Westfalia has marked what would have been the 150thbirthday of its founder Dr Hans Merensky by setting out to recover the group’s lifetime carbon emissions by 2049, exactly a century since its first farm was established.
Dr Merensky was an acclaimed geologist and a dedicated humanitarian, known for his love of nature. His vision was to develop a sustainable environmental and economic future for the group, in line with values the group said are central to its global operations today.
“Dr Merensky’s legacy means sustainability is not a new concept to Westfalia, and our operations continuously challenge themselves throughout the supply chain,” said Johnathan Sutton, group safety and environmental executive.
“For example, in Europe we have developed plastic-free packaging that maintains fruit quality and shelf life.
“Several of our orchards in South America have developed an innovative, integrated pest management program, working with the local environment to significantly reduce the use of pesticides.
“Finally, in Africa our processing operations work to use the whole fruit, producing oil, puree and guacamole – resulting in minimal waste.”
He added that as Westfalia continues to grow, it will aim to ensure all assets established have the latest environmental credentials.
“As an orchard fruit producer, we have the potential benefit of capturing carbon through the trees we farm, and our soil is a carbon sink. We increase this potential each year by returning composted green materials back into the orchards,' Sutton said.
“I am sure Dr Merensky would be proud to see that his legacy continues today and for future generations,” added Alk Brand, CEO of the Westfalia Fruit Group.
