2019 Sustainability report. Barilla focuses on recipes inspired by the mediterranean diet and responsible supply chains
5 June 2019
Pasta, sauces, pestos, and baked good with a better nutritional profile and a lower environmental impact. Innovative products with less salt, fat, and sugar – and more fibre. Attention also to animal welfare: in 2019, Barilla was confirmed as the first Italian company in the global Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW). On the environmental front, WASA is the first brand of the Barilla Group (https://www.barillagroup.com) to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions. These are just some of the distinctive features of the 2019 sustainability report “Good for You, Good for the Planet” that will be presented on Thursday 6 June in Berlin.
“For our company the objective is clear: we want to continue to improve ourselves in all the aspects that revolve around our products. Taste, nutrition and environmental sustainability are now essential for a better future. Our brands must be consistent with our mission "Good for You, Good for the Planet," said Paolo Barilla, Vice Chairman of Barilla Group. “The more we manage to work together with institutions, organizations and research centers, the more our sustainability path will find effective solutions.”
MAIN RESULTS ACHIEVED IN 2018
Products inspired by the Mediterranean diet
In 2018, the Barilla Group revised 33 recipes to reduce the salt, fat, saturated fat, and sugar content, and launched new products with a better nutritional profile with a view to continuous improvement. Since 2010 in general, the Parma-based company has reformulated 420 recipes, eliminating palm oil (saturated fat) from all its products, reducing the amount of fats, sugars, and salt, and increasing whole grain, fibre-rich, and legume-based products. And the new arrivals on the market include whole grain and higher fibre content products, products with no added sugars, and legume-based products such as the legume pasta.
Carefully selected raw materials
In the supply chains in which the Barilla Group operates, it was the forerunner in the dissemination and use of innovative agricultural practices that are more respectful of the environment, farmers, and the communities involved. In Italy, Barilla has involved over 5,000 farms through supply chain cultivation contracts, offering farmers fair pricing and awarding quality bonuses. Thanks to the application of the Barilla Decalogue for Sustainable Durum Wheat Cultivation and the use of the granoduro.net® system, in 2018 Barilla obtained some 230,000 tons of more sustainably cultivated durum wheat, with a 12% average reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an 11% reduction in costs for farmers. With regards to soft wheat, Mulino Bianco in Italy and Harrys in France are pursuing projects in favour of sustainable agriculture to bring even more quality from the farm to the table, for example by promoting biodiversity.
Carbon Neutrality
In a ten-year project in which the Barilla Group reduced water consumption (-21%) and carbon dioxide emissions (-30%) in its factories, one of the Barilla brands achieved a new ambitious result: in 2018 WASA became the first Barilla brand to achieve total CO2 compensation.
Attention to animal welfare
All the suppliers of raw materials of animal origin meet the highest standards, in compliance with Barilla’s Animal Welfare Guidelines. To this end, Barilla has publicly committed not to test raw materials and products on animals, either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, in 2019 the Barilla Group was confirmed as the first Italian company in the global Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW).
2018 TURNOVER REACHES 3,483 MILLION EUROS (+3%)
The market has rewarded the way of doing business inspired by the "Good for You, Good for the Planet" mission. In 2018 Barilla achieved a turnover of 3,483 million euros (+3% over 2017, net of the foreign exchange rate effect). Good results were achieved for the pasta category at the global level, confirming Barilla’s world leadership. The sauces also achieved excellent results thanks to further investments in the Rubbiano plant located in the province of Parma, which is dedicated exclusively to the production of sauces and pesto. With regards to bakery products, Barilla recorded positive results especially in markets where its leading position was consolidated: Italy in general, France for soft breads, and the Scandinavian countries and Central Europe for crispbreads.
The Group also confirmed the extraordinary investment plan approved in 2017 (1 billion euros over five years). In 2018, 236 million euros (6.8% of turnover) were allocated for product innovation, increasing production capacity, and improving efficiency and sustainability. This is the direction seen in the expansion of the production plants in Ames in the U.S. (pasta) and in Rubbiano in Italy (sauces), which is confirmed as the largest and most sustainable plant in Europe.
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