From paddock to plate, food production is responsible for 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That stat alone makes one thing clear: reducing the climate impact of food isn't optional, it's urgent.
For food businesses, from hotel groups to caterers and restaurant chains, understanding your food carbon footprint isn't just about compliance or marketing. It's about risk mitigation, cost control, and staying relevant in a market where both regulators and customers are demanding climate transparency.
Here's how to make sense of it all, and how to act on it.
What Is a Food Carbon Footprint?
A food carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced throughout the lifecycle of a food item. That includes everything from land use change, farming, processing, transport, packaging, and storage.
Why It Matters for Food Businesses
• Regulation is rising: Corporate emissions must be disclosed by law as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and other regulations are in force. For food businesses, up to 90% of total emissions come from food procurements.
• Customers are demanding proof: 68% of consumers say they want to know a product’s environmental impact before buying.
• Carbon equals cost: Emissions hotspots often reveal inefficiencies and overspending.
Beyond "Eco-Friendly"
"Eco-friendly" or "organic" labels might look good on a menu, but they don't necessarily reflect climate impact. For example, organic beef still has a higher carbon footprint than conventionally grown vegetables.
That’s why businesses need hard data.
How Is Climate Impact Measured?
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is considered the gold standard for measuring a food product’s environmental impact. Among the different impact categories, the carbon footprint specifically reflects how much a food contributes to climate change. It does this by accounting for greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of the food’s life cycle, from raw material disposal, using emission factors for each process.
Klimato’s methodology is aligned with ISO 14067 (for carbon footprint of products) and the GHG Protocol Product Standard. Our data sources follow ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 for life cycle assessment, and have been reviewed by independent bodies including IVL and WRI (Coolfood).
Emission Factors
There are average CO2e values assigned to specific ingredients or processes. For instance:
• 1 kg of beef = ~45 kg CO2e
• 1 kg of tofu = ~1 kg CO2e
*Source: Klimato database, global averages
Carbon Calculators for Food
How Klimato’s Tool Works
We combine emission factors specific for ingredients, transportation methods, packaging and other activities, and operational inputs (like transport and ingredient list) to calculate total CO2e per product. Users can track emissions, compare suppliers, and visualize the data instantly.
What You Need to Get Started
• List of ingredients and origin information
• Processing steps and energy consumption
• Packaging materials and storage information
• Transport modes and distances
How the Results Are Used
• Menu planning with lower-emission swaps
• Transparent reporting to customers and stakeholders
• Data-driven procurement decisions
Scope 3 Emissions in Food Supply Chains
Scope 3 emissions refer to indirect emissions in a company's supply chain, such as food procurement. While not used at the product level, Scope 3 tracking helps businesses account for their full corporate climate impact. Klimato’s procurement reports align with GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and support CSRD disclosures.
Upstream and Downstream Emissions
While Scope 3 categories to report depend on the food business segment, these are the ones where most of the emissions come from:
• Upstream: Purchased goods and services (including food), upstream distribution, waste
• Downstream: downstream distribution, Processing, use and disposal of sold products
Impact on Hotels, Caterers, and Food Producers
Tracking Scope 3 isn't just a climate obligation—it's a business advantage. It allows you to:
• Cut food waste and transport costs
• Improve supplier contracts
• Meet corporate climate targets
How Klimato Enables Reporting
With Klimato, you can:
• Track and report Scope 3 emissions from food
• Generate CSRD-ready insights
• Integrate with procurement and POS systems
Carbon Labeling: Transparency That Drives Change
Carbon labeling helps consumers make informed choices and businesses build climate-conscious brands.
How Customers Respond
Studies show CO2 labels can shift customer choices toward lower-impact meals. It turns sustainability from a statement into a service.
Label Types & Display Options
• Traffic-light rating system
• CO2e per portion
• QR codes linking to methodology
You decide the format, we help power the data.
FAQ: Food Carbon Footprint
How do I calculate carbon footprint for food?
Use an LCA-based tool like Klimato to input ingredients, origin, and prep method—and get CO2e per dish.
What is the difference between Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions in food?
Scope 1 = direct emissions (e.g. kitchen gas), Scope 2 = purchased electricity, Scope 3 = supply chain emissions (e.g. ingredients, waste).
Why is CO₂e labeling important for food?
It builds customer trust and guides low-impact choices.
How can Klimato help reduce food-related emissions?
We offer tools to measure, track, and reduce emissions across your food supply chain.
Is the measurement of the carbon footprint compulsory?
Not always—but frameworks like CSRD and SBTi are making it a must-have for larger businesses.
Summary: Food Carbon Footprint Is a Business Metric Now
If you're not measuring it, you're missing it. Climate impact is now a core part of how food businesses are judged—by regulators, investors, and customers alike.
Want to see how your menus or products perform? Book a demo and let’s explore how climate data can drive smarter decisions.
UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL
Ready to turn sustainability into a
growth driver?
Book a demo with Klimato and see how our tools can help your catering business win.
