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German retailer Edeka has launched the next phase of a climate protection project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its milk supply chain, working in collaboration with four dairy producers and academic partners.
The initiative brings together EMP Milchhof Prenzlau, NordseeMilch, Royal A-ware and Molkerei Gropper, with scientific support from Leuphana University Lüneburg. The partners are developing a standardised, transparent and scalable system to measure and cut emissions, as part of efforts to advance their sustainability targets.
The project focuses on making conventional dairy supply chains more sustainable, rather than targeting premium or niche programmes. By working closely with dairy farmers, the partners aim to ensure practical, data-driven solutions that can be applied across the wider sector.
In its current phase, the project is developing a standard for data collection and emissions calculation aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The aim is to improve the comparability, traceability and consistency of emissions data.
Existing knowledge and initiatives from participating dairy producers are also being consolidated, with measures assessed based on climate impact, economic viability and feasibility.
Alongside this, the project includes the development of training programmes, pilot testing and targeted support for dairy farmers. From 2027, the focus will shift towards scaling the most effective measures across the full value chain, particularly those with the greatest potential for emissions reduction.
Each dairy partner contributes specific expertise reflecting different production models across Germany. EMP Milchhof Prenzlau represents East German agricultural structures, while NordseeMilch brings experience from cooperatively organised farms in northern Germany.
Royal A-ware contributes knowledge in implementing emissions reduction measures through established market concepts, and Molkerei Gropper provides practical insights from its ‘Klimahöfe’ project in central and southern Germany.
Leuphana University Lüneburg is supporting the project by exploring new forms of collaboration for future-proof supply chains, while consultancy firm Quantis is responsible for independent project management.
Edeka said the initiative is intended to create a practical, scientifically grounded model for climate protection in the dairy sector, designed to be transferable and scalable. The long-term goal is to establish a transparent industry solution that can be adopted by additional dairy producers, farmers and organisations.