Astra Sweets: a smaller carbon footprint tastes all the sweeter
Gummy bears, lips or marshmallows – name your favorite piece of candy, and Astra Sweets can craft it. Since 1987, this sweets manufacturer has been infusing the confectionery sector with flavor. Yet, beneath the sweetness lies a significant carbon footprint associated with their operations.
Inspired by a presentation from La Lorraine Bakery Group, Astra Sweets embraced sustainability, leveraging the expertise of Sweco’s Futureproofed team to shape a comprehensive strategy.
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Surprising results
Jan Verhaert, the company’s sustainability project leader, gathered data meticulously, enabling us to calculate Astra Sweets’ CO2 emissions across scopes* 1, 2, and 3. The Futureproofed platform visualized this data in a report, establishing a baseline for ongoing progress monitoring. The tool also facilitates simulations, allowing Astra Sweets to explore alternative scenarios, such as the impact of different gelatin types or the carbon footprint of diverse European production sites.
Jan explains: ‘To be honest, the results of our first calculations were quite a surprise. We initially assumed the bulk of the carbon footprint would originate from our manufacturing process, but the real culprit revealed itself to be our raw materials. It was a wake-up call. This realization compels us to devise solutions, potentially re-evaluate suppliers, and make operational changes to curtail emissions.’
*What are scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions?
This classification comes from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the international standard for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions. Calculating the CO2 footprint often begins with determining the emissions in scope 1 (direct emissions from company operations) and 2 (indirect emissions from electricity, heat, and cooling that the company uses). If there is a desire to go further down the supply chain, then scope 3 is determined: the other indirect emissions from company activities, but from sources over which it has little control.
