The carbon footprint of the food sector is among the largest in the world, reflecting the environmental impacts of the whole productive chain — from the growing to the transport and storage.
Reducing these emissions is one of the principal challenges to guarantee a more sustainable future. In this scenario, logistical efficiency and the use of green technologies have become fundamental.
In this sense, Emergent Cold LatAm has demonstrated that it is possible to unite productivity, food safety and environmental responsibility, adopting smart solutions to minimize the consumption of energy, reduce losses and optimize processes in the cold chain.
Carbon footprint in the food sector: principal impacts
Before anything else, it is worth remembering that the carbon footprint means the total of greenhouse gases, such as CO₂ and methane emitted into the atmosphere.
The point is that perishable foods (meats, fruits, vegetables, fish etc.) travel a long distance until they get to the consumer, and each stage of this journey contributes to increasing the emission of greenhouse gases.
Production, processing, transport and refrigeration require lots of energy, often originating from fossil fuels.
The result is a carbon footprint from the food sector that is responsible for a significant portion of global emissions. According to data from the United Nations Organization (UNO) presented in 2023, the global production of foods causes one third of emissions of greenhouse gases.
Besides that, factors such as the waste of foods and the improper use of inputs worsens the problem.
What is the carbon footprint of food?
Each food has a different carbon footprint, influenced by the type of production, transport and storage. Meats and dairy products, for example, lead to higher emissions due to the stomach fermentation, the use of feed and the constant refrigeration.
Whereas fruits, vegetables and grains have a smaller footprint, principally because they require less inputs and energy throughout the chain
What exactly causes the carbon footprint in the perishable foods chain?
The carbon footprint in the food sector is associated principally with the consumption of electrical energy and fuel, as well as the use of refrigerant gases with high potential for raising the global temperature.
It is fundamental to make the effort to revert this scenario. According to information from the UNO, countries need to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by 42% by 2035. Otherwise, we will have a catastrophic rise in global temperature.
To that end, the investment in clean technologies and in an efficient cold chain logistics is essential to reducing the environmental impact of the sector.
What are the challenges to the reduction of the carbon footprint in the food sector?
Reducing the carbon footprint in the food sector involves overcoming complex obstacles. One of them is the dependence on electrical power from non-renewable sources, which are predominant in most of Latin America.
Another challenge is the transport of perishable products over long distances, which requires constant refrigeration and contributes to high emissions of CO₂. Furthermore, many logistics operators still face limitations of infrastructure and lack of standardization of sustainable processes.
In this context, the adoption of energy efficiency solutions and integrated data management become indispensable to optimizing resources and reducing the environmental impact of the supply chain.
Sustainable practices to reducing the carbon footprint in the supply chain
We at Emergent Cold LatAm have invested in practices which reduce the consumption of energy, the emission of greenhouse gases and the waste of food.
Among the principal actions are the use of energy from renewable sources, the increase in reuse of water and the adoption of sustainable construction standards in their warehouses, such as the EDGE certifications (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies).
These initiatives show that reducing the carbon footprint in the food sector does not mean compromising efficiency, but rather of improving performance and strengthening the competitivity of companies.
Find out more about our sustainable practices:
Implementation of green technologies
Refrigeration systems using low climate-impact gases, smart sensors for monitoring temperature-controlled environments, and automated logistics processes are examples of solutions that reduce energy consumption and prevent operational failures.
We have expanded the use of solar energy in our units, with a significant growth in the number of plants with photovoltaic panels.
In addition, we have signed up to the global movement The Move to -15°C, which proposes raising the default storage temperature of frozen foods from -18°C to -15°C; a change that can significantly reduce the consumption of energy and the associated emissions.
Optimization of the transport process
The transport is one of the most critical stages to the carbon footprint in the food sector, and optimizing this operation is fundamental.
Green logistics adopts practices such as sustainable packaging for foods, the use of biofuels, electric vehicles and routing software which define shorter efficient journeys.
We use data in real time to plan the distribution routes, reducing the number of trips and the fuel consumption.
Furthermore, strategies such as cross-docking, which reduces the time products remain in the chain, and the smart loading of trucks help avoid waste and to reduce operational costs.
These solutions make the transport cleaner, more agile and sustainable.
Innovations in temperature-controlled storage
Refrigeration is indispensable in guaranteeing food safety, but is also one of the largest factors responsible for the emissions in the cold chain. Thus, investing in innovations in this area is essential to mitigating impacts.
Emergent Cold LatAm has advanced in the construction of more efficient warehouses, with LED lighting systems, optimized thermal insulation and smart energy management.
In 2024, 60% of the energy we use came from renewable sources, and their indirect emissions (Scope 2) fell by more than 9%, even with the increase in storage capacity.
Another point is that the use of remote monitoring technologies guarantees greater operational control and avoids losses of products, contributing directly to the reduction of the carbon footprint in the food sector.
Find out how our solutions enable efficient logistics management of the cold chain
At Emergent Cold LatAm, sustainability is a value which guides all strategic decisions. We are committed to offering temperature-controlled logistics solutions that unite efficiency, innovation and environmental responsibility.
With practices that include the use of clean energy, reuse of water, waste management, optimization of routes and reduction of waste, we contribute to a more sustainable supply chain throughout Latin America.
Reducing the carbon footprint in the food sector is a collective challenge. We choose partners committed to the environment, which is the first step to transforming this challenge into competitive advantage. Count on us!
Read more:
- Emergent Cold LatAm continues leading investments in cold chain infrastructure
- Emergent Cold is the first in the world to receive EDGE Zero Carbon certification
