Nomad Foods has achieved 99.6% Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified sourcing for fish and seafood volumes, while reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 40.8% since 2019, according to the company’s 2024 sustainability report.
The European frozen food company, whose brands include Birds Eye, Ledo, iglo, Findus and Frikom, operates across 15 European markets with 10 now achieving 100% MSC or ASC certification. The company remains on track to achieve 100% certified seafood sourcing by the end of 2025.
“Consumers are increasingly recognizing the value of frozen food, not only for its convenience, affordability, taste and nutritional benefits, but also for its role in reducing food waste,” said David Pettet, Head of Sustainability at Nomad Foods. The company’s “Appetite for a Better World” sustainability strategy encompasses Better Sourcing, Better Nutrition and Better Operations aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable agriculture practices show measurable progress
Nomad Foods reported 94.9% of sourced vegetables, potatoes, fruit and herbs received silver or gold scores on the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) in 2024, representing a 2.6 percentage point increase since 2023. This progress demonstrates systematic improvement in agricultural supply chain sustainability metrics.
The company’s nutrition initiatives achieved 96% of branded net sales from Healthier Meal Choices, with 100% of new product innovations meeting healthier meal criteria. Additionally, 99.7% of the portfolio is now free from artificial flavor, colorants and taste enhancers.
Birds Eye’s Steamfresh Meals range earned finalist status for the UK Food and Drink Federation Diet & Health Award, providing consumers with one or two recommended daily vegetable servings and 6.4-9.6 grams of fiber per portion. The range added more than 3.5 million vegetable portions to UK plates during its first nine months of availability.
Industry-leading temperature innovation reduces energy consumption
Nomad Foods became the first manufacturer to join the Move to -15°C coalition, an industry initiative dedicated to cutting carbon emissions across frozen food supply chains through temperature optimization. The company’s 18-month study with Campden BRI demonstrated that storing frozen food at -15°C instead of the industry standard -18°C reduces freezer energy consumption by 10-11% without affecting safety, texture, taste or nutritional value.
The coalition launched at COP28 represents coordinated industry effort to implement energy-efficient storage practices across global frozen food operations. This technological approach addresses operational emissions while maintaining product quality standards.
Emissions reduction exceeds science-based targets
The company reduced total absolute greenhouse gas emissions in its legacy business by 40.8% from a 2019 baseline, significantly exceeding its Science Based Targets initiative-approved goal of 25% reduction by 2025. Group-wide absolute carbon emissions decreased 7.2% since 2023 following integration of recently acquired businesses.
Food waste reduction efforts achieved a 37.7% decrease in edible food waste as a proportion of production since 2015, supporting the company’s 2030 commitment to reduce food waste by 50% against the 2015 baseline. The company also received perfect score of 100 in Health and Nutrition on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the sixth consecutive year, demonstrating consistent performance in nutrition-focused sustainability metrics.
CEO Stéfan Descheemaeker emphasized sustainability as fundamental to business strategy as the company celebrates its tenth anniversary as a public company. “Our new purpose, ‘Making Mealtimes Better with the Goodness of Frozen Food’, inspires our sustainability strategy,” he stated.
Birds Eye and Aunt Bessie’s vegetable-based products provided UK consumers with 36,600 tonnes of vegetables during 2024, equivalent to 457.5 million vegetable portions.
