Orkla Fågelmara inaugurates pellet-fired heat plant
In Sweden, Orkla Foods Sverige, part of Norway-headed Orkla Foods Europe ASA, has held a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the switch to fossil-free production at its ketchup and dressing plant in Fågelmara, Blekinge county. The new wood pellet-fired process heat plant replaces liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that was previously used, thereby reducing the facility's greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2,000 tonnes of fossil-based carbon dioxide per annum.
According to Orkla Foods Sverige, the approximately SEK 25 million (≈ EUR 2.3 million) investment at its Orkla Fågelmara plant is an important step in the company’s long-term work to achieve net zero emissions throughout the entire value chain by 2045.
The investment is an important contribution to achieving a key interim goal – to reduce its emissions by 65 percent by the end of 2025, compared to 2016 levels.
This is a milestone in our climate transition. By replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, we are taking a clear step towards net-zero emissions throughout our value chain. Furthermore, reaching one of our most important interim targets for 2025 shows that our ambitions are possible to achieve, says Cecilia Isaksson Sajland, Director of Sustainability and Innovation at Orkla Foods Sverige.
Some SEK 11 million (≈ EUR 1 million) of the investment has been financed through Klimatklivet (“Climate Step”) – an investment support from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
This is a shining example of how climate support contributes to concrete transition in Swedish industry. The fact that a plant that produces around 30,000 tonnes of ketchup and dressing per year is now completely fossil-free is an important step both regionally and nationally, Cecilia Isaksson Sajland said.
Modern energy solution for a traditional plant
Founded as a food processing plant in 1920, Orkla Fågelmara is the largest ketchup production facility in the Nordics.
Employing around 100 staff, the plant has an annual production capacity of approximately 30,000 tonnes of ketchup and dressings under the Felix brand, as well as branded ketchup for other Nordic markets.
The new energy plant is powered by pellets and replaces LPG previously used. The result is a climate-adapted and more future-proof facility in Fågelmara.
This is not just a technical upgrade but a strategic investment in our future. We are taking a big step towards our vision of completely fossil-free production while strengthening Swedish food security and local food production, remarked Michael Byman, Plant Manager at Orkla Fågelmara.
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