Carbon negative fruit? Kent grower Bardsley England partners with ENGIE to cut emissions

A leading UK fruit producer's goal to grow carbon negative apples, pears, cherries, and more is one step closer to reality, after the firm announced a partnership with energy services giant ENGIE to aid its transition to more sustainable methods of production.

Kent-based Bardsley England packs around 37,000 tonnes of fruit annually, while producing up to 23,000 tonnes each year from its 24 sites and 820 hectares of land.

Its partnership with ENGIE, announced this week, will see the two organisations collaborate on a suite of projects to identify all emissions - direct, energy-related, and through the supply chain, known respectively as Scopes 1, 2 and 3 - that are associated with its cultivation, harvest, land management, storage, packaging, processing, transportation and waste disposal activities.

"Our ultimate objective is to reach a point where our produce is not just carbon-zero, but carbon-negative," said Ben Bardsley, managing director of Bardsley England. "This is a long-term strategy that requires meticulous attention to detail at every level and we are confident that ENGIE is the right partner for this mission."

Earlier this year Bardsley England announced plans to fully automate and digitise its production in the years ahead, and hired an 'ag tech' director - Antony Yousefian - in a move that is thought to be the first of its kind in UK horticulture.

Matt Dracup, energy services director at ENGIE UK, added: "This is an ambitious programme, particularly in addressing the full 'cradle to gate' emissions, and we are both proud and excited to be playing a key role in it. We are looking forward to supporting Bardsley England in their journey ahead."

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• Topics
• Supply chain
• fruit
• ENGIE
• Carbon Negative