Hoogesteger and CSR

Edo Abels, Managing Director

Energy and Climate

Our carbon footprint

Our products are produced and stored in a refrigerated environment. As a consequence, our energy consumption is relatively high. As promised in the previous report, we have now switched to green energy, resulting in a huge reduction of our CO₂ footprint.

Our CO₂ footprint fell from 2,386 tonnes to 158 tonnes of CO₂. Whereas our CO₂ footprint last year was equivalent to 1,377 return flights from Amsterdam to New York City, this has fallen to just 92 today! We are extremely happy with this result. Despite this reduction, we still have some way to go. We will continue to critically examine where we can further reduce our CO₂ emissions. Read below for further details of the measures we have taken.

We introduced the following measures to reduce energy consumption in 2021:

• In 2021, we equipped the Bottling department with LED lighting;
• Improved performance of water purification;
• New crusher improving frozen fruit processing, therefore requiring less refrigeration capacity;
• Filling machine replaced with a more energy-efficient model.

Other measures to keep our energy usage as low as possible:

• Purchase of frequency-driven air compressors;
• Purchase of a frequency-regulated labelling line equipped with LED lighting;
• All areas are cooled using one of the latest cooling systems based on ammonia and CO₂;
• All doors are designed to minimise the outflow of cold air;
• The production location is equipped with LED and automatic lighting.

Relative development of the CO₂ footprint

Emissions (in tonnes per million litres of juice produced)

Cold storage and logistics

Minimising food waste

% failure XPO dontated to Food bank

Preventing failure together

We as Hoogesteger were happy to collaborate as a Living Lab. As a result, in 2020, we had 67.3% less waste than in 2019! Our distribution centre in Velsen was also able to achieve a substantial reduction in waste: from 7.2% at the beginning of 2020 to 56.1% starting with week 30. And as for the goal we set ourselves last year; we once again managed to reduce waste by 50%! In 2021, we started a new improvement programme aimed at disposing of a further 73% less waste as compared with 2020. We are delighted with this initiative, which will soon help other producers and suppliers to prevent waste, as well.

Working together to facilitate reuse

In 2021, Bakker Barendrecht supplied a waste flow of pressing oranges and limes to Hoogesteger, for the production of juices. Although the appearance of the oranges did not meet the requirements to be displayed on the supermarket shelves, they were suitable for consumption. We are pleased to have found this partnership that we have together put into action. In this way, we have been able to convert almost 385,000 kg of pressing oranges into approximately 182,000 litres of orange juice. We were also able to make use of all the limes in our products.

Food bank

Juices that are no longer allowed to be sent to customers from the XPO storage facility in connection with shelf life, are donated to the Food Bank wherever possible. The extent to which we manage to do this is presented in the figure below. We are delighted that after the 15.1% achieved in 2020, we are now able to show a positive upturn, amounting this year to 25.4%! The reason for the decline in 2020 was a capacity problem at the Food Bank, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other measures

In addition to converting as much of our waste flows as possible into animal feed, we prevent food waste in the following ways:

• Our juices are made primarily from Class 2 and 3 fruits and vegetables. These are known as ‘outsiders’, meaning that they do not meet the requirements to be displayed on the shelves of the supermarkets or greengrocers;
• The PEF and HPP technology that we use to treat some of our products ensures a longer shelf life while preserving taste and nutritional values;
• Bottles that are not suitable for delivery to our customers are offered to our employees. This is free during working hours, and at a discount if they wish to take the products home with them.

Waste water

Of all the water we use during the production process, 80% ends up as waste water. The first purification step takes place in our factory. The sludge released during this process is collected and converted into gas (1,600 tonnes per year) via fermentation. The purified waste water undergoes a second round of purification at the installations of the Dutch Water Board. This water is nutritious, as it contains sugar. The bacteria found in water that contains sugar are characterised by their ability to convert contaminated water into harmless substances. The waste water produced in our production process therefore helps the Water Board’s treatment plant to clean water.

Our people

Employees speak

When Michiel starts talking …

He has been employed at Hoogesteger since 1993. Michiel is now what you call an old hand. He joined the company via an internship. “I was at a school for children with learning difficulties. They sent me to Hoogesteger on an internship, and before I knew what was happening, they offered me a contract and I was allowed to stay on,” explained Michiel.

If you believe everything he has to tell, it is no surprise that he was offered a job. “Back in the old days, it was really hard work.” He can talk for hours about the early years at Hoogesteger, when the factory was still based in Lijnden. About the hard work in those glory days: Carrying crates, grabbing bottles that had to be thrown up into the attic area, creeping under the filling machine to remove the peel, picking up oranges from the ground that had ‘escaped’ from the drying machine.

