Tesco is preparing to launch a state-of-the-art facility aimed at combating food waste by transforming excess food into animal feed.
- This groundbreaking facility, located in Northamptonshire, will have the capacity to process an impressive 1,000 tonnes of surplus food weekly.
- Tesco is collaborating with RenEco to build this innovative plant, with a focus on bakery and fresh produce to ensure sustainable operations.
- The facility will also convert surplus meat and fish into pet food, broadening its approach to tackling food waste across the industry.
- Tesco invites other food retailers to utilize this facility, promoting collaboration in efforts to reduce food waste industry-wide.
In a forward-thinking initiative, Tesco is poised to revolutionize how food waste is handled by opening a cutting-edge facility designed to transform surplus food into animal feed. This significant development underscores Tesco’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in the food sector, as it seeks to address the global issue of food wastage. With the capacity to process 1,000 tonnes of surplus food each week, the facility, set to open in Northamptonshire, will primarily focus on bakery and fresh produce.
Leading this venture, Tesco has partnered with engineering specialists RenEco to construct the facility. The operation aims to efficiently process surplus food into pulp or crumb forms suitable for animal feed. Notably, the facility will also handle surplus meat and fish, directing these to be modified for household pet food.
A proactive approach to sustainability, Tesco plans to utilize approximately 40% of the facility’s potential for its own surplus food. The remaining capacity will be available to other manufacturers and retailers, actively encouraging a collective industry effort toward minimizing food waste. In the words of Claire Lorains, Tesco’s group quality and sustainability director, “Working together with RenEco means that we are able to create a viable solution to reducing food waste, and we would urge other businesses to utilize the new facility for their own operations too.”
The project’s announcement follows a reassessment of Tesco’s food waste strategy. An internal review earlier this year led to the termination of a previous contractor after the discover that surplus food intended for animal feed was instead being diverted to anaerobic digestion. This adjustment significantly impacted Tesco’s reported food waste reduction figures, leading to an 18% decrease against its baseline for 2022/23, as opposed to the previously stated 45%. This endeavor is part of Tesco’s broader strategy to enhance waste reduction and promote sustainable practices.
Tesco’s stance emphasizes that any surplus food fit for human consumption should be prioritized for human use. By inviting other retailers to participate, Tesco hopes to unify the sector in its dedication to reducing waste sustainably. This collaboration could mark the beginning of an industry-wide shift towards more environmentally conscious practices.
This collaborative approach marks a pivotal advancement in Tesco’s ongoing endeavors to mitigate food waste effectively.
