Translations

MAX BURGERS, fast food has a positive environmental footprint

4. Environment

Sector Business / Distribution

Year 2019

Country Sweden

Transmitter

Context

Voted Sweden's favourite hamburger chain in 2017, Max Burgers was founded in 1968 by Curt Bergfors and Britta Andersson in Sweden and today has more than 130 restaurants worldwide.

Very early on, they realized that their business, beef cooking, did not mesh well with the environmental cause. So, through their activity, they decided to take action by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time, eliminate some of the carbon dioxide already emitted. Beyond climate neutrality, Max Burgers has gradually moved towards a "climate positive" activity.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Objectives

Contributing to the common international objective of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius
Prepare and serve 1 out of 2 meals without beef by 2022
Helping clients make informed decisions by including the CO2 emission values of each meal on the menu
Financing the planting of 1.5 million trees in Africa
Provide an example of "climate positive" for other companies

APPROACH

Max Burgers first acquired a complete vision of their greenhouse gas emissions by taking into account all the stages of production and retailing of their products (movement of resources, restaurant consumption, waste, etc.).

Subsequently, measures were taken to reduce carbon emissions through changes in packaging, transportation, electricity, oils. Despite this, beef remained at the top of their list of greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, it was decided to encourage customers to eat vegetarian burgers, incorporating the value of the vegetarian carbon footprint into their menu.

In addition, Max Burgers decided to fund tree-planting projects to move towards a positive climate by offsetting 110% of their carbon footprint. At the same time, the chain became a founding member of Clipop, a positive climate business collective, designed to encourage and support other companies to become climate positive.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

1100% sales increase in 2 years for herbal hamburgers
Average sales of 2.2 million euros per restaurant
United Nations Climate Action Award 2019
Collaborations with other Clipop companies
Caring employer with a strong environmental profile

Benefits

Reduced climate change by 10% in 2016 and 5% in 2017, while they introduced low climate impact vegetarian hamburgers in 2016

This Best Practice has been translated voluntarily by an anonymous contributor. If you have any comments, please contact mpaquin@reseau-alliances.org.