Dairy and meat production are responsible for 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Cattle used for beef and milk production contribute approximately two-thirds of overall emissions, with most stemming from methane formed during rumen fermentation. It’s undeniable that the best way to reduce emissions from livestock production is to reduce meat consumption, in particular beef. While HelloFresh continues to expand its vegetarian and vegan offerings and will keep inspiring customers to try plant-based alternatives, beef and dairy will remain on our menus to meet the needs of a broad audience. HelloFresh is watching closely as new agricultural innovations emerge to reduce emissions from meat and dairy.

Carbon Insetting in Action: Rethinking Cow Feed

As part of HelloFresh’s pilot initiatives to explore carbon insetting opportunities, HelloFresh partnered with Royal A-ware to explore how changes in animal feed can reduce emissions associated with milk production. Dairy is one of the highest-impact categories in our supply chain, making it a priority area for reducing emissions.

The project launched in spring 2025 with dairy farms in the Netherlands, located in Friesland, Gelderland, and Overijssel. These farms supply milk used in dairy products included in HelloFresh boxes. Together with animal nutrition experts, participating farmers analyzed their existing feed composition and identified opportunities to replace higher-emission ingredients with lower-impact alternatives.

They decided to replace palm kernel and soy meal with EU-sourced rapeseed to reduce deforestation risk. Furthermore they increased the use of local byproducts, such as residues from grain, sugar beet, and brewing processes and reduced reliance on imported feed ingredients with higher transport and land-use emissions. In addition to lowering emissions, the initiative supports circular food systems by transforming byproducts that are not suitable for human consumption into valuable feed inputs.

To ensure transparency and credibility, HelloFresh also supported the implementation of carbon tracking systems, allowing farmers to measure and monitor the impact of feed changes over time.

Farmer Spotlight: Simon’s Story from Oenkerk

Simon, a dairy farmer based in Oenkerk in the northern Netherlands, joined the project in April 2025. An initial assessment showed that Simon’s feed mix generated just over one kilogram of CO₂e per liter of milk, with most emissions coming from roughage, such as grass silage.

After implementing the first feed changes, Simon achieved a 6% reduction in carbon intensity within two months, primarily by replacing palm kernel meal with rapeseed in the concentrate feed.

“Together with my feed advisor, I’ve been optimizing the menu for my cows for years. But this is the first time we’ve factored CO₂ into those decisions,” Simon explains. “It’s eye-opening to see how changing just one ingredient can significantly reduce the footprint of our milk.”

Building on these early results, Simon has continued optimizing his approach. In 2025, he expanded maize cultivation on his farm to further diversify feed options and support additional reductions during the winter feeding season.

Early Results Show Strong Potential

After more than six months, the pilot is already delivering encouraging outcomes. Several participating farms have reported:

• Carbon footprint reductions of 5–10% through feed optimization

• Improved understanding of emissions data and farm-level climate impact

Final, full-year results will be available once annual carbon footprints for each participating farm are finalized.

Scaling Impact Through Carbon Insetting

This dairy feed pilot is one example of how carbon insetting can drive meaningful emissions reductions while supporting farmers, strengthening supply chain resilience, and advancing more circular agricultural systems. As HelloFresh continues testing and scaling insetting projects across our value chain, HelloFresh remains committed to combining menu innovation, supplier partnerships, and data-driven solutions to reduce the climate impact of the meals we deliver.