Netherlands-based group says it has drastically cut its carbon emissions for fruit imports to Europe
Leading European organic produce importer-marketer Eosta has announced ”significant progress” in cutting its carbon footprint, with the sustainability-focused company revealing that it managed to reduce topline emissions by more than 60 per cent between 2020 and 2023.
According to the results of newly-released independent analysis, Eosta managed to reduce its carbon emissions significantly more than several, larger industry peers.
In fact, analysts found that emissions produced by the Netherlands-based company were up to 40 per cent lower than another major Dutch fresh produce importer during 2023.
With Eosta now bringing new season, organic South African citrus into Europe, the company is also highlighting data favourably comparing the lower emissions produced by South African citrus imports with often higher-emission volumes transported from Spain.
Well positioned
Eosta’s newly-published corporate carbon footprint (CCP) analysis and the measurement of its total Green House Gas (GHG) emissions for the fiscal year 2023, which was carried out in Q4 2024, was conducted by ESG consultants from the Robin Food Coalition.
It found that Eosta had achieved a 60.7 per cent reduction in topline emissions between 2020 and 2023.
Breaking it down into emission versus turnover and per kilogramme of products, the report authors said that sizeable reductions had been achieved, of 36.2 per cent (€ turnover) and 30.1 per cent (per kg) respectively.
The Robin Food Coalition also found that ‘on-farm’ emissions had fallen by 46.1 per cent during the period, while emissions linked to packaging materials were down by 62.1 per cent.
Those caused by downstream transportation – the third-biggest source of emissions in the report – were also down by 51.3 per cent, partly due to Eosta’s chosen transportation decreasing emissions through more sustainable fuel use.
Scope 3 emissions, which represent the largest part (99.7 per cent) of the total carbon footprint, were also low because of Eosta’s large-scale adoption of renewable energy – including installing solar panels on its principal warehouse – and a switch to a fully electric car fleet.
“Going forward, the Eosta sustainability board will work together with Robin Food Coalition to set clear targets, create a reduction pathway and align internal and external policies to enable emission reductions in line with the 1.5 degree pathway,” said Eosta’s sourcing and procurement director Dennis de Wit.
”Eosta’s vision has always been to take a holistic approach to sustainability, which also incorporates other areas highlighted by the Sustainability Flower model created for our Nature & More brand.
“While emissions are an important part of sustainability, the flower model also covers equally vital aspects, such as water, soil, and biodiversity,” he added.
Reducing emissions and strengthening sustainability throughout the chain will require continued joint effort – and we welcome further collaboration with all value chain partners to take the next steps together.”
South African citrus
At the same time, Eosta has released new calculations comparing the amount of CO2 emissions produced by transporting organic citrus by sea from South Africa to the Netherlands compared with emissions produced by the same volumes arriving by truck from Spain.
Eosta stated that the ”surprising” figures demonstrate that South Hemisphere citrus is often greener than consumers and retailers might imagine.
“If all our 2024 citrus volume shipped from South Africa and Latin America had been trucked from Spain instead, CO2 emissions would have been 61 per cent higher,” outlined Eosta’s Peke van Beek, product Manager – citrus.
However, the group’s South African citrus growers have also been taking more practical steps to reduce emissions and become more energy efficient.
With South Africa battling ongoing energy shortages due to an unstable national power grid, many of Eosta’s growers have invested in solar energy to reduce their dependence on national supplies.
By generating their own electricity, they are able to secure continuous operations through a reliable, non-polluting energy supply, while also contributing to achieving more sustainable farming practices.
”A number of growers have been so effective in their adoption of alternative energy sources, that many are now supplying green energy to the South African national grid,” Eosta added.
