Westfalia Fruit Prioritises Future Of Avocado Category With New Sustainability Roadmap
Avocado specialist Westfalia Fruit has unveiled an updated global sustainability strategy as it bids to lead on the issues that matter most for the future of the category, from water and climate to biodiversity.
The plan sets out four priorities across the business worldwide: efficient water use, carbon management, waste reduction, and biodiversity protection.
It builds on a successful rise in renewable electricity use across the company’s operations to 58% in 2025, up from 18% in 2021, according to a press release.
Developed with specialist support from NewForesight, the updated sustainability strategy aims to address the company’s key environmental impacts while responding to growing expectations from customers, retailers, and regulators.
Westfalia Fruit said the revised plan would provide customers with clearer information about how its fruit is produced, including progress already achieved, areas still under development, and opportunities for joint action.
“Sustainability has been part of how we farm from the very beginning,” explained Johnathan Sutton, chief R&D and sustainability officer at Westfalia Fruit.
“What is different now is that we measure it site by site and act on what we find. Going from 18% to 58% of renewable electricity shows what that approach can do.
“We want to bring the same discipline to water, carbon, waste and biodiversity, working closely with growers, customers and partners as we go,” Sutton revealed.
Westfalia Fruit has more than 77 years of agricultural heritage in South Africa, and operates across the Americas and Africa.
As the business sharpens its focus on avocados, the revised strategy is intended to strengthen its approach to sustainable production and provide customers with clearer evidence of progress.
Each business unit will follow a roadmap tailored to the risks and opportunities in its region, covering all four priorities: water, carbon, waste and biodiversity.
Renewable Electricity Reduces Emissions
Renewable electricity consumption across Westfalia Fruit’s operations reached 34,653 MWh in 2025, supported by on-site solar generation and certified renewable electricity purchased through instruments including International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs) and Guarantees of Origin.
The share of renewable electricity used by the business increased from 18% in 2021 to 58% in 2025, contributing to an approximately 50% reduction in Scope 2 emissions over the same period.
Several packhouses in the UK, Peru, Chile, the US, and France now operate on 100% renewable electricity, according to the company.
Alongside its work on energy, Westfalia Fruit is measuring carbon stored in its orchards.
In partnership with One Carbon World, the company has established carbon baselines on eight farms in Chile, Peru, and South Africa to assess the contribution of trees and soil to its overall carbon balance.
Carbon management is linked to the group’s long-term target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2049.
Collaborative Approach To Water Management
Water security is another central focus, particularly in Chile’s Aconcagua Valley, an important fruit-growing region that is facing water-related challenges.
Westfalia Fruit participates in the WAVE Aconcagua Collective Action Project, which has brought together 15 producers, international fresh produce companies, government representatives and technical partners since 2021.
The initiative addresses shared challenges including water scarcity, soil health, and biodiversity loss.
To date, the project has included developing farm-level roadmaps and participating in the Mesa Hídrica del Valle del Aconcagua, the valley’s main water management forum.
This collective approach recognises that challenges affecting an entire growing region require cooperation beyond individual farms.
Packaging And Biodiversity Initiatives
Westfalia Fruit’s updated sustainability strategy also covers waste reduction and biodiversity.
In South Africa, customer fulfilment centres in Midrand are working towards using 100% recyclable packaging for avocado and mango products by the end of 2026.
In Peru, reforestation and pollination initiatives are helping to restore natural ecosystems in areas where the company grows its fruit.
Westfalia Fruit said it intends to extend its long-term approach through relationships with growers and local communities, spanning its own orchards and partnerships with smallholder producers.
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