apc proteins:
turning waste into
sustainable wonders
A global leader in producing functional plasma and red cell products from animal blood, APC supply multiple industries, including pet food. Through over 40 years of innovation, they have built a business around upgrading what was otherwise a waste material into a useful and valuable product.
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Quiet Innovators: Fuelling the Pet Food Industry
You’ve likely never heard the name APC, but the products they sell are used to feed & sustain 8,000,000 animals every single day. Which means that if you have a pet, or are feeding pigs, poultry, cattle or fish, you’re likely using their products. In the grand circle of emissions, their emissions are linked to yours. A global leader in producing functional plasma and red cell products from animal blood, APC supply multiple industries, including pet food. Through over 40 years of innovation, they have built a business around upgrading what was otherwise a waste material into a useful and valuable product.
APC are in a unique position in their supply chain, processing waste from pork and beef meat packing facilities into ingredients for a large proportion of the animal food market. These products are at the height of consumer awareness for sustainability, therefore, there was an opportunity for APC to become sustainability leaders within their supply chain – resulting in stronger supplier relationships and an increase in business.
MyCarbon believes that good sustainability is all about minimising waste, streamlining operations and improving resource management. A mantra which aligns closely with APC’s, who maximise the value of a typically unwanted product. APC collects blood that otherwise has no value and transforms it into nutrient-rich red cells and plasma. However, despite APC’s inherently sustainable business model, there comes a time where businesses must quantify their activities & officially provide data to back up their “green credentials”. A daunting task for any business to get to grips with, even one already firmly rooted in a sustainable mindset...
Getting to the Meat of it All
APC sought MyCarbon’s expertise to calculate their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions for the first time. A full understanding of the environmental impact of their operations, spanning Scopes 1, 2, and 3 was required, to establish a foundation for reducing emissions in the future. For APC, this was not only about gathering data, but also about partnering with a consultancy that could align with their unique business needs:
- Blood Emits More Than Water: The blood APC use as their primary raw material is considered zero emissions at the point of production, according to industry leading LCA work which has recently been published in the Global Feed LCA database. Across the global market, blood is generally considered as a waste product in the animal agriculture sector. This blood can therefore end up in landfill or disposed of into wastewater streams. This meant that the focus of our work shifted to evaluating the other major emissions contributors such as energy-consuming processing, inbound and outbound logistics, and key purchased materials like packaging and manufacturing plant supplies.
- A Dollop of Data Sourcing: To calculate the emissions from these sources, the missing piece of the puzzle was sourcing APC’s activity data. Data collection is always a challenge, but the first time conducting this exercise it always the trickiest. Add into that, 17 global sites, with language barriers and joint-venture business models – you can see how things can get complex.
- From The Bottom Up: Even with the most inspired and motivated sustainability team leading the charge, the actual collection of data often falls to people who have a million other tasks to do – and providing data is last on the list. We provided user-friendly data collection resources to ease data collection as much as possible, and we were always on hand to provide support for teams collecting data, to ensure the information provided was detailed and accurate enough for us to work with.
Driving Results
Through close collaboration with APC’s teams, MyCarbon have delivered a comprehensive carbon footprint that will serve as a baseline for APC’s sustainability efforts moving forward. MyCarbon’s analysis helped identify key areas where APC could target emissions reductions, including:
- Energy consumption during manufacturing processes.
- Emissions from the transport of both raw materials and final products.
- Additional indirect emissions from packaging and manufacturing plant supplies.
The level of detail and granularity of MyCarbon’s work has ensured APC is equipped with the insights they need to make strategic decisions about emissions reduction, energy efficiency, and long-term sustainability. This baseline footprint marks the first step in a journey toward a more sustainable future for their global operations.
APC have already begun to act, installing solar panels and heat recovery systems, which combined generate 5,000 MWh of energy every year. 190,000,000 litres of clean tank water every year is recycled, and APC are engaging with local farmers and landowners to make use of wastewater for irrigation. As a direct result of our work together, APC are also exploring the procurement of renewable electricity across their operations to ensure 100% of electricity used on their sites is zero-carbon.
A Future-Proof Foundation
By partnering with MyCarbon, APC has successfully established a robust GHG inventory across their global operations. This serves as a powerful tool to not only track future progress but also to implement meaningful emissions reduction projects.
The work we have done together sets the stage for APC to reduce emissions in the areas that matter most to their business. As APC continues to innovate and expand, they are now better positioned to align their sustainability goals with both their operational and environmental targets.
Testimonials
"Working with the THG Eco and MyCarbon teams has been an incredibly smooth and rewarding experience. From the very beginning, they took the time to thoroughly understand the unique needs and challenges of our business. It was clear they weren’t just offering a one-size-fits-all solution; instead, they tailored their approach to fit our specific goals.
Their expertise was invaluable, especially when it came to analysing our raw data. What initially seemed overwhelming, they made clear and understandable. They guided us through each step of the process, ensuring we felt supported and informed the entire way. We now have a clear picture of our current state and a solid plan to move ahead. We couldn’t have asked for a better partnership on this journey toward a greener future.”
- Conal McAshea (European Engineering Coordinator)
“The knowledge and professionalism that the THG Eco and MyCarbon team have brought to our project has shone through in every aspect of the process, helping us navigate complex sustainability challenges with clarity and confidence. Having a dedicated team throughout our entire journey made all the difference and ensured we were always working from the same playbook.
Most importantly, they earned our trust by consistently delivering on their promises and guiding us with transparency and integrity. We feel fully equipped to meet our sustainability goals, and we’re grateful for their support every step of the way."
- Shawn Rouse (Director, Supplier Relations & Purchasing)