Packaged Salad Industry ESG Thematic Report, 2023

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in the Packaged Salad Industry

The policies that impact the environment, social, and governance, which are made by the companies, involving the consumers and the governments, are shaping the current trend in the investments in unprecedented manner.

Companies in the packaged salad industry, through their products, are promoting a healthy lifestyle by catering to the consumer demand of vegan lifestyle by offering pre-packaged greens into their plates. The products have been shown to be beneficial in terms of health and therefore the key companies of the market have been creating positive impact on health at social scale, making the social sphere of ESG, effective. 

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has led the consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to make changes in the food consumption style, making way for the market to serve the needs of the consumers.

ESG Trends

Although the key players of the industry are serving the needs of the consumer demand for a healthy lifestyle, there are certain challenges for the market in terms of environment and social aspects of the ESG.

The products of the market are obtained through the conventional and the organic farming methods. According to a report, the conventional producers have at least 63% of market share of the packaged salad industry. This is due to the cheaper cost of production than that of organic farming. While this market has some positive impact on the social aspect of ESG through supporting local produce and promoting inclusion among communities according to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN - SDGs), the production of the vegetables through the conventional method of farming and agriculture has a variety of impacts. The increase in carbon footprint due to the usage of the industrial machinery as well as the usage of chemical pesticides, which impact the plant products and also contribute to climate change are a few to mention.

It has been reported that the packaged salads are prone to bacteria such as E-Coli and Listeria, which causes different types of infections. Further, studies have pointed out that the products of the market lose nutrients for every hour once they are picked up and packed. This poses a significant risk for companies operating in this sector as it holds them accountable to fulfill SDG 2 - Good Health and Wellbeing for all. All companies in this market should aim to control packaging waste and reconsider their operations to achieve SDG 12 - responsible production and consumption.

Packaging waste is a pressing issue for companies operating in this sector, where most of the packaging material is of single use plastic and not recycled, most of the plastics are thrown into oceans. The United Nations has declared this plastic pollution as a planetary crisis, affecting human and aquatic life.

One of the key companies of the market, to combat climate change, have made their farms into hydroponic greenhouse, where the plants are grown in water instead of soil, the water consumption is 80% less and land occupation is 90% less, the carbon footprint produced by logistics is 95% less.  Studies have found that the usage of hydroponic methods of farming promotes food security, aligning the policies with the UN SDGs. The key producers of the packaged salad industry have also made policies of net zero emissions from their global value chain, adopting more sustainable methods such as modified atmosphere packaging for their products, reducing the use of conventional methods of storage, thereby reducing the strain on the environment.  All companies operating in this sector must align their operations to achieve a lower impact on climate change and must ensure to meet the standards set by UN SDG 13 - Climate Action.

Growth of the Packaged Salad Market

The packaged salad market at global scale was valued at USD 10.78 billion as of 2020 and is forecasted to expand with a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 8.2 % from 2021 to 2030. The demand for the greens in the diet as well as the change of food choices favoring the healthy food by the consumer are some of the driving factors of the market in terms of social health of ESG.

Key Companies in this theme

    • Bright Farms

    • Dole Food Company Inc.

    • Earthbound Farm

    • Eat Smart

    • Fresh Express Incorporated

    • Misionero

    • Gotham Greens

Scope of the Packaged Salad Industry ESG Thematic Report

    • Macro-economic and ESG-variable analysis of the industry, including regulatory, policy, and innovation landscape

    • Key insights on infrastructure developments and ESG issues affecting the theme

    • Identify key initiatives and challenges within the industry

    • Identify ESG leaders within the industry

    • Understand key initiatives and the impact of companies within the sector to fuel an informed decision-making process

    • Analysis of industry activities based on multi-media sources, including significant controversies and market sentiment

Key Aspects of the Packaged Salad Industry ESG Thematic Report:

    • Offers a global perspective of the packaged salad market and the policies and measures taken by the players, for overcoming the challenges faced in terms of Environment, Social and Governance.

    • Key insights into the sustainability practices of major players in the market.