Kesko own-brand Pirkka products to be made with biogas produced from retail store biowaste
KESKO PRESS RELEASE 8.9.2015 AT 8.30
Kesko's grocery trade, Gasum, Myllyn Paras and Wursti have entered into cooperation where biogas produced from biowaste collected from retail stores will be utilised as energy in the manufacture of new Pirkka products.
In the initial stage, two manufacturers of Kesko's own-brand Pirkka products – Myllyn Paras and Wursti – have joined the initiative. Biowaste from almost 100 K-food stores in the Uusimaa region as well as the Keslog warehouses in Hakkila, Vantaa, will be taken to the Labio biogas plant in Lahti, and the biogas produced will be transmitted via the Gasum gas network to Myllyn Paras and Wursti production facilities.
Kesko aims to continuously find new ways of reducing wastage and the volume of waste that ends up in landfill sites.
- K-food stores' unsold products are primarily diverted to food aid. This new cooperation will help utilise any food wastage that is unsuitable for human consumption in a smart new way as energy used to make Pirkka products, says Timo Jäske, Kesko's Sustainability Manager for grocery trade.
Biogas produced from waste is 100% Finnish renewable energy. Recycling waste into biogas and utilising this energy in the manufacturing of Pirkka products will help cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by 380 tonnes. This corresponds to emissions generated by driving a car for more than three million kilometres.
- We're happy to be able to provide retailers with a new way of utilising wastage and to participate in action to turn Finland into a forerunner in bioeconomy and clean solutions, says Jani Arala, Gasum's Business Development Manager for Biogas.
Myllyn Paras will use biogas energy to make frozen semi-baked mini meat-rice and egg-rice pasties for Pirkka. Wursti manufactures around ten different types of Pirkka sausages and cold cuts.
Consumers will now have the opportunity make purchase decisions to influence the manufacture of products with renewable Finnish energy. Products made with biogas will be easy to spot on the basis of the biogas label.
- Pirkka products made with biogas are an easy consumer choice for the benefit of the environment, says Jäske.
Further information:
Timo Jäske, Sustainability Manager for Kesko's grocery trade, tel. +358 105 328 222, timo.jaske@kesko.fi
Jani Arala, Business Development Manager for Biogas, Gasum, tel. +358 44 054 8583 jani.arala@gasum.fi
K-food retailers, with whom Kesko grocery trade applies the chain business model, are responsible for customer satisfaction at more than 900 K-food stores. K-food store chains are K-citymarket, K-supermarket, K-market and K-extra. K-food stores are the most responsible in the world in their sector. Their strengths also include superior fresh food departments, competent service, the widest selections, Finnish products and Pirkka. K-food stores provide both high quality and favourable prices. K - for shopping to be fun. www.kesko.fi
Gasum is a Finnish expert in natural energy gases (natural gas and biogas). It imports natural gas to Finland, upgrades biogas, and transmits and delivers these for a broad range of uses in energy production, industry, homes, and land and maritime transport. Gasum develops the Finnish and Nordic energy infrastructure by investing in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) business, biogas business and transport services. Gasum is the leading supplier of biogas in Finland. It injects biogas into the gas network from Espoo, Kouvola and Lahti. Cleanly with natural energy gases.
www.gasum.com
