PREMIER FOODS PLC 
Premier Foods launches new "Enriching Life Plan" with goal of tripling plant-based sales by 2030
St Albans, 29th October 2021: Premier Foods, one of the UK's largest food manufacturers and home to some of the nation's best loved brands including Bisto, Oxo and Sharwood's, has today set out its strategy to support healthier, more sustainable lifestyles and contribute to a healthier planet and society.
As part of the Enriching Life Plan, which has been built around the company's new Purpose, 'Enriching Life Through Food', Premier Foods has set a range of significant short, medium and long-term targets, mapped against three strategic pillars:
The strategy directly contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and has been developed in collaboration with a range of NGOs, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, policymakers and colleagues. Each pillar of the plan is built around a rigorous process of measurement, target-setting and innovation to ensure that the business delivers across a range of social, environmental and sustainability issues.
At the heart of the plan are Premier Foods's much-loved brands and the business's track record of brand building and product innovation. Following the success of other plant-based launches, including Sharwood's 'Deliciously Vegan' Cooking Sauces, and meat-free Oxo cubes, the business is aiming to more than triple its plant-based sales by 2030, reaching a minimum of £250m annual plant-based sales.
The next new product in the plant-based drive is Batchelors meat-free meal pots, set to launch in the UK before the end of 2021 and featuring, amongst other ingredients, a bacon alternative coined 'facon'. As Premier Foods embarks on its plan, the business will explore the use of other new ingredients such as pea and wheat protein and algae to deliver its plant-based target.
Health has been a key strategic priority of the business for a number of years and with the majority of its portfolio already comprising products that meet high nutritional standards, the business is committing to expand even further in this area, helping consumers to make healthier, more nutritious choices. Goals against this ambition include more than doubling sales of products that meet high nutritional standards and ensuring at least 50% of all its products provide additional health or nutritional benefits, both by 2030.
The plan also represents a step forward in Premier Foods's commitment to help tackle climate change. The company will join the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and set Science-Based Targets to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its' direct operations by 42% by 2030, as part of its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions within its operations by 2040.
Under the third pillar of the plan, the company has set out how it will nourish the lives of colleagues and communities, focusing on helping to tackle the challenge of food poverty, supporting skills development of young and disadvantaged groups and creating a diverse culture that reflects regional demographics. The company will donate 1 million meals and more than 1,000 volunteering days each year. It will also establish a dedicated STEM talent development programme as well as expanding its apprenticeship schemes and on-the-job training.
Alex Whitehouse, CEO of Premier Foods, said: "Over the last few years, we have made very good progress against our previous responsibility strategy and we are proud of what has been achieved so far. However it is now time to push ourselves harder; harder for the health of our consumers, and harder for the health of our planet.
"Our new ESG strategy, the Enriching Life Plan, sets out how we intend to create more nutritious, sustainable food for our consumers; take meaningful steps towards a healthier planet including joining the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and setting science-based emission targets; and help to nourish the lives of our colleagues and communities. Our plan encompasses everything we touch, from the ingredients we source, to the people we serve, in line with our purpose of Enriching Life Through Food.
"Our key focus continues to be encouraging healthy eating. We produce and market some of the nation's favourite brands, bought by millions every day. This gives us a powerful opportunity to use these brands to help consumers choose new healthier options, more plant-based options, and options that are more sustainable and contribute to a less wasteful world.
"Our Enriching Life Plan builds on our progress to date and is the culmination of much collaboration with NGOs, customers, suppliers, policy makers and colleagues in building a plan which is unique to Premier Foods and focused on the areas where we can be most impactful."
Karen Fisher, Head of Climate Action Strategy at WRAP said:"Premier Foods' Enriching Life Plan shows the importance of taking a business-wide and long-term approach to ensure we produce healthy foods in a sustainable way for a healthier planet.
"With COP26 days away, we must raise the issue of the environmental impact our food and drink system has. WRAP has calculated that we can halve the GHG emissions connected with the UK's food & drink in ten years, but we need strong commitments like that made by Premier Foods to make that happen."
The three pillars of the Enriching Life Plan and key commitments within each pillar are below. All targets are for 2030 against a 2020 baseline, unless otherwise stated.
Make nutritious and sustainable food
Contribute to a healthier planet
Nourish the lives of our colleagues and communities
ENDS
Notes to editors
Over the past decade, Premier Foods has made significant changes to its operations and products to support sustainable, healthier diets. Progress to date includes:
CREATING HEALTHIER PRODUCTS
CONTRIBUTING TO A HEALTHIER PLANET
NOURISHING ITS COMUNITIES AND COLLEAGUES
About Premier Foods
As one of the UK's largest food manufacturers, Premier Foods is committed to delivering the taste that people love, with food that's made in Britain by people who understand its consumers. We supply a range of retail, wholesale, foodservice and other customers with some of the nation's best loved brands, including Ambrosia, Batchelors, Bisto, Loyd Grossman, Mr. Kipling, Oxo and Sharwood's. The company employs nearly 4,000 people operating from 15 sites from across the country.
