In a groundbreaking collaboration, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), a prominent figure in naturally sourced food and beverage ingredients worldwide, and Commodity Centre Group (CCG), a leader in supply chain and logistics solutions across the UK and Northern Europe, have joined forces to inaugurate a cocoa bean warehouse terminal exclusively powered by green energy at the Port of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
This monumental achievement involved the installation of nearly 7,000 solar panels at the warehouse, poised to slash approximately 1,350 tons of CO2 emissions annually. This reduction mirrors the environmental benefit of 67,500 trees sequestering carbon, while utilising roof space equivalent to two football pitches to maximise renewable energy utilisation. OFI anticipates the warehouse to attain carbon-neutral certification in the near future.
The warehouse’s significance extends beyond environmental stewardship; it plays a crucial role in OFI’s mission to supply high-quality cocoa beans to its global confectionery brand partners. A state-of-the-art conveyor belt system channels cocoa into 110 designated bins, enabling the creation of bulk micro lots overseen by CCG. This innovative approach not only enhances bean segregation to preserve flavour but also ensures top-notch quality and traceability. OFI asserts this system to be one of its kind, made possible by the integration of solar energy.
This initiative aligns with OFI’s ambitious sustainability agenda for cocoa, Cocoa Compass, which aims for a 30% reduction in natural capital costs by 2030. Recent data from 2021 showcased an 11% decrease in these costs per metric ton of product output in OFI’s global cocoa processing operations, attributed in part to investments in renewable energy endeavors. Notably, OFI’s network of biomass boilers fueled by cocoa shells, a finalist for the Edie Sustainability Award, exemplifies this commitment.
Chris Beetge, OFI’s President of Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, commented, “We’re continuously exploring avenues to drive decarbonisation across our cocoa value chain, from farm to processing facilities and warehouses. The solar-powered transformation of our Amsterdam warehouse marks yet another stride toward achieving our environmental objectives, while also supporting those of our partners and the national climate agendas of the Netherlands and the EU.”
Alec Gunn, CEO of Commodity Centre Group, added, “For over 35 years, our group has collaborated closely with OFI, delivering logistics and warehouse solutions across multiple locations. The Amsterdam Falcon and Osprey Terminals exemplify our unwavering commitment to integrating sustainable practices within our operations.”
Editorial contact:
Editor: Kiran Grewal kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk
