Opportunity: Leading Sustainability and Quality in Dairy Snacks
The dairy industry is increasingly under pressure to address a range of environmental concerns, including plastic waste reduction, carbon emission mitigation, and the enhancement of animal welfare practices. In the UK, initiatives such as the UK Plastic Pact emphasise the urgent need to tackle plastic waste, promoting a circular economy where all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Concurrently, the dairy sector and consumers demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable practices and high standards of animal welfare, ensuring that the dairy products meet both ethical and environmental criteria. This dual focus on reducing environmental impact and promoting ethical practices highlights the significant challenges faced by the industry.
Furthermore, dairy production facilities are now under greater scrutiny to adopt energy-efficient processes and reduce their carbon footprint. These facilities are expected to implement measures that not only cut down on energy consumption, but also significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recognising these industry-wide challenges, Dairy Consumer Foods identified an opportunity to lead by example with their popular kids’ cheese snack brand, Cheestrings.
Approach: Innovative and Sustainable Solutions
To address these multifaceted challenges, Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods adopted a comprehensive approach for Cheestrings, emphasising sustainability and quality. The brand joined the UK Plastic Pact in 2018, committing to making all packaging 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025. By optimising the thickness of the plastic outer bags, Cheestrings has taken a significant step towards reducing plastic usage.
At Kerry’s Charleville plant in Ireland, substantial investments were made to enhance sustainability and efficiency. The plant’s environmental initiatives were geared toward reducing carbon emissions and implementing sustainable practices throughout the production process. Moreover, the milk used in Cheestrings comes from dairy farms that adhere to rigorous standards of animal welfare, hygiene, and quality control. These standards align with the “Five Freedoms” of animal welfare, ensuring that cows are healthy, comfortable, and well-treated, which directly impacts the taste and overall quality of Cheestrings.
Impact: Leading the Way in Sustainable Dairy
Cheestrings has set a new benchmark for sustainability in the dairy snack industry. The transition to more sustainable packaging has already reduced plastic usage by approximately 30 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing 13 million Cheestrings packs from circulation each year, contributing to a cleaner planet. The Charleville plant operates on 100% renewable electricity, achieves zero waste to landfill, and holds ISO 50001 certification, underscoring Dairy Consumer Foods’ commitment to environmental stewardship. But it doesn’t stop there — Kerry is also making positive change in other ways, like with Dairygold helping empower communities.
Further, Dairy Consumer Foods’ commitment to animal welfare has far-reaching impacts on the animals, the farms, the products, and the consumers. By adhering to stringent animal welfare guidelines, Kerry ensures that the cows are healthier, less stressed, and more comfortable. This not only enhances the well-being of the animals, but also results in higher quality milk, which in turn leads to better cheese products. Farmers and workers on these farms benefit from working in a more ethical and humane environment, which can improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover. For consumers, the assurance that they are purchasing products made from milk sourced from well-treated animals adds value and satisfaction, knowing that their choices support humane and sustainable farming practices. This holistic approach creates a positive cycle of welfare and quality, benefiting every link in the production chain from the animals to the end consumers.
The Kerry Difference: Cheestrings exemplifies how a brand can successfully integrate sustainability into its core values, offering nutritious, high-quality products that appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. In our pursuit of excellence, we remain committed to continuous improvement and actively explore innovative solutions. This ensures that Cheestrings not only meets but exceeds expectations while maintaining our core values of sustainability and quality.