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Problem
Meat production has a significant impact on land use and land-use change, which is the main driver of biodiversity. Food production accounts for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and meat is generally the food with the highest climate impact per kilo. There is a pressing need to find alternatives to meat to reduce negative biodiversity impacts. However, there are large customer segments that plant-based alternatives have not managed to appeal to.
Solution
Axfood has launched a food product composed of 50% beef and 50% vegetables. Marketed under the Garant brand, the product is named Nöt & Grönt (for “beef & green” in Swedish) and addresses both environmental and health concerns. The inclusion of locally sourced carrots and cauliflower enhances the nutritional profile of the product, making it an option for everyday meals, with half the carbon footprint of regular beef mince. The beef in the minced meat comes from Swedish farms and the carrots are also Swedish.
“A Sitra report has shown that alternative proteins alone could deliver close to half of the biodiversity recovery in a circular 2050 scenario. If alternative proteins are also tailored to consumers that prefer to keep eating meat, we have a better chance of making this scenario come true.”
Riku Sinervo and Tim Forslund, Sitra
Biodiversity impacts
Reducing meat consumption by increasing the vegetable content of meat products lowers the amount of meat needed per product. As a result, Axfood can contribute to reducing the negative impact of traditional meat production on ecosystems by reducing the land-use, carbon and pollution footprints.
Benefits for the company
The innovative meat-vegetable blend provides a cost-effective solution, as the product can be offered at a significantly lower price point than regular beef mince. Through Nöt & Grönt, Axfood can also reach a market segment that may otherwise not choose plant-based substitutes, enhancing the market position of the company.
