Ahold Delhaize, Kellanova & Bartlett tap farm-to-shelf regenerative agriculture to reduce emissions

20 Jun 2024 --- North American grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA has partnered with global snacking player Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company) and North American agribusiness Bartlett to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wheat farming across the value chain.

This collaboration has been formed to decrease Scope 3 emissions and improve farm and supply chain resiliency. The pilot program, which is expected to kick off this summer, will leverage financial investments from Ahold Delhaize USA, Kellanova and Bartlett to support the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices among wheat farmers in North Carolina.  

The wheat harvested and milled from these farms will be used alongside conventionally grown wheat to produce Kellanova’s iconic Cheez-It and Club crackers. In 2025, these products will be sold at more than 2,000 Ahold Delhaize USA local stores.

“The companies of Ahold Delhaize USA are committed to offering more sustainable food products as we strive to create a healthier planet,” says 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.”

Unique collaborative program
According to the companies, this is a “unique program” with stakeholders from across the supply chain — from field to mill to manufacturing facility to shelf — collaborating to improve the livelihood of US farmers while reducing GHG emissions. 

This is a first-of-its-kind program for both Ahold Delhaize USA and Kellanova.

The partnership will fund the growing of regenerative wheat for Cheez-It and Club crackers, which will be sold in Ahold Delhaize USA brand stores.“As part of our Kellanova Better Days Promise, we’ve committed to both reducing our emissions and advancing the well-being of people, including farmers, across our food value chain,” adds Carrie Sander, chief customer officer, North America, Kellanova. 

From farm to shelf
Regenerative agriculture focuses on soil conservation and improvement, creating a unique farming approach specific to the crop, climate and land. The process involves farmers growing regenerative wheat in Eastern North Carolina. Bartlett’s certified crop advisors will work with these farmers, providing technical assistance for implementing conservation practices to improve soil health, which improves water quality and helps reduce emissions.

Bartlett combines regenerative wheat with conventional wheat and then mills it into flour at its recently expanded facility in Wilson’s Mills, North Carolina, US.

“We’re excited to work with our customers and partners to improve on-farm environmental outcomes while increasing overall sustainability across the milling and baking supply chain,” notes Bob Knief, president of Bartlett. 

Analyzing data
In addition to the regenerative wheat, a key highlight of this program will be agronomic insights on farm and supply chain resiliency. 

Arva Intelligence will use its CropForce platform to measure, report and verify impacts on the partners’ respective emissions reductions. This will provide scalable knowledge each company can potentially use to develop other Scope 3 initiatives.  

“Ninety-five percent of Ahold Delhaize USA emissions reside in Scope 3, which makes this program incredibly important,” remarks Marc Stolzman, chief sustainability officer for Ahold Delhaize USA. “Not only will this help us in our race to Net Zero, but the data will also help us take 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.