Jupiter Group’s biomass powering homes

Biomass from our BRCGS AA graded Prepared facility based in Newport, Shropshire is producing 10,500 kilowatts of energy each day from our prepared plant waste.

We are consistently working towards our vision of supply chain transparency, and are pleased to share our UK natural energy output, just weeks after the launch of our Prevented Ocean Plastic™ punnets in partnership with packaging supplier Sharpak Aylesham.

Natural waste energy

We produce 25-30 tonnes of fresh fruit waste from our Prepared fruit facility each week, which is collected by a local farming operation to be converted into power via biomass digesters.

Fruit that doesn’t pass our strict quality tests, alongside the rind, skins, stems and tops are collected each week to be transformed into energy for around 2,000 local homes.

The fresh fruit waste is processed through an anaerobic digester on a farm local to our headquarters where bacteria breaks down the fruit in the absence of oxygen and naturally produces 10,500 kilowatts of energy each day, with 8,000kw exported to power homes close by.

The energy in biogas can be used like natural gas to generate electricity, provide heat and power cooling systems, amongst other uses.

In addition to utilising the biogas produced from the anaerobic digester, the heat from the engine is also utilised to produce kiln dried logs.

Anaerobic digestion is a fantastic alternative to landfill as for every tonne of food waste recycled by the process, it prevents between 0.5 and 1.0 tonne of CO2 entering the atmosphere [1]

Business as a force for good

Alongside our recent announcements around green energy and our reduction of virgin plastic use, we are also proud to have invested in gender parity in the fresh produce industry.

In a bid to address the so-called she-session in South Africa seeing three-quarters of youth unemployed due to the pandemic, we have this month welcomed a group of female students on to our citrus farm to complete their practical hours required for their Farm Management studies at a local agricultural college.

To read more on our developments, visit the news section of our website or keep an eye on our social media accounts.

[1] Biogen. www.biogen.co.uk/Anaerobic-Digestion/What-is-Anaerobic-Digestion

The Jupiter Group is an award-winning fresh produce grower with a simple vision – to be the most transparent company in fresh produce. With a year-round supply and innovative new variety development, Jupiter is hailed as one of the world’s leading fresh produce companies. Beyond their speciality in growing grape and citrus, Jupiter’s expertise also covers avocado, pineapple and kiwi in all formats and sizes across retail, wholesale, and food service businesses globally. Jupiter Group are different because they have digitised their supply chain and control a true seed to shelf process. The result? A consistent, transparent, trusted and traceable supply. On Jupiter’s own farms and those of their growing partners, the way they do business has British standards, global cultural heritage and unrivalled entrepreneurial spirit. Jupiter’s BRCGS AA rated prepared fruit facilities in the UK provide a range of pots, punnets and trays alongside co-branded products such as their Babybel® Light Cheese, Apple & Grapes snack pack. They have ranked consecutively for three years in the prestigious The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 for International Growth, most recently at number 17.