Carnivore Meat Company goes green

GREEN BAY, WIS. — Carnivore Meat Company®, parent company of pet nutrition brand Vital Essentials, unveiled an expansion of its sustainability initiatives on April 17, homing in on reducing its carbon footprint. These initiatives include rolling out optimizations for its case packaging, joining the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) and partnering with The Green Project. 

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 71% of pet parents factor in sustainability when making their purchasing decisions for their pets, prompting Carnivore Meat Company to re-examine its current environmental efforts. 

To advance these efforts, the company is rolling out new case packaging for its pet food shipments. According to Carnivore Meat Company, the new design allows for more products to be packed per case, reducing the amount of cardboard needed, as well as improving efficiencies in transportation. The company expects the new case packaging to contribute a 30% annual decrease in the use of large boxes. 

“The new bulk packaging will lead to a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, estimated at approximately 82,000 kgs annually, while also reducing overall cardboard usage to support energy savings, waste reduction and resource conservation,” explained Nick Ebert, chief commercial officer at Carnivore Meat Company.

In addition to optimizing its bulk packaging, the company has also partnered with The Green Project to better understand and track its current carbon emissions. Carnivore Meat Company has undergone a detailed assessment of its emissions through Green Project Technologies, which aims to provide companies with a comprehensive examination of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance by compiling electric, gas and water usage into a singular platform. From this, Carnivore Meat Company will track, monitor and report its carbon emissions to help ensure transparency and accountability in reducing its environmental footprint.  

The company and its Vital Essentials brand have also joined the PSC to further advance their overall sustainability practices. As a leader in the premium, raw frozen and freeze-dried dog and cat food space, Vital Essentials’ partnership with the PSC is a “strategic alignment” with its overall mission to provide premium, butcher cut proteins to pets that advance pet health and are also environmentally friendly, according to the brand. 

Through its PSC membership, Vital Essentials and Carnivore Meat Company remain committed to their environmental stewardship, as well as meeting consumer demand. 

“Our partnerships with the Pet Sustainability Coalition and Green Project Technologies represent a significant step forward in minimizing our environmental footprint and propelling our sustainability efforts forward,” Ebert said.

Read more about sustainability efforts across the pet food and treat industry.