More and more consumers are showing a preference for healthier foods produced in a sustainable manner.  Food, health and care for the environment are firmly linked together in the minds of many.

Today more than ever, the value of protein and its role supporting lifelong health and wellness is widely understood. Not to be outdone, demand for great-tasting and convenient plant-based foods is growing in parallel. The result? Global sales of plant origin proteins are accelerating exponentially.

Atura Proteins was established to nourish this growth by inspiring and enabling the food and beverage industry to sustainably meet the demand for a protein-rich, plant-based diet. Today, the company offers secure access to new and diversified sources of plant-based proteins, manufactured in Europe under the highest of standards, and backed by validated nutritional and sensory science and expert application support. 

Here Atura reveals recent big developments in the company's sustainability journey: 

Serious about sustainability 

Covering over 2,000m2 of roof space, our recently installed solar panels are expected to generate around 60% of the energy needed to power our production site every year. They will also reduce annual carbon emissions by 89,347kg, which is equivalent to taking 53 cars off the road.

The recent completion of this four-week installation project is a major milestone, as our plant and operations manager Nigel Davies, explains:

“By shifting the balance firmly in favour of renewable energy, we are significantly reducing the carbon footprint of our business. We know this is a priority for many of our customers, but we also believe that it’s our responsibility to ensure Atura is doing as much as possible to lower the environmental impact of production. That means looking at every aspect of our operation and investing in new initiatives to support this goal.”

Waste Management – We have achieved zero landfill 

When it comes to recycling, we are proud to report that the company now sends zero waste to landfill. By partnering with resource and waste management specialist, Veolia, we have established a green collection route for two key waste streams; dry waste is recycled while diverted waste is incinerated to produce energy.

In addition, we have recently put a system in place to recycle the polypropylene sacks used to deliver raw materials. This plastic packaging makes up by far the largest volume of waste but we now have new machinery on site that converts it into compressed bales, which are then sold for recycling.

Water wise – Rainwater recycling system installed

At the same time, there’s been a concerted effort to further improve water management. The recent installation of a new underground tank will enable us to capture and hold up to 100k litres of rainwater from the roof. This will then be cleaned, softened, and used for production rather than virgin water, with any excess gradually released in a controlled manner into the river network.

Clear commitment – Race to zero

This programme of activity clearly demonstrates we are committed to embedding sustainable practices across our business. We want our customers to see that we not only care about doing the right thing from an environmental perspective but also have the evidence to back it up.

As a signatory member of the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, our company Deltagen UK has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050. We intend to keep that promise and are doing everything we can – but we will do more, so watch this space.

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