Kraft Heinz Pioneers Clean Energy Leap with US$170m Boost

Exciting times lie ahead for Kraft Heinz as they set the stage for a groundbreaking venture into clean energy initiatives across ten of their US manufacturing plants.

This leap is made possible by a hefty US$170m windfall from the US Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstration. A clear nod towards the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions nationwide, this investment aims to spark similar innovations across the food and beverage sector.

Fuelling green innovation 

The coveted funds are earmarked for Kraft Heinz’s ‘The Delicious Decarbonization Through Integrated Electrification and Energy Storage’ project. Through this, Kraft Heinz envisions slashing its carbon footprint by more than 99% from its 2022 metrics, marking a colossal stride towards its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.

Marcos Eloi Lima, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Kraft Heinz, expressed enthusiasm over this venture, highlighting it as a key pivot towards amplifying plant efficiencies and curtailing emissions. 

"At Kraft Heinz, we’re on a journey to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This investment will give us critical resources to make necessary improvements in our plants to help increase their energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

"This investment recognises our continued efforts to reduce our environmental footprint and we’re eager to get started."

Revolutionary technologies on the horizon 

The injection of funds will be utilised to deploy a suite of advanced technologies including heat pumps, electric boilers and solar solutions, promising a sustainable makeover for the 10 sites. It’s not just about the technology — the project is also a boon for employment with an expected creation of 500 construction jobs.

Helen Davis, Kraft Heinz’s Senior Vice President and Head of North America Operations, sheds light on the broader implications of these upgrades. 

“The infrastructure changes made at these 10 plants will allow us to replicate successful technologies and processes across our remaining US plants and globally, making us more efficient as we continue to make upgrades to more locations.

“I’m proud of the impact this project and award will have on our facilities, but also on our current and future workforce and the communities that surround our operations.”

A path to sustainability 

With locations spanning from Illinois to Virginia, the initiative sets ambitious targets to diminish overall energy consumption by 23%, drastically cut down natural gas use by 97% and reduce water usage by 3%. These goals underscore Kraft Heinz's commitment to not just energy efficiency but also to sustainable resource management across its operations. In formulating this grand plan, Kraft Heinz collaborated with ENGIE Impact, specialists in spearheading net-zero transformations, ensuring that the roadmap to sustainability is both viable and impactful.

This monumental move by Kraft Heinz not only underscores the company's dedication to environmental stewardship but also paves the way for a greener future in the food and beverage manufacturing sphere.

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