Latest news with #foodproduction
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Ghitha Holding revenue increases 6.7% to Dh2.61 billion in H1 2025
Ghitha Holding, an Abu Dhabi-based diversified conglomerate spanning agriculture, food production, and distribution, and a subsidiary of IHC, on Wednesday announced that its first half group revenue rose to Dh2.61 billion, up 6.7 per cent compared to H1 last year, largely driven by inorganic growth following recent acquisitions, which expanded scale and reach. Gross profit reached Dh599.4 million, an increase of 23 per cent YoY, reflecting the effectiveness of Ghitha's strategic pivot toward margin-led growth. Falal Ameen, Ghitha Holding's CEO, said: 'Our first-half results demonstrate the strength of our strategy, with a clear focus on profitable growth, disciplined portfolio integration, and value-driven execution. Growth was driven by a combination of strategic acquisitions and internal margin expansion. We continue to reshape our customer and channel mix, placing greater emphasis on profitable verticals, pricing discipline, and high-performing segments, a model that has consistently proven to strengthen our profitability and long-term sustainability. We also launched the SAP S/4HANA programme during the period, an important step in modernising our digital backbone to support future scalability and national food security goals.'' As part of its broader strategy to expand across various food segments, Ghitha continued to strengthen key verticals through M&A. In H1 2025, its subsidiary Al Ain Farms acquired Al Jazira Poultry Farm, a leading UAE-based poultry producer. The transaction, along with the successful acquisition of Arabian Farms last year, has further strengthened Ghitha's position in the protein vertical and reflects its long-term commitment to scaling high-demand categories within the national food value chain. Ghitha will build on this momentum by accelerating its operational transformation and advancing integration across its value chain. With the digitalisation program underway and a robust M&A pipeline, the Group is well-positioned to drive scalable growth while reinforcing food system resilience in alignment with national priorities. In July 2025 (Q3), Ghitha Agriculture Holding LLC, a subsidiary of Ghitha Holding PJSC, signed a sale and purchase agreementto sell 100 per cent of its shareholding in 'AGRINV SPV RSC LTD' to NRTC Food Holding LLC, for a consideration of $47 million. This transaction forms part of Ghitha's ongoing strategy to optimize its portfolio structure by consolidating businesses under focused, high-performing platforms. Following completion, Ghitha will continue to consolidate AGRINV SPV RSC LTD through NRTC. The completion of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions under the SPA and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesco to start selling potatoes grown in low-carbon technology trials
Tesco plans to start selling potatoes and other crops grown on a farm hosting trials for emerging innovations that have potential to decarbonise food production. The supermarket recently unveiled its arable 'low-carbon concept farm' in Lincolnshire, a multi-year commitment launched in January to test methods of reducing planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions caused by farming. Farmers recently started testing some of the new products and techniques on various crops in the fields of Langrick Farm, near Boston. Tesco is working in partnership with potato supplier Branston and collaborating with pea, wheat and broccoli suppliers on a seven-year crop rotation to minimise disease and boost soil health. Branston has been using some of the lower-carbon techniques across 20 acres on the farm. The company said it expects to harvest about 520 tonnes of potatoes from that section, which could supply about 260,000 two-kilogram packs of potatoes to Tesco shelves later this year. Plans also involve trialling innovations over the next few years that range from robotic tilling, low-nitrogen crop varieties and alternative fuels to biomass heating, pollinator cover crops and anaerobic digesters. R-Leaf, a product that converts nitrogen pollutants from the atmosphere into plant feed, Ccm Technologies' low-carbon fertiliser and Omnia, a system designed to map farms and gather data, are among the technologies already out in the fields. Langrick is one of two so-called 'low-carbon concept farms' that Tesco announced in January, the second of which is a collaboration with livestock producer ABP, where the trials are currently less established. It is understood Tesco is supporting the farms financially in the initiative, through its contracts with the suppliers. By exploring which innovations are economically viable and have real-world measured impacts, the supermarket hopes to de-risk green investments for its supply base. The trials will take several years although they come at a time when 2030 climate targets are fast approaching and increasingly extreme climate patterns are already affecting British farms. Asked why Tesco is spearheading the trials, Ashwin Prasad, the supermarket's UK and Ireland chief executive, said the supermarket has a 'vested interest' in a resilient food economy. 