MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – MINERVA FOODS

Minerva Foods, a leader in beef exports from South America, has significantly grown its presence in Hong Kong, tapping into the increasing demand for sustainable and high-quality meat products. With operations spanning Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia, and specialised sheep plants in Australia, Minerva is committed to promoting sustainable meat production that respects both the environment and local communities.

Minerva Foods, a leader in beef export in South America

Whilst the overarching narrative is to reduce meat consumption globally to meet climate targets, Hong Kong still leads on consumption of animal protein. According to the FAO, estimates of beef consumption per capita in Hong Kong in 2020 were around 22.5 kg per person, which is considerably higher than in other Asian countries. Therefore we thought it important to learn what food companies are doing to transition to more sustainable operations and rather than demonise meat eaters and companies, we’re here to inform and help with the transition to sustainable protein.

Sustainability at Minerva Foods
For Minerva Foods, sustainability is integral to their operations. The company believes that the future of food security must align with sustainable practices that embrace climate action and ecosystem protection. Their efforts focus on minimising environmental impacts while ensuring the longevity of their business.

A key aspect of Minerva’s sustainability strategy is its use of geospatial monitoring and advanced traceability to ensure all direct suppliers comply with strict environmental, labour, and land tenure regulations. This system tracks the origins of cattle to avoid any association with deforestation or use of labor analogous to slavery, positioning Minerva at the forefront of sustainable meat processing.

Minerva Foods Zero Carbon Impact Responsible Sourcing products

Innovative Practices and Initiatives
In 2021, Minerva launched the Renove Programme, which promotes regenerative agriculture practices among their beef suppliers. This programme supports farmers in adopting sustainable practices that enhance carbon capture, biodiversity, and climate resilience. By 2030, Minerva aims for 50% of their beef volume to come from farms engaged in these low-carbon practices.

Supporting global decarbonisation efforts, Minerva Foods operates MyCarbon, a subsidiary that provides a platform for farmers to calculate the carbon footprint of their operations and explore strategies for reduction. MyCarbon works closely with participants of the Renove Programme to implement the best agricultural practices that contribute to efficient natural resource use and reduced carbon outputs.

Renove Program: Advancing low-carbon farming with Minerva Foods

Future Plans and Community Engagement
Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, Minerva Foods plans to expand its Zero Carbon Impact line to include leather and bone meal. These products are sourced from farms that have maintained zero deforestation practices for at least the past 20 years and are processed in facilities committed to reducing greenhouse emissions.

Minerva believes in the power of community engagement and education, regularly conducting workshops and training sessions for suppliers to promote sustainable practices. Furthermore, they are active participants in international dialogues on sustainable beef production, aligning with global standards and contributing to industry-wide improvements.

Challenges and the Value of Future Green Membership

Monitoring indirect supplier farms is the biggest challenge facing the entire sector. The company is investing in technology and collaboration to overcome this hurdle and achieve comprehensive cattle traceability throughout the supply chain.

As a member of Future Green, Minerva Foods values the opportunity to collaborate and share knowledge with other organisations committed to sustainability. This partnership helps them stay at the cutting edge of sustainable practices and continue to influence the global food industry towards more environmentally responsible methods.

If you are a foodservice provider please get in touch with us about Future Green and lets see what possibilities lie ahead in normalising sustainability!