Achieving sustainable carbon neutrality of food processing: Toward a net-zero margarine production facility

Decarbonization and ultimately net-zero production are rapidly becoming top priorities in today's corporate environment. The food processing industry is recognized as one of the key industries in the process of decarbonizing the entire industrial sector. Therefore, this article presents a methodology for achieving sustainable net-zero production within the food industry. The approach involves a series of strategically planned steps that enable decision-makers to accomplish the desired outcome effectively. These steps include determining the baseline carbon footprint, identifying, prioritizing, and implementing carbon footprint reduction opportunities, and implementing carbon offsetting. Additionally, the methodology incorporates an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in relation to predicted production volumes, as production levels directly influence the emissions from a production facility. The proposed methodology was applied to a margarine production plant case study. The results indicate that implementing the suggested carbon footprint reduction opportunities reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 22%, assuming constant production volume. Achieving carbon neutrality, however, would require the purchase of carbon offsets. The most cost-effective carbon offsetting scenarios result in an additional cost of 3.33%–6.52% on purchased energy, which presents a manageable financial impact for the company.