AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Food Union invests in renewable energy to cut down carbon footprint of its dairy operations

Jul 23, 2021Jul 23, 2021 Editor

NORWAY – Food Union, one of the leading ice-cream and dairy producers in the Baltic region, has announced investments in renewable energy to power ice cream and dairy operations in the Baltics and Norway. Normunds Staņēvičs, CEO of Food Union, Europe said that the investment is in line with the company’s commitment to seeking out alternative renewable energy sources to balance its energy needs even as it continues to grow. The company has already made substantial investments in renewable and recently transitioned two of its companies Premia and Isbjørn Is to renewable energy. Premia which is Estonia’s…

Suntory Group invests US$912m in renewable energy transition as Pilgrim’s UK targets net zero by 2030

Jul 9, 2021Jul 9, 2021 Editor

JAPAN – Japanese beverage giant, Suntory Group is investing US$912 million in transitioning all its facilities to renewable energy as part of efforts to meet its goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2030. According to a statement from the global beverage company, the investment will enable it to power its 63 directly-owned manufacturing sites and R&D facilities in Japan, the Americas, and Europe with 100% renewable electricity by next year. Transitioning to renewable energy will also support Suntory’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050. “As a…

Ivory Coast receives US$200m blended financing from Proparco, EAIF for establishment of oil palm waste electricity project

Jun 15, 2021Jun 16, 2021 Editor

IVORY COAST – Biovea Energie, an Ivorian incorporated firm owned by Électricité de France (EDF), Meridiam and Biokala, a joint venture created by Meridiam and a major agro-industrial player in West Africa, Sifca has closed a financing deal for its Biovea project in the country. The Biovea project which seeks to set up the first biomass power plant with grid injection in Africa, is set to receive Euros 165m (US$200m) loan and Euros 13m (US$15.76m) grant from Proparco, the subsidiary of the French Development Agency (AFD) group responsible for financing…

Retail group Shoprite adds solar-powered refrigerated rigid trucks to its fleet, reduces carbon footprint

May 26, 2021May 26, 2021 Editor

AFRICA – The Shoprite Group, an investment holdings company specialized in consumer retail, has announced the addition of 39 solar-powered refrigerated rigid trucks to its existing solar-powered fleet of 749 trailers, by the end of June 2021. At present, the group has a total fleet of 855 trucks and 1 247 trailers of which 749 are solar-powered trailers, 473 are refrigerated trailers and 276 units are not refrigerated, but the tail lift is powered by solar energy. The leading retailer also has 89 rigid trucks with diesel powered refrigeration of…

20% of all Starbucks stores in Japan to be powered by renewable energy

May 20, 2021May 20, 2021 Editor

JAPAN – Starbucks Japan has announced plans to transition all 350 free-standing company-operated stores to 100% renewable energy by the end of October 2021. The transition of the stores which account for approximately 20% of the company’s portfolio are part of Starbucks global commitment to decrease carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, the company said in a statement. Starbucks says thatas of April 2021, the transition has been completed in 301 stores, and will extend to 350 locations including stores in Hokkaido, Tohoku and Okinawa by the end of October.…

Guinness Ghana goes green with installation of solar power plant, Diageo’s West African units exhibit stellar performance

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 Editor

WEST AFRICA – Guinness Ghana Breweries has commissioned a solar photovoltaic system on the roof of its brewery in Accra, shifting to use of clean energy in its operations. The 1,095 kWp solar power plant was installed by CrossBoundary Energy, renewable energy expert in the region, reports Afrik21. The solar plant will provide up to 19% of the electricity consumed by the subsidiary of the British Diageo Group, supply 1,500 MWh per year, while avoiding 10,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. CrossBoundary Energy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with…

Nestle invests US$1.3m in installation of private solar station in Morocco in quest for net zero emissions

Feb 17, 2021Feb 17, 2021 Editor

MOROCCO – Multinational food manufacturing giant Nestle has inaugurated a private solar station in Morocco at the city of El Jadida in line with its focus on reducing green-gas emissions. The station covers a land of 7,000 square meters adjacent to the company’s factory operating some 2,600photovoltaic panels to produce 1.7 gigawatts of electricity per year, eliminating more than one million kilograms of CO2. Morocco’s Minister of Energy Aziz Rabbah at the inauguration ceremony highlighted that Nestle’s installation of the solar station was in line with the county’s strategy that…

Two subsidiaries of East African Breweries Limited in Kenya seek power generation licence

Jan 19, 2021Jan 19, 2021 Editor

KENYA – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) and East Africa Maltings Limited (EAML), subsidiaries of East African Breweries Limited (EABL) are seeking regulatory approval for self-electricity generation to backup supply from the national grid, Kenya Power. In a notice to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the two sister companies have indicated that the move was necessitated by the regular power disruptions it experiences leading to stalling of their operations. “The purpose of the electric power generation is for own use as backup during power outages from the national electricity…

Nigeria’s largest egg producer Premium Poultry powers its facility with renewable energy

Dec 14, 2020 Editor

NIGERIA – Premium Poultry Farms, Nigeria’s largest egg producer has entered into an agreement with renewable energy supplier, Rensource Energy and Empower New Energy, an impact investment company based in Norway to install a solar photovoltaic system at its facility. The 700 KWp solar photo-voltaic plant will generate 1 gigawatt hour of clean energy annually, saving up to 25 000 tons of CO2 in its lifetime, expected to operate for at least 25 years, thus contribute to Nigeria’s fight against air pollution. “We take immense pride in being good stewards…

Kenyan energy startup SunCulture raises US$14m to finance distribution of solar power water pumps for irrigation

Dec 11, 2020Feb 12, 2021 Editor

KENYA – Kenyan start-up SunCulture, a provider of solar water pumps for irrigation, has raised US$14 million from Energy Access Ventures (EAV), Electricité de France (EDF), Acumen Capital Partners (ACP) and Dream Project Incubators (DPI). This funding will be used to disseminate its solutions in seven African countries i.e. Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Togo, and Ivory Coast. The young company has carried out the financial mobilisation which has enabled it to secure the US$14 million. “This equity raise puts us in a position to dramatically accelerate our growth and…