Every time you sit down for a meal, you probably do not think about the impact your food has on the climate.
But the truth is that the food on your plate represents far more than just protein, fat, and fibre. Every ingredient carries a climate footprint, and it begins long before the food actually reaches your plate.
Globally, food production accounts for approximately 16.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents emitted every year.
Reducing these emissions is one of our key focus points at MATR. We have already achieved a documented climate footprint of 1.6 kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram of finished product.
In this article, you can learn much more about how we have worked towards our current CO2 equivalent.
You can also read more about what CO2 is, how emissions from the food industry affect our climate, and how food producers like MATR are working to create more sustainable and climate-friendly food solutions.
What is CO2 and CO2 emissions?
CO2, or carbon dioxide, is a naturally occurring gas made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. It has always been part of Earth’s atmosphere and plays an essential role in maintaining life on our planet.
Plants absorb CO2 through photosynthesis, while humans and animals release it through respiration. In the right balance, CO2 is a fundamental part of the natural cycle.
The challenge arises when human activities release more CO2 into the atmosphere than nature can absorb. As CO2 levels increase, more heat from the sun becomes trapped in the atmosphere, which contributes to the global temperatures rising.
Food production is one of the industries contributing significantly to these CO2 emissions.
As the global population continues to grow, producing enough food for everyone requires increasingly intensive agricultural systems. But this also puts more pressure on natural resources and contributes to higher emissions of CO2 and other gases.
How does CO2 emissions from the food industry impact the climate?
When it comes to CO2 emissions and climate impact, several factors across the food industry play an important role.
Everything from farming practices, fertilisers, animal conditions, processing, packaging, and transportation affects the amount of CO2 released throughout the food production process.
From a consumer perspective, food alone accounts for around 20% of the average Dane’s total CO2 emissions. This makes food one of the largest individual contributors to Danes’ overall carbon footprint, according to Concito, Denmark’s leading green think tank.
That is exactly why the choices you make at the supermarket can have a meaningful impact on the climate.
Food waste is another important part of the equation. When food is thrown away, it is not only the food itself that goes to waste. The CO2 emissions, resources, and energy used to grow, produce, package, and transport that food are wasted as well.
In our view, reducing food waste and choosing more climate-friendly ingredients are two of the most effective ways to lower the carbon footprint of our food.
CO2 emissions from meat compared to plant-based products
When looking at the climate footprint of your food, the choice of protein source is one of the factors that makes the biggest difference.
Beef is among the foods with the highest impact on the climate. This is mainly because cattle produce methane emissions and require significant amounts of feed, water, and land. As a result, beef production requires a substantial amount of resources.
Compared to many plant-based foods, animal-based products generally require more resources to produce, which leads to higher CO2 emissions.
At MATR, we develop products made from plant-based proteins derived from fermented greens.
Our vegetables come exclusively from organic farms, meaning they are grown without the use of pesticides. At the same time, legumes require less land and water during production compared to many traditional protein sources.
That is why we see MATR as a more climate-friendly alternative to conventional protein sources.
By choosing more products made with plant-based proteins, you can help reduce the climate footprint of your meals.
At MATR, we believe a big amount of the future proteins should be grown in the field. Maybe we can convince you too? Try our products here.
CO2 neutrality and carbon offsetting, what is the difference?
You may have come across the terms CO2 neutral and carbon offsetting before. But do you know what they actually mean?
CO2 neutrality refers to the goal of balancing the amount of CO2 a company emits with an equivalent amount of CO2 that is removed or offset.
Carbon offsetting is one of the tools companies can use to work towards becoming CO2 neutral. It typically involves investing in climate projects elsewhere to compensate for emissions generated by the company’s own activities.
These projects can include reforestation or other initiatives designed to reduce or capture CO2. However, carbon offsetting does not change the fact that the company’s original emissions have already occurred.
Many companies are therefore also focusing on reducing their emissions at the source, where they are actually created. This approach helps businesses move closer to achieving genuine CO2 neutrality.
In the food industry, this often means improving production methods and choosing ingredients with a lower carbon footprint than conventional alternatives.
MATR’s CO2 emissions compared to beef meat
At MATR, we want to be transparent about our CO2 emissions. As part of this, our climate footprint has been analysed by an independent third party.
Together with the Swedish climate data company CarbonCloud, we have mapped the entire life cycle of MATR products.
The results show a climate footprint of 1.6 kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram of finished product.
For comparison, beef has a climate footprint of 13.9 kg CO2 per kilogram, according to Concito.
This means that MATR has approximately 94% lower emissions than conventional beef.
But how have we achieved this result at MATR?
It starts with our ingredients. We use organic Nordic crops such as legumes and vegetables, which require fewer resources than animal-based proteins.
Through natural fermentation, we develop flavour and texture without unnecessary additives. The result is a plant-based product where the full potential of the ingredients is utilised in the best possible way. When using fermentation, we also limit food waste.
Learn more about how the natural fermentation process is used to create MATR.
How can you help reduce CO2 emissions?
You can help reduce CO2 emissions by making small changes in your everyday choices.
One of our first recommendations is to replace some of the traditional meat in your weekly meals with plant-based alternatives.
You can also make a difference by choosing products from food producers that document their climate footprint with specific data and measurable results.
In addition, planning your grocery shopping more carefully and using leftovers from previous meals before preparing something new can help reduce unnecessary food waste.
If you want to learn more about how reducing food waste can also help lower CO2 emissions, you can read our article: “Food waste: why do Danes throw away so much good food?”.
Leave a smaller CO2 footprint with MATR
When you choose the protein you put on your plate for dinner, you are making a choice that can impact the climate.
We use fermentation to transform Nordic ingredients into innovative products. This allows us to use resources efficiently while bringing out the natural qualities and potential of the ingredients.
As mentioned, our climate footprint has been measured at 1.6 kg CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of product and verified through an independent analysis by CarbonCloud.
This means you get a concrete alternative to traditional protein sources with a significantly lower climate footprint.
By choosing MATR in your everyday meals, you can help make a little difference for the climate.
Buy MATR at selected local COOP stores or try our products at a number of restaurants in Copenhagen.
Frequently asked questions
Which activities produce the most CO2 emissions?
Transport, energy production, and food production account for a significant share of global CO2 emissions. In particular, the production of animal-based foods such as beef has a high climate impact.
Which foods have the highest CO2 emissions?
Beef and lamb are among the foods with the highest CO2 emissions because their production requires large amounts of resources and results in significant methane emissions. Plant-based proteins generally have a considerably lower climate footprint.
How much CO2 can you save by eating less meat?
It depends on which type of meat you replace and what you choose instead. Replacing beef with plant-based proteins can significantly reduce the climate footprint of your meals. Learn more about our MATR products.
How much CO2 does the average Dane emit?
An average Dane emits approximately 11 tonnes of CO2 per year when both direct and consumption-based emissions are included. Food represents a significant part of this total footprint.
What does it mean when something is CO2 neutral?
Being CO2 neutral means that the total amount of CO2 emitted is balanced by an equivalent amount of CO2 removed or offset. This can be achieved by reducing emissions and, in some cases, compensating for unavoidable emissions through climate initiatives.