29/10/2021 : Premier Foods, one of the UK's largest food manufacturers and home to some of the nation's best loved brands including Bisto, Oxo and Sharwood's, has today set out its strategy to support healthier, more sustainable lifestyles and contribute to a healthier planet and society.
- Business behind Bisto, Oxo and Sharwood's launches new ESG strategy with consumer health at its heart
-
New "Enriching Life Plan" sets out range of short, medium and long-term targets, mapped against three strategic pillars:
- Product: making more nutritious and sustainable food
- Planet: contributing to a healthier planet
- People:nourishing the lives of colleagues and communities
-
Plan to more than triple plant-based sales to £250m by 2030, while also more than doubling sales of products that meet high nutritional standards
- Next new product in plant-based drive, Batchelors meat-free meal pots, set to launch before end of 2021
- Business commits to Science-Based Targets for direct and indirect emissions; aims to achieve Net Zero within operations by 2040, and joins the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees
- Ambition to build diverse and inclusive culture that reflects regional demographics and supports local communities, tackling food poverty through the donation of 1 million meals and more than 1,000 volunteer days each year.
St Albans, 29th October 2021: Premier Foods, one of the UK's largest food manufacturers and home to some of the nation's best loved brands including Bisto, Oxo and Sharwood's, has today set out its strategy to support healthier, more sustainable lifestyles and contribute to a healthier planet and society.
As part of the Enriching Life Plan, which has been built around the company's new Purpose, 'Enriching Life Through Food', Premier Foods has set a range of significant short, medium and long-term targets, mapped against three strategic pillars:
- Product: making nutritious, more sustainable food that champions healthier consumer choice
- Planet: contributing to a healthier planet
- People: nourishing the lives of colleagues and communities
The strategy directly contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and has been developed in collaboration with a range of NGOs, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, policymakers and colleagues. Each pillar of the plan is built around a rigorous process of measurement, target-setting and innovation to ensure that the business delivers across a range of social, environmental and sustainability issues.
At the heart of the plan are Premier Foods's much-loved brands and the business's track record of brand building and product innovation. Following the success of other plant-based launches, including Sharwood's 'Deliciously Vegan' Cooking Sauces, and meat-free Oxo cubes, the business is aiming to more than triple its plant-based sales by 2030, reaching a minimum of £250m annual plant-based sales.
The next new product in the plant-based drive is Batchelors meat-free meal pots, set to launch in the UK before the end of 2021 and featuring, amongst other ingredients, a bacon alternative coined 'facon'. As Premier Foods embarks on its plan, the business will explore the use of other new ingredients such as pea and wheat protein and algae to deliver its plant-based target.
Health has been a key strategic priority of the business for a number of years and with the majority of its portfolio already comprising products that meet high nutritional standards, the business is committing to expand even further in this area, helping consumers to make healthier, more nutritious choices. Goals against this ambition include more than doubling sales of products that meet high nutritional standards and ensuring at least 50% of all its products provide additional health or nutritional benefits, both by 2030.
The plan also represents a step forward in Premier Foods's commitment to help tackle climate change. The company will join the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and set Science-Based Targets to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its' direct operations by 42% by 2030, as part of its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions within its operations by 2040.
Under the third pillar of the plan, the company has set out how it will nourish the lives of colleagues and communities, focusing on helping to tackle the challenge of food poverty, supporting skills development of young and disadvantaged groups and creating a diverse culture that reflects regional demographics. The company will donate 1 million meals and more than 1,000 volunteering days each year. It will also establish a dedicated STEM talent development programme as well as expanding its apprenticeship schemes and on-the-job training.
Alex Whitehouse, CEO of Premier Foods, said: "Over the last few years, we have made very good progress against our previous responsibility strategy and we are proud of what has been achieved so far. However it is now time to push ourselves harder; harder for the health of our consumers, and harder for the health of our planet.
"Our new ESG strategy, the Enriching Life Plan, sets out how we intend to create more nutritious, sustainable food for our consumers; take meaningful steps towards a healthier planet including joining the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and setting science-based emission targets; and help to nourish the lives of our colleagues and communities. Our plan encompasses everything we touch, from the ingredients we source, to the people we serve, in line with our purpose of Enriching Life Through Food.
