JJ shares Planet Plan progress at conference

JJ Foodservice investing in sustainability, including switching warehouse vehicles from gas to electric, installing solar panels in all branches, and investing in CO2 refrigeration

The announcements were made during the JJ Supplier Conference last week, where Chief Operating Officer, Kaan Hendekli (pictured) said the group was investing heavily in sustainability to progress it’s Planet Plan.

“As a national company, we prioritise operating sustainably and making a positive impact on the environment. Our efforts to reduce carbon emissions have not only advanced our Planet Plan but also allowed us to lower our costs. By doing this, we can continue to offer our customers a wide range of high-quality products at an affordable price,” he said.

Speaking to 180 delegates at the annual event, Kaan revealed that JJ’s new Wimbledon branch will use CO2 gas for cold storage refrigeration instead of traditional R404A gas, which is reported to have a global warming impact of 3992 compared with 1 for CO2.

Plans are underway to switch the other eleven branches to CO2.

By March 2024, all 12 JJ branches will be equipped with a total of 11,000 solar panels, covering an area equivalent to four football fields. Every year the panels are expected to generate 3,800,000 kWh in solar energy while reducing CO2 emissions by 820 tonnes.

Additionally, 110 warehouse vehicles have successfully been converted from gas to electric, resulting in a reduction of 200 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The eco-friendly initiative is expected to help JJ save up to £200,000 each year. The investment in solar panels is expected to save £1.5 million annually.