Findus parent company, Nomad Foods, underlines call to reset freezer temperatures and joins Move to -15°C, committing to reduce carbon emissions in frozen food

• Eighteen month study, conducted by Campden BRI, reveals that a 3 degrees Celsius increase in frozen food storage temperatures could reduce freezer energy consumption by +10% with no need to reformulate any products¹
• Europe’s leading frozen food company becomes the first manufacturer to join Move to -15°C, an industry-wide coalition dedicated to cutting carbon emissions in frozen food supply chains globally

WOKING, England – June 26^th, 2024 – Nomad Foods, the company behind Findus has today announced the results of its eighteen month industry-leading study, exploring if frozen food storage temperatures can be increased, leading to significant carbon emission reductions and cost savings, without impacting product safety or quality.

The results, with leading food science and technology organisation Campden BRI, build upon the previously announced twelve month results and add further weight to the suggestion that storing frozen food at -15^oC, instead of the industry standard -18^oC (zero degrees Fahrenheit), can reduce freezer energy consumption by 10-11%, without any noticeable impact on the safety, texture, taste or nutritional value of a product.

Nine savoury frozen products are included in the study; poultry, coated fish, natural fish, vegetables, plant-based foods and pizza. Four temperatures (ranging from -18^oC up to -9^oC) and eight key areas including food safety, texture, nutrition, energy use and packaging impact were tested. Results after eighteen months showed no significant change to the products at -15^oC versus -18^oC, unless those products had passed their Best Before Date, where a drop in Vitamin C for some vegetable products could then be seen.

Options for the study to be peer reviewed are now being explored.

Nomad Foods is also the first food manufacturer to sign up to Move to -15^oC, an industry coalition launched at COP28 and dedicated to cutting carbon emissions in the frozen food supply chain. Recognising that a shift in frozen storage temperatures requires industry-wide collaboration, Nomad Foods’ Chief Executive Officer Stéfan Descheemaeker is now calling on other frozen manufacturers to join the movement.

“We already know that frozen food compares very well against alternative preservation methods in terms of carbon footprint. The latest results of our study with Campden BRI underlines the critical role frozen food has in reducing the impact of the wider food industry on climate change.

“However, we can’t do this alone, which is why we are calling on other frozen food manufacturers to join us and the Move to -15^oC coalition to ensure the full breadth of products within the frozen category are tested at higher temperatures.

“As we celebrate 100 years since flash freezing was invented by Clarence Birdseye, I think he would be very proud to see the innovations being driven in the frozen food category to tackle the world’s greatest challenge of climate change.”

Nomad Foods published an industry leading life cycle analysis of its leading frozen food products in 2022 which showed that frozen food performs very well against alternatives in terms of carbon footprint, partly due to much lower levels of food waste.²

Findus Media Contact

Henrik von Lowzow

Cluster Marketing Director Nordics

henrik.lowzow@nomadfoods.com

+45 40 18 81 99

Nomad Foods Media Contact
Oliver Thomas

Senior Corporate Affairs Manager

oliver.thomas@nomadfoods.com

+44 7568 108744

About Nomad Foods

Nomad Foods (NYSE: NOMD) is Europe's leading frozen foods company. The company's portfolio of iconic brands, which includes Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Ledo and Frikom, have been a part of consumers' meals for generations, standing for great tasting food that is convenient, high quality and nutritious. Nomad Foods is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Additional information may be found at www.nomadfoods.com.

About the Move to -15°C

Established in 2023, the Move to -15°C aims to reset frozen food temperature standards to reduce greenhouse gases, lower supply chain costs and secure global food resources. It was founded following the launch of the Three Degrees of Change report, an academic paper supported by global logistics firm, DP World, and delivered by experts from the Paris-based International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham, and London South Bank University among others.

The report found that a move from -18°C to -15°C could make a significant environmental impact with no compromise on food safety. Its findings found that this small change in temperature could:

• Save 17.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent annual emissions of 3.8m cars annually
• Create energy savings of around 25 terawatt-hours (TW/h) - equivalent to 8.63% of the UK’s annual energy consumption
• Cut costs in the supply chain by at least 5% and in some areas by up to 12%

Recognising that a change in global temperature standards requires a collective effort, the Coalition intends to bring together key players within the global food supply chain to collaborate and explore viable options for a move to -15°C.

To find out more or join the Move to -15°C, please visit: www.movetominus15.com

About Campden BRI

With over 3,000 member companies in 80 countries, Campden BRI (www.campdenbri.co.uk) is the trusted, premier, independent technical partner of choice for the food and drink industry, working with all of the top 10 UK retailers, the top 15 global food and drink manufacturers and many of the world’s biggest brands. Leveraging its 250 plus world-renowned technical experts in the UK and Europe, it helps to make food safer, tastier, healthier, affordable, sustainable, convenient and innovative, underpinned by investment in meaningful research and science.

Campden BRI offers an extensive range of services and products including consultancy, analysis and testing, processing and manufacturing troubleshooting and advice, training and legislation, regulatory and labelling advisory services. Members and clients benefit from industry-leading facilities for analysis, product and process development and sensory and consumer studies, which include a specialist brewing and wine division.

Notes to editors

1. The objective of the Nomad Foods/Campden BRI pilot study was to identify the potential to increase the temperature that frozen food is stored at on a large scale, without reformulating products. The eighteen month pilot was conducted between November 2022 and May 2024 with results measured for storage at -18^oC, -15^oC, -12^oC and up to -9^oC.

The pilot focused on eight key areas across 13 individual tests:

• Microbiological
• Sensory
• Texture analysis
• Oxidative Rancidity
• Drip loss
• Nutrition
• Energy usage
• Packaging impact

Nine frozen products were tested

• Crumb coated chicken
• 2 types of fish fingers (wild caught pollock and farmed Basa)
• Salmon fillets
• Garden peas
• Leaf spinach
• Mixed vegetables
• Plant based meatballs
• Margherita pizza

2. In 2022 Nomad Foods published results of an industry leading peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment study comparing a range of frozen foods to their alternatives. Further details on the study and 100 page technical report are available online.

https://www.nomadfoods.com/news/nomad-foods-urges-food-industry-to-adopt-end-to-end-carbon-impact-product-assessment-to-help-tackle-the-climate-emergency/

https://www.nomadfoods.com/news/nomad-foods-publishes-third-party-technical-report-of-its-peer-reviewed-life-cycle-assessment-lca-study/