On Friday afternoons, when everything was clean and tidy, the entire workforce would drop in to the local pup Het Hoekje, for a beer. “Wonderful times. Companiable,” said Michiel. He still has fond memories of his first colleagues. Some of them still work at Hoogesteger today, but he also has plenty of anecdotes about ‘Uncle Cor, Uncle Arie and Uncle Joop’, who occupied the shop floor at Hoogesteger, in the early years.

He is also proud of the fact that he was responsible for making juice for Queen Beatrix. “We sorted out the very best oranges, and the juice was filtered, extra carefully.”

The work today is no longer as demanding as it was in the Lijnden period. Above all, Michiel is responsible for material supply and discharge. He manages the stock room, tidies away the cardboard and crates and ensures that all the material used in the presses ends up in the right container. He has exchanged his manual pump truck for an EPT; the crusher where he regularly assists is no longer as labour-intensive as it used to be, and he is no longer required to crawl under the machinery.

“I am happy where I am.” And although he has to start at 4 a.m. every morning, you never hear him complain. “If I want to watch Ajax play, I have a quick nap in the afternoon. Then I’m fit and ready for work the next morning.” All in hall, he is happy to look forward to his next 29 years at Hoogesteger.

Hoogesteger and society

As little inconvenience as possible, as much pleasure as possible.

Our production location is situated in a residential area. It is important to us that the residents experience as little inconvenience as possible. To this end, we installed a noise barrier a few years ago, with which we have been able to minimise noise pollution. Around Christmas and Easter, when extra production takes place and transport is coming and going day and night, we provide juices to local residents. In 2021, we started on a weekly clean-up in the streets around our factory. It is our way of helping maintain a clean and tidy neighbourhood.

Just clean

We suspect that our own employees and temps occasionally leave litter on the street, and we are not happy about it. It has to be cleaned up. Trash left by other people is also an eyesore. We have therefore decided to make a round of the neighbourhood once a week. Armed with a trash bag and a grabber tool, one office employee and one production worker walk around to pick up coffee cups, cigarette butts and other junk. 

We started this initiative in 2021, and we have seen nothing but advantages.

• Hoogesteger’s surroundings look a lot better.
• Positive reactions from the local residents. We are happy with that, because we want to be a good neighbour.
• The mutual bond between our employees is strengthened. People who don’t see each other every day come to know and appreciate each other.

We plan to continue this operation, for the time being.

Collecting bottle tops for Kika

One resident of Zwanenburg, our establishment location, collects bottle tops for the Stichting Kinderen Kankervrij (Kika). All the bottle tops are handed in to a recycling company, and the money received in return goes to Kika. We are delighted to support initiatives of this kind. The Quality Service department at Hoogesteger keeps all the tops from the tested juice bottles, and if any are rejected, they are also collected and sent to the person who started the initiative.

Working together on CSR

Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. We are constantly in search of possibilities for innovation in our production techniques. By switching to a new technique for pressing citrus fruit, we have greatly expanded our waste flow of citrus peels, leaving nearly nothing to send for fermentation. Our R&D department is seeking innovations relating to new, healthy ingredients, like organic and vegan products. We are also constantly looking for new possibilities for extracting value from our waste flows. True breakthroughs are realised through collaboration.  With regard to food safety, innovation and knowledge development, we work with a variety of parties, including WUR, Eurofins, Allergen Consultancy, KTBA, Normec, FWS and the Duurzame Adviseurs.

Extracting value from waste streams

Since 2019, we have been participating in a project, in collaboration with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR) and a number of other companies. The objective of the project is to use pectin and chitin from waste streams to make functional, high-value ingredients for food, as well as for domestic purposes and personal care. This corresponds to our CSR objective of extracting the greatest possible value from our waste streams. In addition to making waste streams available to this project, we contribute €10,000 each year.

MVO Nederland

To stay abreast of specific developments in the area of CSR and to come into contact with other parties who are interested in continuing to invest in these efforts, we have joined MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands).

Scope of the report

This report covers the activities of Hoogesteger in the year 2020. No significant changes have taken place during the reporting period with regard to the size, structure or ownership of the organisation.

Report frequency

It is our intention to present a report annually

Contact

If you have questions about this report, please contact Renate Ludeking, SHEQA Manager, renate.ludeking@hoogesteger.nl.