Thai food firm NRF aims to go carbon negative

While countries and businesses are pledging to be carbon neutral eventually, Thailand’s N.R. Instant Produce is aiming to go carbon negative. The vegan food manufacturer said that it is investing in negative-emission food factories in the U.S. and Thailand.

N.R. Instant, also known by its stock symbol NRF, is striving to become what CEO Dan Pathomwanich calls the Foxconn of vegan foods, manufacturing ingredients for other food producers as well as its own brands.

It is the first vegan food company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

The core to Dan’s vision for the company is to see it becomes a partner in decarbonizing the planet. He said that NRF will focus on becoming a global business that counters the effects of climate change and creates a positive environmental impact.

To achieve carbon negativity – a pioneering goal – NRF plans to reduce and add value to agricultural waste or biomass. The company will collect waste from farmers and convert it into bio-oil and solid bio-carbon for use in NRF’s supply chains for carbon reduction offsets and credits.

“We are working on a detailed decarbonization plan that will be implemented in 2022,” he added. “The food industry outpaces others as a factor exacerbating climate change as it produces one-third of the country’s emissions.”

Greenhouse gases, mainly carbon, are the driving force behind climate change. Most people think of the transportation sector – cars, trucks, and airplanes – when it comes to the sources of emissions. But the food and agriculture industries contribute anywhere between 15 and 40 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions, depending upon different studies.

Food and agriculture are essential industries in Thailand. The Kingdom is the only net food exporter in Asia and positions itself as “the Kitchen of the World.” It is one of the world’s largest rice exporters, its cuisine is world-renowned, and its largest conglomerate, Charoen Pokphand Group, is mainly a food producer.

Photo courtesy of: https://www.nrinstant.com/en/newsroom/news/