'Being the leading retailer in the UK, I do think we have a responsibility to lead for the things that create a path for food security, better environmental outcomes, better outcomes for farming families and communities,' he told the PA news agency. Some Tesco farmers have told the supermarket that scale-up innovation is inaccessible and expensive, and the risk of investing in unproven technologies too high, according to Mr Prasad. One aim of the trials is to help de-risk low carbon investments for suppliers by establishing which technologies work but are also financially viable for the farmers. The supermarket has not yet outlined a formal strategy on how it will incentivise suppliers to invest in and adopt proven technologies beyond the trials. But Mr Prasad said the supermarket will likely share the findings with its sustainable farming groups – a platform for Tesco farmers and suppliers to collaborate on best practices for sustainability and animal welfare – before exploring opportunities for scale. 'It's early days still,' Mr Prasad said. 'I think the first thing we've got to do is just make sure we don't run before we've really learnt how to walk in this space, given these are new and emerging technologies, and give ourselves enough time to feel confident about them.' On whether the cost of investing in these technologies will ultimately be pushed on to farmers or shoppers, he said: 'Consumers are really facing tough times in the UK. 'Our role is to also champion them for value and then work through those relationships … with our suppliers to say 'How can we accelerate the technologies that do the things consumers are looking for without exorbitant cost increases?'' A key tool for encouraging farmers to take on these technologies will likely be long-term contracts, he said, adding that this can provide them with certainty to make investment decisions. Another aim of the low-carbon concept farms is to get different suppliers working together to find solutions on a pre-competitive basis, Mr Prasad said. 'All of these things feel like they have broader application, so the collaboration pre-competitively versus a more restricted mindset … could be another big unlock.' Asked if Tesco will share its findings with other supermarkets, he said: 'Yes, absolutely'. 'The route to net zero isn't something you are able to achieve on your own. 'It requires everyone to work together and understand what things could be scaled so that we're all making progress against that target that we have to do as a nation.'
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Tesco to start selling potatoes grown in low-carbon technology trials
Tesco plans to start selling potatoes and other crops grown on a farm hosting trials for emerging innovations that have potential to decarbonise food production. The supermarket recently unveiled its arable 'low-carbon concept farm' in Lincolnshire, a multi-year commitment launched in January to test methods of reducing planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions caused by farming. Farmers recently started testing some of the new products and techniques on various crops in the fields of Langrick Farm, near Boston. Tesco is working in partnership with potato supplier Branston and collaborating with pea, wheat and broccoli suppliers on a seven-year crop rotation to minimise disease and boost soil health. Branston has been using some of the lower-carbon techniques across 20 acres on the farm. The company said it expects to harvest about 520 tonnes of potatoes from that section, which could supply about 260,000 two-kilogram packs of potatoes to Tesco shelves later this year. Plans also involve trialling innovations over the next few years that range from robotic tilling, low-nitrogen crop varieties and alternative fuels to biomass heating, pollinator cover crops and anaerobic digesters. R-Leaf, a product that converts nitrogen pollutants from the atmosphere into plant feed, Ccm Technologies' low-carbon fertiliser and Omnia, a system designed to map farms and gather data, are among the technologies already out in the fields. Langrick is one of two so-called 'low-carbon concept farms' that Tesco announced in January, the second of which is a collaboration with livestock producer ABP, where the trials are currently less established. It is understood Tesco is supporting the farms financially in the initiative, through its contracts with the suppliers. By exploring which innovations are economically viable and have real-world measured impacts, the supermarket hopes to de-risk green investments for its supply base. The trials will take several years although they come at a time when 2030 climate targets are fast approaching and increasingly extreme climate patterns are already affecting British farms. Asked why Tesco is spearheading the trials, Ashwin Prasad, the supermarket's UK and Ireland chief executive, said the supermarket has a 'vested interest' in a resilient food economy. 