Business & Money | Thursday 5 March, 2015 1:58 pm |

Potato processing leader makes real progress with 2020 sustainability roadmap.

Lamb Weston / Meijer, one of the top three producers of processed potato products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), today published its third sustainability report. Lamb Weston is the market leader in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in both food service and retail, and known for delivering the best, consistent quality products and service.

The report highlights the significant progress made with the company’s sustainability agenda between 2012 and 2014, at all stages of the supply chain, from field to fork. The key results are saving direct water usage by 7 percent - or 285 million litres - per year, reducing direct energy use by 21 percent per year and increasing the company’s potato utilisation by 4.3 percent per year versus 2008 baseline. Based on these results, Lamb Weston is well on track to achieve their 2020 sustainability targets. The full report is available online at: www.lambweston-sustainable.com.

Sustainable Six
The company’s sustainability approach focuses on six specific areas, which are most closely related to the company’s core activities. These are: Water, Energy & Emissions, Potato & Waste, Employees, Food Safety & Quality and Nutrition & Health.

Lamb Weston has made real progress towards reaching our 2020 sustainability targets. For example, versus their 2008 baseline the company now saves the equivalent of 114 Olympic swimming pools of fresh water per year and uses 51,600 fewer tonnes of potatoes to make the same finished product, greatly increasing their potato utilisation.

Additionally, Lamb Weston now sends zero waste to landfill. Today, 99.7 percent of their by-products and waste streams – representing 300,000 tonnes of mainly potato-based materials – find a useful destination. The company is also using healthier frying oils, less salt and introducing product innovations that help contribute to a product that meets current global food trends.

Creating Shared Value
Bas Alblas, CEO at Lamb Weston / Meijer, said: ‘If we want our industry to truly be sustainable, we need to focus on the total supply chain. That’s why we believe in Creating Shared Value in everything we do. If we want to be relevant as a company over the long term, we have to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders in a number of ways. For us sustainability is a company imperative and the way we do business. We consider it our responsibility to play an active and leading role in our industry on sustainable development.’’

Online sustainability report 2012-2014
The total report meets the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) G4 Core level, while the chapters on Water, Energy & Emissions and Potato & Waste reflect G4 Comprehensive level. A summary of the report, available in six languages, is available online. The company’s next sustainability report will be published in 2017.


About Lamb Weston / Meijer
Lamb Weston / Meijer is one of the top-3 producers of processed potato products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The company has reached this position by focusing on quality, service, innovation and continuous improvement. Lamb Weston / Meijer has its headquarters in Kruiningen, the Netherlands and produces its high quality frozen potato and dehydrated potato flakes at five factories in the Netherlands (3), the United Kingdom (1) and Austria (1). Its main commercial offices are located in the Netherlands (Breda) and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). The company’s 1,200 employees in the EMEA region process 1.2 million tonnes of potatoes per year, with a production capacity of 700,000 tonnes of finished potato products. Together with ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston, these products are sold under the brand in more than 100 countries around the world to international Quick Service Restaurants, Food Service, Retail and Food Industry sectors.