We rely on the land to produce the potatoes and other ingredients we use. So we’re working continuously to reduce our impact on the environment in lots of ways, from planting and growing through to delivery. We look after the land because it’s right, and because we know it’s important to you.
Our seed potatoes start life in Scotland, grown for us under contract on local farms. Then they’re graded at our quality control plant in Montrose in Angus Then they’re dispatched to our network of growers – around 300 of them, all over Britain. Some of these farmers have supplied us for over three generations.
Our expert agronomists and field staff work closely with the farmers all year round, providing practical advice on growing, harvesting and storage.
We’re a leading supporter of the Assured Produce Scheme, which promotes sustainable, environmentally responsible farming in the UK. Every one of our growers is a member, so we know all our potatoes are grown to the same high environmental standards wherever they’re from.
We rely on the UK countryside for our potatoes and we’re very serious about making sure we treat it responsibly. That’s why we work with bodies such as Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, (FWAG), and Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF). This helps us understand more about protecting rural environments, by doing things like maintaining hedgerows and field margins.
In the five years to 2006, careful planning and new vehicles have enabled us to save around 2,000 vehicle movements annually (that’s around 20% fewer journeys).
To reduce fuel consumption, our transporters also have integrated solar panels to help power the internal lift mechanism, speed limiters and air deflectors. All the tyres we use are fully recyclable.
Through our Growing Groups initiative, our farmers are encouraged to pool transport, so they don’t need to make as many journeys to move potatoes from farm to factory.
We’re reducing waste wherever we find it. In all our offices, we encourage our employees to collect as much of it as possible. Paper, plastic, foil, used ink cartridges and more are all sent away for recycling.
In the factory, our super-efficient peeling and cutting techniques mean most of the potato is used. The rest generally goes to animal feed. Recovered potato starch can also be sold for a wide range of industrial uses and oil from the fryers is turned into biofuel. In fact, less than 2% of our refuse goes to landfill. By 2010, we’re aiming to make it 0% wherever possible.
We’re always looking for innovative ways to use energy more cleanly and efficiently.
For example, our Scarborough plant uses the latest technology to capture waste cooking heat and recycle it to heat water.
Our Whittlesey site is the first major UK food plant to be powered mainly by wind. Three 125-metre turbines save over 27,000 megawatt hours annually – enough to power around 6,000 homes. At times, they’ll generate over 100% of the plant’s needs – and we’ll supply the excess to the National Grid.
Waste water at Whittlesey is now pumped to the site’s anaerobic lagoon, where production residues are ‘digested’ to make gas. We then use that to generate electricity and the water is cleaned and pumped safely into the river. Between them, the lagoon and turbines will generate an impressive 70% of the plant’s electrical power.
As a direct result of these initiatives, we now need 9% less energy to produce a kg of our food compared to 1999. We’re determined to make our food production more and more efficient every year. It’s good for the environment – and it’s good for our business.