Case Study: Ballymaloe Foods

Ballymaloe Foods

Born from Sustainable Values, Leading by Example

Ballymaloe Foods is an Irish, Cork based food company that is all about family, food and a passion for bringing the best ingredients and taste to their customers, in the most sustainable way possible. They are committed to very high standards in food production and integrity in business. They are proud to be a trusted brand. Ballymaloe Foods strives every day to bring an ethos of hard work, dedication and Ballymaloe warmth to everything they do.

Sustainability focus in the company

Their sustainability strategy focuses on three key pillars:

1.

Energy Efficiency

They are constantly looking for efficiency opportunities and areas to use renewable energy in their production process

2.

Sustainable sourcing

They have a rigorous sustainability procurement questionnaire & policy that they use as a key purchasing metric

3.

Community engagement & Biodiversity enhancement

They are aware that their local community in Little Island, Cork is vital to their success, so they have community events and plant indigenous pollinator plants

Ballymaloe Foods continuously targets energy efficiency upgrades and on-site renewable generation to reduce emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Significant energy savings have been achieved through heat recovery systems and production efficiency improvements, delivering hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours in annual energy reductions.

Responsible sourcing is central to Ballymaloe Foods’ sustainability approach. They prioritise local suppliers, and transparent supply chains to reduce scope 3 emissions.

Also, in collaboration with the Sea and Land Trust CLG, they have created the “Nature & Us – A Young Person’s Insight” project, exploring young people’s relationships with nature and biodiversity.

22%

A 75-kW solar PV installation now reduces grid electricity consumption by approximately 22% per year. These actions form part of a broader, long-term strategy to significantly decarbonise production operations by 2030

100%

100% of our beetroot is sourced from a local farmer just 30 minutes away. Beetroot skins, are returned to the farm for use as cattle feed or to improve soil health, supporting circular nutrient use and reducing waste

Biodiversity

Ballymaloe Foods is a proud member of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, planting native and pollinator-friendly species across the business park and local roundabouts

A Value Chain Approach to Sustainability

Ballymaloe Foods has always adopted a whole-value-chain perspective to sustainability, recognising that environmental impact extends beyond their factory gates. When Yasmin was asked about sustainability she said “I think it’s very important that one has a good reputation for not spoiling the Earth and for doing your best. We can all make improvements and we need to keep trying to do that”.

Upstream: the company prioritises local and transparent suppliers to reduce transport emissions, support Irish agriculture, and improve traceability of raw materials. Sustainability questionnaires and procurement policies ensure environmental considerations are embedded into purchasing decisions, directly addressing scope 3 emissions.
Within operations: continuous energy monitoring, efficiency upgrades, and on-site renewable generation reduce energy intensity and carbon emissions while strengthening energy resilience. Waste reduction initiatives, including the reuse of organic by-products within agricultural systems, further enhance circularity and resource efficiency.
Downstream: their trusted brand and emphasis on quality support longer product life, reduced waste, and strong consumer engagement such as our partnership with “too good to go” encouraging people to make sustainable food choices. Community engagement and biodiversity initiatives extend value creation beyond the business itself, reinforcing social and ecological capital in the local area.
Looking ahead: at Ballymaloe foods they aim to progress their decarbonisation pathway through further energy optimisation, expanded renewable capacity, enhanced supplier engagement on emissions reduction, and continued biodiversity investment. This value-chain-led approach ensures sustainability remains integral to long-term business success.