We have identified our most significant opportunities for climate action and are systematically advancing our goals, guided by our science-based emission reduction targets. These targets have also been approved by the international Science Based Target (SBT) initiative. We analyze the climate impacts of our operations and refine our roadmap annually to ensure progress.

The year 2023 was once again a normal year after the exceptional circumstances of 2021, when a fire occurred at the coffee roastery in December, and the subsequent rebuilding and unusual production arrangements in 2022.

2023 Emissions

Meira’s total emissions for 2023 (entire value chain; i.e., Scope 1-3 emission categories) were 93,397 tCO2e. For our own operations’ direct and indirect emissions (Scope 1-2), emissions were 1403 tCO2e.

When examining the distribution and development of greenhouse gas emissions from Meira’s operations, it’s essential to consider the 2021 factory fire and the return to normal production only by 2023. Therefore, for instance, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions increased from 2022 as production returned to normal levels in coffee roasting and procurement volumes. This resulted in a 77% increase in natural gas emissions between 2022 and 2023.

Compared to the last normal production year of 2021, total emissions (Scope 1-3) slightly decreased in 2023 by 2.6% (-2446 tCO2e). Direct and indirect emissions from our operations (Scope 1-2) decreased by 48% compared to 2019 (and by 18% compared to 2021, the last normal year). Meira has committed in its SBT to reduce Scope 1-2 emissions by 80% from 2019 levels by 2028.

The decrease in Scope 1-2 emissions has been influenced by the transition to renewable/zero-emission electricity, systematically implemented energy efficiency measures, and a small increase in the share of renewable energy in district heating. Variations in Scope 3 categories are due to production volume changes and adjustments in emission factors. In 2023, 43% of the energy Meira used was certified as zero-emission (electricity) or renewable (biogas).

In Scope 2, both electricity and district heating consumption increased as we returned to normal operations. However, the transition to partially emission-free district heating reduced emissions by 24%. Emissions in Scope 3 also decreased, with a 23% reduction due to more precise calculations of biowaste at the end of the product lifecycle, and a 78% reduction from the return to normal transportation and distribution at the beginning of the lifecycle, as external production caused by the fire was discontinued. There was also a small emission reduction in employee commuting, which is mainly due to a 1% decrease in the number of employees.

“Overall, our emission reductions in 2023 still reflect the challenges caused by the Vallila fire and the recovery process. In 2023 a significant roaster investment was realized which improved our production flexibility. However, we have not fully kept pace with our desired emission reductions because the investment plan for improving energy efficiency had to be adjusted and postponed to 2025-2027. Despite these exceptional years, we remain strongly committed to our goals and continue to persistently advance emission reductions in line with our sustainability program. The initial production phases of the LTO project will be realized by the end of the year, and at the beginning of the year, we increased the share of renewable energy by an average of 5% of our total energy use,” says Heidi Päiväniemi, Sustainability, Development & Communication Director.

Detailed emission breakdowns can be found here.

Energy efficiency boosts our climate efforts

Improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewable energy in our operations have been key parts of Meira’s climate action for years. We are committed to the Energy Efficiency Agreements (ETS), which obligates us to develop ways to improve our energy efficiency. Meira’s ETS target for 2025 is 955 MWh/a, and our current achievement is 652 MWh/a, meaning we have reached 68% of our ETS target.

Our energy consumption increased by 25.6% in 2023 compared to 2022. This increase is explained by a cold winter and the return to normal production levels after the production interruption caused by the Vallila factory fire. This is particularly evident in natural gas consumption, which returned to its usual level. Comparisons to the pre-fire period show an 11.6% decrease in natural gas consumption and a 7.6% decrease in specific energy consumption for production between 2021 and 2023.

From the beginning of 2024, we have transitioned to using biogas and renewable district heating in the production of Kulta Katriina Organic coffees, reducing the carbon footprint of these products by approximately 2 percentage points.

Climate Action in Our Value Chain

In industrial production, it is typical that most emissions occur outside direct operations in the value chain. This is also the case for Meira. The largest single emission source in our value chain is the cultivation of coffee and spices, where climate impacts arise from the production and use of fertilizers. Therefore, we have set a goal that 90% of our raw material and service suppliers (calculated by emissions) set science-based climate targets. We are pleased to report that we have achieved this first goal, with our coffee suppliers (covering 93% of Meira’s emissions) setting science-based emission targets. We continue to work on refining our own climate projects for the coming years and support our partners in origin countries in implementing measures to reduce the climate impacts of coffee cultivation and strengthen sustainable farming practices, supported by certification programs (Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade) that provide systematic training and development.

To support more precise climate action, we completed the carbon footprint calculation for Kulta Katriina Organic coffees. In our value chain, our own transportation (purchased transportation) constitutes a small part of our emissions, but starting from 2024, we have already transitioned some of our own transportation to renewable fuel and continue to promote this with our other transport partner.

Our efforts to reduce emissions continue

During the current year, we will proceed with the four-phase LTO project, significantly increasing energy efficiency, as mentioned in last year’s emission report (focused on 2025-2027). This project will guide us towards 100% energy self-sufficiency and significantly reduce water use and wastewater amounts by closing the water cycle in sauce production (a 50%-60% reduction). As a result, the emissions from waste generated in our production will decrease by approximately 50% (of the total target) by 2028.

Additionally, we are setting a new FLAG emission target for the land use sector in 2024. This target will bring Forest, Land & Agriculture sector emissions visible in GHG accounting for the first time and guide our efforts to reduce emissions in our value chain. In this context, we continue planning projects to support climate resilience and biodiversity. Our goal is to strengthen key projects in the coffee value chain with our partners by 2025.

Meira Oy’s Science-Based Emission Reduction Targets

  • Meira Oy commits to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 (own operations) emissions by 80% by 2028 compared to 2019.
  • Meira Oy commits to reducing emissions from pre-production (upstream) transportation and storage, as well as production waste, by 50% in the same timeframe (2028 vs. 2019).
  • Meira Oy commits to ensuring that 90% of its raw material and service suppliers (calculated by emissions) set science-based emission reduction targets by 2025.

Meira’s Sustainability Program

Meira’s sustainability program is based on a materiality assessment against the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is built on four pillars: Sustainable and Tasty Products, Science-Based Climate Action, Good Neighbor Relations and Sustainable Food Production in Vallila, and a Good Workplace for Meira Employees. Meira’s sustainability work is guided by science-based emission reduction targets approved by the international Science Based Targets initiative’s expert panel. Our science-based emission reduction targets for our own operations (Scope 1 and 2) are in line with the Paris Agreement. We report our emissions annually according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) on our website (meira.fi).