3.10 Food waste

Emmi defines food waste as the squandering of avoidable food waste. This concerns all organic waste that was originally intended for human consumption. It includes processed or semi-processed products as well as raw materials and by-products from production processes such as the whey process. Food waste occurs throughout Emmi’s entire value chain: it occurs upstream in agricultural production and downstream with consumers. At Emmi itself, it is generated during product processing in its plants. The topic of food waste, its management approach, the measures and the data collected relate to division Switzerland. More information on inorganic waste can be found in the section “Waste”.

3.10.1 Impact on the environment and society, and opportunities and risks for Emmi

When food is wasted, large amounts of water, energy and agricultural land that are used in production are lost. In addition, the production, transportation and disposal of food cause GHG emissions that damage the environment and contribute to climate change. While in many parts of the world food is wasted, other regions suffer from food shortages and hunger, exacerbating global inequality.

Food waste also leads to economic losses along the entire value chain, from farmers to consumers. Costs can be saved by reducing or avoiding food losses in production processes. More efficient use of raw materials and the energy required for production, as well as optimal storage of food, help to avoid resources being wasted.

One third of all food is wasted (BAFU, 2022). Almost half of this waste occurs in private households. It is therefore particularly important to raise consumer awareness of the longer shelf life of products, for example. Initiatives such as “Often good after” and “Too Good To Go” promote reduction of food waste among consumers. By supporting awareness-raising campaigns and initiating its own measures in this area, Emmi can strengthen its positive image among end consumers. This is because it is generally expected of food manufacturers that the issue of food waste is on their radar. Any failures or omissions in this regard harbour reputational risks.

3.10.2 Management approach and goals

Continuously optimising core processes

As a basic principle at Emmi, avoidable food waste is processed into food whenever possible. Emmi Switzerland is driving this objective with “Emmi Operational Excellence” (EOE). Through EOE, Emmi is continuously optimising its core processes (manufacturing and packaging) in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. In the context of food waste, this refers, for example, to avoiding and recovering product losses as well as optimising production intervals and planning.

Distribution of food with impeccable quality

The top priority, however, is to ensure that no good-quality food is thrown away. In Switzerland, Emmi therefore sells surplus or incorrectly packaged products at reduced prices via factory shops, makes them available to employees or donates edible food to charitable organisations. Emmi also supports initiatives to combat food waste in private households. It displays the words “Often good after” from “Too Good To Go” on as many of its branded products as possible, checks the best-before dates of various product groups and extends them wherever possible.

Target for reducing food waste by 2027

• 50% less food waste (compared with 2017), measured in dry matter

This goal is in line with the objectives of the cross-sectoral agreement of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), which Emmi signed together with other leading companies and associations in the Swiss food industry in 2022. The joint agreement aims to halve avoidable food losses by 2030 (compared with 2017). In accordance with this agreement, Emmi provides the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) with data on the measured food waste and the progress made each year.

3.10.3 Developments in the year under review

Food donation to “Tischlein deck dich”

The Swiss production sites regularly donate surplus edible products to the “Tischlein deck dich” association to save them from being thrown away. “Tischlein deck dich” then distributes the food to people impacted by poverty in Switzerland. In 2024, Emmi donated 139 tonnes of food to the association.

Recycling by-products

Emmi is constantly looking for new options and partnerships to further recycle by-products such as whey and oatmeal. For example, Emmi works with various start-ups to develop new products from these by-products. Several options for possibly upcycling oatmeal were examined during the year under review. However, no successful, market-ready product concept yet exists for widespread use in foodstuffs.

“Too Good To Go” partnership

As part of the partnership with “Too Good To Go,” the slogan “Often good after” has been displayed on other products in Switzerland in order to combat food waste in private households and raise consumer awareness. All in all, 104 Emmi products in Switzerland bear the slogan “Often good after”.

More whey due to higher cheese production

Compared to the previous year, the rate of food waste in Switzerland increased by 11% in the year under review (-4% compared to the base year). The main driver of this growth is increasing cheese production and the associated increased quantities of the by-product whey. Whey alone accounts for around 45% of Emmi’s food waste. Overall, 57% of whey was returned to the food channel in the year under review (does not count as food waste), while 30% of whey is used as animal feed and 13% is used in biogas production.

Total food waste can be broken down as follows by recycling channel:

• Animal feed: 46 %
• Biogas: 15 %
• Refuse: 1 %
• Wastewater: 7 %

Methodology for non-financial figures 2024

3.10.4 Outlook

The focus for food waste will continue to be on division Switzerland. In particular, Emmi Switzerland wants to examine further strategies for recycling by-products such as whey in the most environmentally friendly manner possible, with a view to food upcycling.