"Our key focus continues to be encouraging healthy eating. We produce and market some of the nation's favourite brands, bought by millions every day. This gives us a powerful opportunity to use these brands to help consumers choose new healthier options, more plant-based options, and options that are more sustainable and contribute to a less wasteful world.
"Our Enriching Life Plan builds on our progress to date and is the culmination of much collaboration with NGOs, customers, suppliers, policy makers and colleagues in building a plan which is unique to Premier Foods and focused on the areas where we can be most impactful."
Karen Fisher, Head of Climate Action Strategy at WRAP said:"Premier Foods' Enriching Life Plan shows the importance of taking a business-wide and long-term approach to ensure we produce healthy foods in a sustainable way for a healthier planet.
"With COP26 days away, we must raise the issue of the environmental impact our food and drink system has. WRAP has calculated that we can halve the GHG emissions connected with the UK's food & drink in ten years, but we need strong commitments like that made by Premier Foods to make that happen."
The three pillars of the Enriching Life Plan and key commitments within each pillar are below. All targets are for 2030 against a 2020 baseline, unless otherwise stated.
Make nutritious and sustainable food
- More than triple Premier Food's plant-based sales to support the nation's shift towards plant-based diets.
- More than double the amount of food which meets high nutritional standards and ensuring more than half of products deliver additional health and nutritional benefits.
- Reduce the environmental impact of packaging by reaching 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging by 2025.
Contribute to a healthier planet
- Join the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and set Science-Based Targets for both direct and indirect emissions to support efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
- Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon emissions within operations by 2040.
- Work with suppliers to reduce their environmental impact with a target to achieve net zero across the total value chain by 2050.
- Halve food waste and support suppliers to do the same.
- Eliminate deforestation across entire supply chain.
Nourish the lives of our colleagues and communities
- Achieve gender parity across senior leadership team.
- Support employees to develop the key skills they need for the future.
- Support young and disadvantaged groups to develop the skills for a career in the food industry through apprenticeship schemes, on-the-job training and a dedicated STEM7 talent development programme.
- Focus on food poverty by donating 1 million meals to vulnerable people each year, as well as donating more than 1,000 volunteering days to local causes.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Enriching Life Through Food is our purpose. It guides us, it motivates us, and is reflected in every element of how we run our business today. It means enriching life for our consumers by ensuring that the food we create enables people to lead sustainable, healthier lifestyles. It also means enriching life for our colleagues by creating an inclusive culture of entrepreneurship, where people can reach their full potential. Importantly, it is also about making food in a way that respects the world's resources. By continuing to enrich the lives of our consumers and our colleagues as well as the planet we live on, we can nurture our business, and look forward to many more years of healthy, sustainable growth.
Over the past decade, Premier Foods has made significant changes to its operations and products to support sustainable, healthier diets. Progress to date includes:
CREATING HEALTHIER PRODUCTS
- Removed more than 1,000 tonnes of sugar and 1,000 tonnes of salt from the nation's diet
- Innovated to bring 30+ 'Better-for-You' options to market that offer consumers healthier choices
- 84% of its core ranges include a heathier option.
- Become founding signatories of the UK Plastics Pact aimed at eliminating plastic waste
- Launched a plant-based snacking range, Plantastic, as well as several other plant-based options under its core brands such as Sharwood's Vegan Tikka & Korma and meat free Oxo cubes.
CONTRIBUTING TO A HEALTHIER PLANET
- Improved its BBFAW (Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare) animal welfare ranking to reach a Tier 2 for its 100% cage-free eggs and all other animal-derived ingredients
- Switched to 100% RSPO certified Palm Oil and 100% RTRS certified Soy
- Reduced CO2 emissions across operations by 43% (vs 2008 baseline)
- Exceeded the 25% industry-wide water reduction target to achieve a 59% water reduction (vs 2007 baseline)
NOURISHING ITS COMUNITIES AND COLLEAGUES
- Taken on more than 200 Apprentices and 100 graduates
- Trained more than 96 colleagues to become Mental Health First Aiders
- Expanded its #oktobeme Diversity & Inclusion programme and trained over 750 leaders and managers to roll it out
About Premier Foods
As one of the UK's largest food manufacturers, Premier Foods is committed to delivering the taste that people love, with food that's made in Britain by people who understand its consumers. We supply a range of retail, wholesale, foodservice and other customers with some of the nation's best loved brands, including Ambrosia, Batchelors, Bisto, Loyd Grossman, Mr. Kipling, Oxo and Sharwood's. The company employs nearly 4,000 people operating from 15 sites from across the country.
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Premier Foods plc published this content on 29 October 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 29 October 2021 08:18:04 UTC.
