Translations

DEFROIDMONT acts to preserve the environment

4. Environment

Waste management

Sector Food-processing

Year 2015

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Defroidmont offers fresh and frozen products for sale through home delivery, mail order or through retail food chains. Defroidmont is anchored in its territory and defends its values and know-how. Its slogan, "Our lands have talent", evokes traditional manufacturing practices that favor local sourcing, focusing on customer satisfaction and paying special attention to its environmental impact and the well-being of its employees.

Established in Liege in 1926, Defroidmont is today based in Maroilles, France, and is under the leadership of the founding family’s 3rd generation. Among its products are the famous flamiche aux Maroilles and the Tarte au Sucre du Nord. It has established a partnership with another company of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region awarded the Responsible Economy Trophy, the milling company Moulins Waast.

Objectives

Ensure the development and growth of the company in a competitive market.
Limit the carbon footprint by minimizing wastes and emissions of pollutants into the natural environment.
Reduce the environmental footprint.

APPROACH

Defroidmont reduced its CO2 emissions by choosing electric vehicles for residential sales prospection. Recharging terminals are available in the factory’s parking lot.

Defroidmont reduced its packaging in collaboration with its suppliers, with delivery in reusable plastic or stainless steel containers, and cheeses packed in lots instead of by unit.

The company also works to combat waste. Any products that are not compliant for sale because of exterior aspect are sent to charitable associations. Cheese crusts are used in sauces. The company generates value from its catalogues with "the eco folio". The sales reps retrieve and reuse the catalogues used by customers.
The company also reuses the cartons from its suppliers for its home deliveries.

In 2009, Defroidmont engaged in a study on organic agriculture and obtained the label "AB" for certain products.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Per month, 400 catalogues on average have been recuperated, out of 5000 consumed.
The company obtained the Label AB for certain of its products.

Benefits

Reduction of CO2 emissions: 3 Kangoo electric vehicles, made in Maubeuge, bought since 2012.
Reduction of packaging.
Waste-reduction measures.