazing result, thanks to our measures.
Increase in load factors for transport to our logistical partner XPO
relative to base year 2017
2022: 59,31%%
2021: 38,23%
2020: 18,95%
2019: 6,46%
2018: 3,98%
