Ahold Delhaize USA has joined forces with Kellanova and Bartlett to launch a new pilot programme to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wheat farming across the value chain.
The pilot project, expected to kick off this summer, seeks to provide financial support to wheat farmers in North Carolina to help them implement regenerative agricultural practices.
The pilot will identify farmers who have already implemented regenerative agricultural practices. This approach will help cultivate a base of experienced farmers who can teach new ones and facilitate the transition.
The wheat harvested and milled from these farms will be used alongside conventionally grown wheat to produce Kellanova’s Cheez-It and Club crackers.
These products will be available at the local brand stores of Ahold Delhaize USA in 2025.
'Sustainable Food Products'
“The companies of Ahold Delhaize USA are committed to offering more sustainable food products as we strive to create a healthier planet,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA.
“An important step in this journey is reducing Scope 3 carbon emissions, which requires partnerships like this one with Kellanova and Bartlett. We’re excited to be a part of this collaboration as we focus on our Scope 3 commitments,” he added.
Carrie Sander, chief Customer Officer – North America at Kellanova, added, “We believe in the power of partnership and are excited to collaborate with Ahold Delhaize USA and Bartlett to help potentially improve outcomes for wheat farmers. This innovative program helps us simultaneously work toward both these goals.”
The programme will also help the partners gain agronomic insights on farm and supply chain resiliency.
Arva Intelligence will use its CropForce platform, to measure, report, and verify the impact of the pilot on the partners’ respective emissions reduction targets.
It will help provide scalable knowledge that each company can potentially take forward while formulating other Scope 3 initiatives.
“Ninety-five percent of Ahold Delhaize USA emissions reside in Scope 3, which makes this programme incredibly important,” said Marc Stolzman, chief sustainability officer for Ahold Delhaize USA.
“Not only will this help us on our race to Net Zero, but the data will help us to chart our future path for Scope 3 collaborations.”
The pilot will focus on farmers who have already implemented regenerative agricultural practices, enabling the cultivation of a base of farmers experienced in these practices to help teach new ones and facilitate the transition. Production is slated to begin this summer, with the final product expected to reach Ahold Delhaize USA brand shelves in 2025, with pilot learnings to quickly follow.
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture focuses on soil conservation and improvement by adopting a unique farming approach specific to the crop, climate and land.
Agribusiness company Bartlett’s certified crop advisors will provide farmers participating in the pilot with the necessary technical assistance for implementing conservation practices for regenerative farming.
Bartlett will then combine the regenerative wheat with conventional wheat and mill it into flour at its facility in Wilson’s Mills, N.C., before sending it to Kellanova.
Bob Knief, president of Bartlett, stated, “We have a strong commitment to continuous improvement and look forward to engaging with and supporting North Carolina wheat farmers in measuring and optimising their sustainability performance.”
