Paniflower partners up with Paulig & BAT Agrar

Our milling division Paniflower has started a partnership with food & beverage company Paulig and agricultural trading company BAT Agrar to launch a long-term project, reducing the environmental impact of wheat production. Their goal is to assist German farmers in adopting innovative and sustainable farming techniques. Paniflower will mill 35,000 tons of regenerative wheat, reducing the carbon emissions of wheat production for tortilla wraps by up to 35% within the next three years.

35,000 tons of wheat for more sustainable tortillas 

BAT Agrar is set to provide Paniflower with 35,000 tons of regenerative wheat in the next three years, which Paniflower will transform into low-carbon flour for Paulig’s tortilla production in Belgium.

As a result of this initiative, the first tortillas with a reduced environmental footprint will be available to European consumers starting in 2025. It can also enable the production of up to 500 million tortillas annually at Paulig's Belgian facilities.

"Our partnership is up and running, and Paniflower will mill 35,000 tons of regenerative wheat achieving up to 35% reduction in carbon emissions,” says Katrien Deschepper, Managing Director at Paniflower.

"A healthy planet is essential for producing top-quality wheat for our flour. That is why we are working with suppliers, and customers to promote sustainable farming while ensuring support and fair compensations for farmers."

Adopting more sustainable farming techniques

In the project, farmers are empowered to adopt methods such as the utilization of biostimulants, cover crops, under-sown crops, resilient wheat varieties, soil improvement, biodiversity zones, and optimized nutrient management. These practices promote sustainability by reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and improving biodiversity. They also contribute to the resilience and long-term viability of farming operations.

By gathering essential data at the farm level on various variables that influence environmental impact, the companies can closely monitor progress and tailor strategies to optimize outcomes. The commitment of farmers to provide these data is essential to achieving our shared sustainability objectives.

Group picture of all the partners involved. For Paniflower: Managing Director Katrien Deschepper (3rd from the left) and Sales & Procurement Director Cédric Dumont (4th from the right)

Salla Sulasuo, Director of Sustainability at Paulig

"We firmly believe that the path to a more sustainable future for wheat production lies in collaboration. By working hand in hand with farmers and leveraging their invaluable expertise, we can drive meaningful change and create a more resilient agricultural ecosystem. We are very committed to our ambition to reduce our value chain emissions by 50% by 2030, and we will use all our leverage in our circle of influence to do so."