'Being the leading retailer in the UK, I do think we have a responsibility to lead for the things that create a path for food security, better environmental outcomes, better outcomes for farming families and communities,' he told the PA news agency. Some Tesco farmers have told the supermarket that scale-up innovation is inaccessible and expensive, and the risk of investing in unproven technologies too high, according to Mr Prasad. One aim of the trials is to help de-risk low carbon investments for suppliers by establishing which technologies work but are also financially viable for the farmers. The supermarket has not yet outlined a formal strategy on how it will incentivise suppliers to invest in and adopt proven technologies beyond the trials. But Mr Prasad said the supermarket will likely share the findings with its sustainable farming groups – a platform for Tesco farmers and suppliers to collaborate on best practices for sustainability and animal welfare – before exploring opportunities for scale. 'It's early days still,' Mr Prasad said. 'I think the first thing we've got to do is just make sure we don't run before we've really learnt how to walk in this space, given these are new and emerging technologies, and give ourselves enough time to feel confident about them.' On whether the cost of investing in these technologies will ultimately be pushed on to farmers or shoppers, he said: ' Consumers are really facing tough times in the UK. 'Our role is to also champion them for value and then work through those relationships … with our suppliers to say 'How can we accelerate the technologies that do the things consumers are looking for without exorbitant cost increases?'' A key tool for encouraging farmers to take on these technologies will likely be long-term contracts, he said, adding that this can provide them with certainty to make investment decisions. Another aim of the low-carbon concept farms is to get different suppliers working together to find solutions on a pre-competitive basis, Mr Prasad said. 'All of these things feel like they have broader application, so the collaboration pre-competitively versus a more restricted mindset … could be another big unlock.' Asked if Tesco will share its findings with other supermarkets, he said: 'Yes, absolutely'. 'The route to net zero isn't something you are able to achieve on your own. 'It requires everyone to work together and understand what things could be scaled so that we're all making progress against that target that we have to do as a nation.'
The Guardian
19-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
How to reduce your food footprint: if it's better for you, it's better for the planet
Food production globally accounts for nearly 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, with the average Australian diet contributing more than 3kg of Co2 per person per day. And what's worse, we waste about 35% of the food we bring home. If we keep this up, it has been estimated the already unsustainable environmental cost of the food system will nearly double by 2050. Calculating the precise impact your individual food choices have on the environment isn't simple, but research suggests the actions we can take to bring that impact down are – and they aren't just better for the environment, they're better for our health too. A 2021 CSIRO study found that sticking to its healthy eating guidelines while choosing lower-carbon options could reduce the climate impact of our diets by as much as 42%. Another released last year, which conducted life-cycle assessments on more than 60 thousand products available on Australian shelves, found that switching to lower-emission options within similar categories could bring our food footprints down by an impressive 71%. Prof Simone Pettigrew, program director of food policy at the George Institute for Global Health and an author of the latter study, says: 'There's four biggies that sit at the top of the list for being the least sustainable: traditional red meats, dairy products, and then to a lesser extent – but perhaps more upsettingly – coffee and chocolate.' Consumers, she says, can make a 'massive, massive difference' to the sustainability of their entire food basket simply by limiting or switching out those items. In practical terms this might look like choosing poultry, seafood or kangaroo instead of lamb or pork, switching dairy milk for plant-based options, drinking just one less coffee a day or choosing sweet treats with low or no cocoa content. Even if we can do that some of the time, the difference can be significant, according to Pettigrew. When it comes to carbohydrates and fresh produce, Pettigrew says a solid rule of thumb is the better it is for you, the better it probably is for the planet. Choosing fresh fruits and vegetables to snack on rather than processed biscuits or bars, for example, will dramatically reduce your diet's carbon footprint. And while there are production and processing differences between more nutritionally similar items such as pasta and rice, Pettigrew says overall they are largely comparable in terms of sustainability. 'Anything that is plant based is going to be much less environmentally costly than anything animal based. 