Maarud

Sustainability

Enjoyment also for future generations

For nearly 90 years now, people in Norway have been enjoying chips from Maarud. We want future generations to be able to enjoy themselves too. That is why sustainability and social responsibility is at the core of everything we do, down to every single potato and chip.
 
For us, sustainability also means constantly improving and regularly reviewing our goals and actions. That is why we focus on three key areas:

  • Nutrition and health 
  • Sustainable operations
  • Responsible farming

These areas are based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals that we believe are the most important and relevant to our operations:

  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Goal 15: Life on Land


We will take care of our most important resource – the land
Cultivated land makes up only 3 per cent of Norway’s total area, making it a scarce resource. At Maarud, we are just as dependent on protecting nature as we are on supporting the 65 incredible farmers we work with.
Without fresh air, clean water, and arable soil, there would be no potato chips. Soil is not a renewable resource in the short term – it takes centuries to form new topsoil.
We proudly use locally grown Norwegian potatoes. In fact, 8 out of 10 potatoes are grown within 110 kilometres of our factory at Maarud Gaard. Sustainability is at the heart of both our potato farming and chip production. Additionally, we set exceptionally high standards for quality and food safety, ensuring that you, as a consumer, enjoy safe and delicious products.

We will reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
We have pledged to support Norwegian agriculture’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. We are also part of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a global standard for companies leading the way in climate action. Through this initiative, we set climate targets based on the latest scientific research.

SBTi is a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the UN Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and WWF. As part of the Intersnack Group, we aim to cut emissions by 30 per cent across our value chain, with agriculture being one of our primary focus areas

We will promote sustainable agriculture
We will continue to offer guidance and support for our farmers to reduce and streamline the use of fertilisers and pesticides.

We will take responsibility for 60 million snack bags
Norwegians consume more snacks than most people worldwide. As the market leader, Maarud sells over 60 million snack bags each year. Our goal is to ensure these bags have the lowest possible environmental and climate footprint. That is why we are constantly improving our resource use, including transitioning to renewable energy.

We will reduce food waste
We work to minimise food waste throughout our value chain – from providing agricultural guidance in order to prevent rot and potato loss to reducing waste in our production processes. We also strive to extend the shelf life of the products you buy. Our goal is to cut our own waste and food waste by 50 per cent by 2025.

We will increase the use of renewable energy
We have been working with energy management since 2008 and currently purchase “green certificates”. They guarantee that a certain amount of energy comes from renewable resources like hydro, wind, solar or biomass. We have also installed solar panels to bring us closer to our goal of becoming self-sufficient with renewable energy.

We will recycle all the water we use
Even though snacks should be crispy and dry, a significant amount of water is used during production. Freshly harvested potatoes must be washed, and after being sliced, they are rinsed to remove excess starch. Before frying, the potatoes also go through a pre-cooking process.

We also use a lot of water for cleaning and cooling parts of our production lines. However, none of this water goes to waste. Our own treatment plant processes all used water, purifies it and returns it to nature. The byproducts of this process are turned into compost.