Nomad Foods Joins Move to -15°C Movement
Eighteen month study reveals that a 3 degrees Celsius increase in frozen food storage temperatures could reduce freezer energy consumption by +10%.
Since its public launch at COP28, the coalition has expanded from 11 founding members to 55 organizations united by a shared goal: to reduce emissions, cut energy use, and future-proof the frozen food supply chain. Photo courtesy Wayne Labs.
Nomad Foods, the company behind some of Europe’s iconic frozen food brands including Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Ledo and Frikom announced the results of its 18 month study, exploring if frozen food storage temperatures can be increased, leading to significant carbon emission reductions and cost savings, without impacting product safety or quality.
The results, with leading food science and technology organization Campden BRI, build upon the previously announced twelve month results and add further weight to the suggestion that storing frozen food at -15 degrees Celsius, instead of the industry standard -18 degrees Celsius (zero degrees Fahrenheit), can reduce freezer energy consumption by 10-11%, without any noticeable impact on the safety, texture, taste or nutritional value of a product.
Nine savory frozen products are included in the study; poultry, coated fish, natural fish, vegetables, plant-based foods and pizza. Four temperatures and eight key areas including food safety, texture, nutrition, energy use and packaging impact were tested. Results after eighteen months showed no significant change, unless those products had passed their Best Before Date, where a drop in Vitamin C for some vegetable products could then be seen.
Options for the study to be peer reviewed are being explored.
Nomad Foods’ CEO Stéfan Descheemaeker is calling on other frozen manufacturers to join the movement.
“We already know that frozen food compares very well against alternative preservation methods in terms of carbon footprint. The latest results of our study with Campden BRI underlines the critical role frozen food has in reducing the impact of the wider food industry on climate change,” Descheemaeker said. “However, we can’t do this alone, which is why we are calling on other frozen food manufacturers to join us and the Move to -15oC coalition to ensure the full breadth of products within the frozen category are tested at higher temperatures. As we celebrate 100 years since flash freezing was invented by Clarence Birdseye, I think he would be very proud to see the innovations being driven in the frozen food category to tackle the world’s greatest challenge of climate change.”
Established in 2023, the Move to -15°C was founded following the launch of the Three Degrees of Change report, an academic paper supported by global logistics firm, DP World, and delivered by experts from the Paris-based International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham, and London South Bank University among others. Recognizing that a change in global temperature standards requires a collective effort, the coalition intends to bring together key players within the global food supply chain to collaborate and explore viable options.
About Nomad Foods
Nomad Foods is Europe's leading frozen foods company. The company's portfolio of iconic brands, which includes Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Ledo and Frikom, have been a part of consumers' meals for generations, standing for great tasting food that is convenient, high quality and nutritious. Nomad Foods is headquartered in the United Kingdom.
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