Tesco has today (Monday 25 May) introduced a range of low carbon Irish beef products into its supermarkets.
Developed by Tesco in partnership with flapThe Bright Meat Company’s carbon footprint has been independently verified by the Carbon Trust.
When compared to data from the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS), the new range was found to be up to 23% leaner than other Irish beef cuts or finished products.
meat
All of Bright Meat Company’s beef is supplied through Twenty20 Beef Club, a network of over 600 Irish farmers working through Kepak and Tirlán’s integrated supply chain.
The program supports farmers to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices that help reduce environmental impact while maintaining high standards of animal care and beef quality.
Kepak worked with the Carbon Trust to calculate and independently verify the full carbon footprint of individual Bright Meat Company products.
Each eligible product carries a Carbon Trust footprint label on the packaging, confirming its low carbon footprint compared to similar Irish beef products on the market.
Geoff Byrne, CEO of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: “The launch of this range is a direct response to growing consumer demand for low carbon food options and is a first to market launch in Irish retail.
“At Tesco, we know that our customers want food that delivers taste, quality and value, but they also want to understand the impact of the choices they make.
“The Bright Meat Company’s new range offers customers quality Irish produce they can feel good about putting in their baskets.
“We are committed to collaborating with farmers, supply chain partners and independent experts to support more sustainable food choices as we work towards our ambition of achieving net zero across the value chain by 2050,” he said.
Carbon footprints
The new group was launched by Geoff Byrne and Agriculture Minister Martin Haydon.
“Promoting sustainable food could greatly benefit Ireland, as a food producer, in the future,” the Minister said.
Minister Haydon added: “This initiative demonstrates how collaboration across farming, processing and retail, supported by independent verification by the Carbon Fund, can successfully reduce carbon footprints, while maintaining the high quality standards for which Irish beef is famous.”
Brian Tormey, CEO of Kepak, said the company sees this as “another step in enhancing the long-term competitiveness and credibility of our beef.”
“Achieving independent certification from the Carbon Trust is an important milestone for Kepak and reflects the work being done across our business and supply chain to build a more sustainable and resilient beef production model.
“It is important that we continue to work collaboratively with farmers, customers, Tirlán and our other industry partners to achieve tangible progress in a practical and commercially sustainable way,” he said.
Consumers “still want clear, trustworthy information – and that’s exactly what this verification delivers,” added Tiff Aries, associate director of agriculture, food and drink at the Carbon Trust.
“By independently verifying the carbon footprints of the Bright Meat Company range, we help communicate in a way that shoppers can recognize and trust at the point of purchase,” she said.
