Wholesaler hits energy milestone

South of England-based wholesaler Hunt’s Food Group has reduced its annual energy consumption by almost 1 million kWh in the past year, stated recent reports.

After carrying out its annual carbon and energy report, Hunt’s Food Group has reduced its annual consumption by more than 950,000 kWh. This equates to enough energy to drive 780,000 miles in a petrol car. As a result, the wholesaler’s CO2 emissions per million pounds of turnover have reduced from 72.5 tonnes to 24.8 tonnes.

To achieve this, Hunt’s Food Group has reduced the miles travelled by the company fleet. It has introduced biodiesel to fuel lorries, purchased premium green energy from the grid, and invested in renewable energy and electric vehicles.

“Reducing our energy consumption and becoming more sustainable has been a priority for Hunt’s Food Group for many years,” says Thomas Hunt, MD, Hunt’s Food Group. “We recognise that for the planet, there is no Plan B and we want to create a cleaner, more eco-friendly way of operating.

“This significant reduction in the company’s annual consumption is a testament to the hard work of our entire team. The findings of this year’s report are brilliant, and we look forward to continuing our sustainability journey.”

As part of its sustainability focus, Hunt’s Food Group is also creating its own biodiversity project. It has dedicated 12 acres to wildflowers, herbs and soil in order to benefit leguminous plants. The area will feature bird boxes, bat nesting spaces and conservation grazing.

While the area will be left to grow and develop naturally, it will be closely monitored and cared for by the team at the farm to keep it in pristine condition for target species.

“In the UK, native species such as starlings have declined by 71 per cent, turtle doves by 71 per cent and song thrush by 56 per cent,” says Thomas. “We want to do our part to ensure that these bird species survive for the next generation to enjoy, which is why we have decided to get our boots muddy and take matters into our own hands. Our end goal is to simply make our business operations as green as possible so we are here for generations to come.”

Earlier this month, the wholesaler also announce the successful installation of solar panels on our Bridgwater depot. Hunt’s Food Group now has solar panels covering the roofs of five of its depots across the South of England.

“On our latest installation, over 540 strategically placed panels were placed on top of our Bridgwater depot to ensure it receives the maximum amount of sunlight. The new installation has a capacity of over 220kw at its peak and gives us the ability to generate over 200 megawatts of clean energy every year,” the wholesaler stated.