'We understand it's hard for consumers to make really big changes in one hit, but it is relatively easy to make small incremental ones.' If you already eat a healthy, plant-rich diet, limit your ultra-processed food intake and are keeping your coffee and chocolate habits in check, you've made a great start. Beyond that, Dr Lilly Lim-Camacho, principal research scientist with CSIRO Agriculture and Food, says one of the most helpful things consumers can do to maximise these gains is to 'shop with intent'. Food waste accounts for more than a third of all household waste, so only purchasing what you need combined with small efforts such as 'learning how to use up leftover veggies in the crisper' and resisting impulse buying will not only make your diet significantly more sustainable, but healthier and more economical too. She urges people to also keep in mind that wasting unhealthy food is doubly bad. 'Not only do discretionary foods create more emissions, our bodies don't actually need them.' Those emissions are essentially being wasted regardless of whether you consume the food or not, she suggests. If you'd like to take things a step further, apps such as ecoSwitch, developed by the George Institute, get into the nitty gritty of comparing the carbon ratings associated with more specific items. This can help if you want to know, for example, which brand of tinned tomatoes or tofu is best. The George Institute study found that opting for near identical but lower-impact options alone could bring your food footprint down by 26%. Neither Pettigrew nor Lim-Camacho want to take the fun out of food or expect consumers to forgo the odd burger or chocolate ice-cream, but agree that by prioritising our health we will naturally make better choices for the planet, and vice versa. 'It's a win-win,' says Pettigrew. 'There is always going to be an environmental cost to our food. But it's important for people to know that you actually can make an enormous difference if you want to.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Jeff Bezos Investment Just Became a Bargain, but Is It Worth It?
Farming is a critical industry all around the world. After all, no farms mean no food. As the world's population inevitably grows, there's a need to get inventive about how to grow and produce food, and some investors are looking to revolutionize the vertical farming industry. Read Next: For You: One company, Plenty Unlimited Inc., is leading the charge in not only this area but also in innovative plant sciences. Its mission is to revolutionize farming by focusing on growing produce vertically in controlled, indoor farming environments. It aims to use less land and water to grow food while also mitigating the impacts of climate-related extreme weather events on crops. The ideal end result is fresh, pesticide-free food that's healthier for consumers and the planet. Plenty has garnered a lot of support and raised significant funding from many financial backers, but perhaps none more notorious than Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Plenty has already been around for more than a decade, but it has had difficult times recently. Here are some key takeaways: Plenty Unlimited is a private company, so its stock is not publicly traded and does not have a ticker symbol. It is not possible to buy or sell shares of Plenty stock on major stock exchanges like the NYSE or Nasdaq. However, accredited investors can potentially buy pre-IPO shares through platforms like EquityZen. Plenty Unlimited has raised approximately $941 million in funding from investors like Innovation Endeavors, DCVC, Western Technology Investment and SoftBank It currently has a $1.43 billion valuation. Plenty filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 23, 2025, but they successfully emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 29, 2025, after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas confirmed their reorganization plan. Current inventors may be at risk of losing significant capital, as the future of the company is unclear and there's really no telling whether Plenty will perform well in the future. Bezos, with his current estimated net worth of $233 billion, is not only the fourth richest man in the world, but he's also a large financial backer in this new-age farming trend. Learn More: Nothing is certain in the investing world, but you should probably hold off on investing in Plenty — at least for now. Unlike big technology companies or pharmaceutical companies, or you know, one of the richest men in the world, you don't have the extra money to invest in any new whim. However, it's crucial to always do your research and due diligence before investing in any company and follow your gut. Additionally, it's important to evaluate your risk tolerance. Early investing in startups may come with more inherent risks versus investing in companies with decades long track records of consistent growth and market performance. Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article. More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 Mark Cuban Says Trump's Executive Order To Lower Medication Costs Has a 'Real Shot' -- Here's Why This article originally appeared on A Jeff Bezos Investment Just Became a Bargain, but Is It Worth It?
