The Wonderful Company Commits To 100 Percent Renewable Electricity In U.S. Operations By 2025
Largest Agricultural Company to Join RE100 Initiative
LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wonderful Company announced today it will use 100 percent renewable electricity across all its U.S. operations by 2025. As part of this commitment, The Wonderful Company is joining RE100, a collaborative, global initiative led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, uniting more than 160 influential businesses committed to transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity.
"As a responsible steward of the environment, we've invested more than $300 million in sustainability research and innovations, clean energy and prudent use of natural resources," said Stewart Resnick, chairman and president, The Wonderful Company. "This is the natural progression of our sustainability efforts and the right thing for us to do as leaders in the agriculture industry."
The Wonderful Company's path to 100 percent renewable electricity began in 2007 with a ground-mounted solar installation that, at the time, was the largest privately held single-site solar plant in the U.S. The project generated nearly 15 percent of the required energy at its Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds processing facility. In 2013, the company quadrupled its investment in renewable energy, installing rooftop solar panels at its JUSTIN Wines, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds, and Halos facilities. The Halos project became the largest privately owned single-site solar rooftop in the U.S.
In January 2019, The Wonderful Company signed its first large-scale power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy to build a 23-megawatt solar project, more than five times the size of previous installations, on 157 acres of fallow farmland at company facilities in California's Central Valley. Once completed, the project will generate enough clean electricity each year to grow nearly half of the company's pistachio, almond, and pomegranate crops and bring the company's global renewable electricity use to approximately 25 percent.
Building on the success of these past renewable energy projects, The Wonderful Company will seek to source the remaining 75 percent of its electricity from renewable energy projects sited primarily on company land in the Central Valley. Combined with additional off-site renewable energy projects that will maximize emissions savings, and continued investments in energy efficiency, The Wonderful Company plans to reach 100 percent renewable electricity in the U.S. by 2025, and globally by 2040.
"The agricultural sector is one of the global industries most immediately impacted by the effects of climate change," said Amy Davidsen, Executive Director - North America, The Climate Group. "As the largest agriculture business to join RE100 to date, we're delighted to see The Wonderful Company tackle greenhouse gas emissions from the sector by committing to 100 percent renewable electricity, and we encourage all of their peers to join them."
About The Wonderful Company
Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Wonderful Company is a privately held $4 billion global company dedicated to harvesting health and happiness around the world through its iconic consumer brands. The company's 10,000 employees worldwide are committed to bringing consumers everywhere the freshest, most wholesome pistachios, almonds, citrus and pomegranates; bottling the finest water and wines; and creating colorful bouquets that are sure to touch the heart. This commitment is reflected in the company's market share: Wonderful® Pistachios is America's No. 1 tree nut brand and America's fastest-growing snack; Wonderful® Halos® is the No. 1 mandarin orange in America; POM Wonderful® is the No. 1 100 percent pomegranate brand in America; FIJI® Water is America's No. 1 premium imported bottled water brand; JUSTIN® Wine has the No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon in California; and Teleflora® is the world's leading floral delivery service. A 2016 Nielsen study evaluating the familiarity, quality, and momentum of more than 2,500 leading brands revealed that Wonderful Company products dominated the top 10 lists of consumers across all generations, more than any other consumer goods company.
The Wonderful Company's connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back in its DNA. The company has a long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility, including more than $200 million invested in environmental technologies and sustainability research, $50 million in charitable giving and education initiatives every year, $100 million toward the construction of two charter school campuses in California's Central Valley, and innovative health and wellness programs, including two new, free primary care clinics for employees and their dependents.
To learn more about The Wonderful Company, its products and core values, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About RE100
Led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, RE100 is a collaborative initiative bringing together the world's most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable power. Renewables are a smart business decision, providing greater control over energy costs while helping companies to deliver on emission reduction goals. RE100 members, including Global Fortune 500 companies, have a total revenue of over US$4.5 trillion and operate in a diverse range of sectors – from information technology to automobile manufacturing. Together, they send a powerful signal to policymakers and investors to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. Please visit RE100.org to find out more. #RE100
SOURCE The Wonderful Company
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