Westfalia Fruit, a global avocado industry leader, has introduced a refreshed sustainability strategy focused on four core areas: responsible water management, carbon reduction, waste prevention and biodiversity conservation. The programme is already delivering measurable results. Renewable electricity accounted for 58% of the company’s operational power in 2025, up from 18% in 2021. In Chile’s Aconcagua Valley, Westfalia is also collaborating with growers and international fresh produce businesses to address shared water challenges.
Westfalia Fruit was established in South Africa more than 77 years ago, with environmental and social values influenced by the work and legacy of Dr Hans Merensky. The business has since developed into one of the world’s most geographically diverse avocado producers, operating farms across Africa and the Americas. Its long-standing commitment to working alongside nature continues to guide its farming practices, research programmes and investment decisions.
The revised strategy sets out the company’s direction as it concentrates more closely on its avocado operations. Westfalia aims to take a leading role in addressing the challenges shaping the future of the category, including climate change, water availability and ecosystem protection, while providing customers with reliable evidence of its performance. Developed with specialist consultancy NewForesight, the strategy reflects the areas where the business has the greatest influence, alongside the expectations of retailers, customers and regulators.
Each regional business unit has developed a tailored action plan covering water, carbon, waste and biodiversity. These plans account for local risks and opportunities, while carbon reduction supports the Group’s objective of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2049. This approach reflects wider food and beverage industry trends, as companies respond to growing demands for measurable environmental progress and greater transparency across supply chains.
In 2025, Westfalia generated or purchased 34,653 MWh of renewable electricity. Its supply included on-site solar power and certified renewable energy obtained through mechanisms such as International Renewable Energy Certificates and Guarantees of Origin. As a result, the proportion of renewable electricity used across its operations increased from 18% in 2021 to 58% in 2025, helping cut Scope 2 emissions by approximately 50% during the same period.
Packhouses in the UK, Peru, Chile, the United States and France have now moved to 100% renewable electricity. These sites demonstrate how the company is replacing conventional power sources and advancing the energy-related goals increasingly associated with food manufacturing trends and food processing technology.
Westfalia is also working with One Carbon World to assess the carbon captured and stored in its orchards and soils. The company has established carbon baselines at eight farms across Chile, Peru and South Africa. This information will help clarify how its agricultural land contributes to the wider carbon balance and support more informed decisions across its farming operations.
The Aconcagua Valley initiative demonstrates Westfalia’s collaborative approach to complex environmental issues. The company participates in the WAVE Aconcagua Collective Action Project, which has operated since 2021 in one of Chile’s major fruit-growing regions. The initiative brings together 15 producers, international fresh produce companies, government bodies and technical organisations to address challenges that require collective action, including water scarcity, soil degradation and biodiversity decline.
Through the project, participating farms have created individual improvement plans and joined the Mesa Hídrica del Valle del Aconcagua, the valley’s principal water-management forum. This type of cooperation also reflects the direction of food distribution trends, where businesses increasingly work across the supply chain to improve resilience and resource management.
“Sustainability has been part of how we farm from the very beginning,” says Johnathan Sutton, chief R&D and sustainability officer at Westfalia Fruit. “What is different now is that we measure it site by site and act on what we find. Going from 18% to 58% of renewable electricity shows what that approach can do. We want to bring the same discipline to water, carbon, waste and biodiversity, working closely with growers, customers and partners as we go.”
Westfalia’s regional plans also address packaging, waste and biodiversity. In South Africa, customer fulfilment centres in Midrand are working towards using fully recyclable packaging for avocado and mango products by the end of 2026. In Peru, reforestation projects and pollination initiatives are helping rebuild natural habitats around the company’s growing areas. These programmes align with wider developments in food and drink sustainability, food and drink packaging and responsible agricultural production.
For customers, the strategy will provide more detailed insight into how Westfalia produces its fruit. This includes reporting on completed initiatives, ongoing projects and opportunities for joint action. The company’s emphasis on clear evidence is increasingly important as food and drink regulations develop and buyers seek stronger sustainability credentials.
The same long-term approach extends to Westfalia’s relationships with growers and local communities. It informs management of the company’s own orchards as well as partnerships with smallholder farmers. By combining transparent reporting with practical action, Westfalia is positioning its sustainability programme alongside broader food and drink industry innovation, food and drink marketing priorities and evolving food and drink consumer trends.