Pictured above: The anaerobic digestion plant

Branston Ltd has retained the Carbon Trust Standard, proving the company takes its green credentials as seriously as its spuds.

In 2008 Branston became the first UK company in the food  producer to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard, in recognition of its success in reducing its carbon intensity over a three-year period despite considerable business growth.

Since then, it has continued to closely monitor and minimise resource usage throughout the business, reinforcing the company's determination to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible.

This year Branston's fresh potato packing operations have been certified based on a reduction (relative to volume) of over 5%. This is a reflection of the company's proven effectiveness at responding to climate change through its environmental management systems, carbon accounting and carbon management.

Vee Gururajan, projects director at Branston, said: "We are delighted to have once again received the Carbon Trust Standard. We feel this is recognition of our continued efforts to ensure Branston is running as efficiently as possible.

"As a company, we are continuously looking at developing processes to help us to reduce energy consumption and this is not the first time that we have been recognised for our commitment to the environment over the last year."

Branston is also close to celebrating the first anniversary of its anaerobic digestion plant, which was commissioned in 2010 after identifying that outgrade potatoes and the waste generated in the production of prepared potato products could be used itself to help cut costs. This organic waste and the potatoes that have been graded out of the fresh potato packing factory at the site are fed in to the AD plant and this generates around 40% of the total electricity requirements of the site. 

Vee adds: "There have been fantastic results already, and after a year in operation, the plant is generating enough power to run the whole factory. Potatoes provide a much better gas yield than anticipated and that's helping to save our business both cost and carbon."

Harry Morrison, general manger, the Carbon Trust Standard, said:"We are delighted that Branston has been able to retain the Carbon Trust Standard. Branston's ability to seek out new areas to improve energy efficiency proves that, with the right level of skills, tenacity, and support, it's possible to improve carbon efficiency year-on-year - which has a hugely positive effect on the business." 

The company, set up in 1968 as a co-operative of Lincolnshire farmers wanting to market their own potatoes, employs more than 600 people at its three sites - Lincolnshire, Somerset and Scotland. More than 300 of those people are at the Lincoln base. As a £110 million turnover company and one of Tesco's top fresh produce suppliers, Branston knows the importance of playing its part in protecting the environment for future generations.