Reducing carbon emissions every step of the way

With HelloFresh, it’s easy to reduce carbon emissions at mealtimes.

Thanks to our short supply chain, ingredients make fewer stops between the supplier and you. Food gets to you faster and stays fresh for longer, producing fewer carbon emissions and less food waste*.

As the world’s biggest recipe box provider, HelloFresh recognises the important role we play in the food industry and the opportunity we have to make a meaningful impact. We’ve officially committed to joining the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and set ambitious carbon-emission-reduction targets by 2024. This ensures our actions are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

In the meantime, HelloFresh is taking a number of actions to reduce carbon emissions across every step of our ingredient sourcing, packaging and delivery processes. Where possible, we look for ways to replace CO2 with renewable forms of energy. We also work in partnership with South Pole to invest in sustainable projects around the world.

Continuously improving the supply chain

HelloFresh conducted a life cycle assessment study (LCA) to analyse the journey and average impact of a vegetarian, chicken and beef meal from start to finish.

The study found that cooking with HelloFresh creates 25%** fewer carbon emissions than the same meals made from supermarket ingredients.

While ingredient production is the biggest contributor to carbon emissions, our short supply chain goes a long way to reducing CO2 emissions.

Your HelloFresh ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible. Not only do they travel shorter distances, but there are fewer stops between the supplier and your door. This makes for fewer carbon emissions and, because we only buy ingredients in the right amounts, creates significantly less food waste**.

Serving up meals with fewer emissions

You can now add meals with fewer carbon emissions to your HelloFresh box. These are recipes on the menu with the smallest carbon footprint, producing at least 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than an average HelloFresh meal in a given week.

To calculate the environmental impact, HelloFresh partnered with HowGood to assess the “CO2 equivalent” (CO2e) of our recipes. This includes greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production and processing of ingredients.

Every week, you can add our new Climate Conscious recipes to your HelloFresh box.

Setting science-based targets

HelloFresh is committed to reducing CO2e emissions. As part of the SBTi, we are laying a clear path for developing ambitious emission-reduction targets and validating them within the next two years.

Science-based targets are those aligned with what the latest climate science says is necessary to limit global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an emphasis on efforts that limit it to just 1.5°C.

The SBTi was launched as a partnership between the UN Global Compact, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the World Resources Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund. It aims to raise awareness of corporate climate action and help businesses enforce science-based targets.

The SBTi officially accepted HelloFresh’s commitment to set science-based targets by the end of 2024. In the meantime, the HelloFresh Sustainability team is developing an emission-reduction target in line with the SBTi’s criteria. We’re also working on setting our own food waste targets.

The SBTi was launched as a partnership between the UN Global Compact, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the World Resources Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund. It aims to raise awareness of corporate climate action and help businesses enforce science-based targets.

The SBTi officially accepted HelloFresh’s commitment to set science-based targets by the end of 2024. In the meantime, the HelloFresh Sustainability team is developing an emission-reduction target in line with the SBTi’s criteria. We’re also working on setting our own food waste targets.

Powering up energy efficiencies

Reducing carbon emissions is a multi-faceted process. One of the direct ways to lower emissions is by making HelloFresh distribution centres more energy-efficient. This involves small- and large-scale changes, from replacing equipment to establishing strict criteria for energy suppliers. Across all markets, HelloFresh is transitioning to renewable forms of energy such as solar, wind and hydropower where possible.

Supporting global renewable energy projects

It’s impossible to avoid all emissions, like those resulting from our internal operations, facilities and offices, as well as business travel and delivery to customers. In light of this, HelloFresh calculates such emissions, and, in partnership with South Pole, invests in equivalent carbon credits toward four renewable energy projects around the world.

About South Pole

South Pole is a leading climate solutions provider and carbon project developer. Since 2006, it has developed nearly 1,000 projects in over 50 countries, reducing over one gigaton of CO2 emissions. South Pole co-developed the four above projects that HelloFresh supports.

Want to know more about sustainability at HelloFresh?

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*We waste 21% less food waste than traditional food retailers by only sending you ingredients based on your order, pre-portioned to the gram. Learn more about Food Waste. Your HelloFresh meals create 25% fewer carbon emissions than the same meals made from supermarket ingredients. On a global average; national levels differ. Learn more about the LCA study.