Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, along with other Unilever ice cream brands including Breyers, Good Humor, Klondike, Magnum, and Popsicle, will soon be available in cabinets that use at least 10% less energy and replace harmful ‘F’ gas coolants with hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants.
The new freezers will be identified with ‘Greener Freezer’ stickers in demonstration of Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever’s environmental commitment to help protect the planet.
Kees Kruythoff, Head of Unilever North America, said: “Over the last decade, Unilever has been at the forefront of sustainable innovation, significantly reducing the environmental impact of our ice cream cabinets around the world. Introduction of these more environmentally friendly cabinets in the US is a critical advancement for the region.”
The greener freezer programme, initiated by Ben & Jerry’s in the fall of 2008, relied heavily on Unilever’s global HC refrigeration expertise. The undertaking was supported by a collaborative concern to address environmental impact by both organisations. After four years of trials and coordination, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently approved the technology behind the hydrocarbon freezer cabinets for use in the US, which Unilever has used for several years across Europe and Asia.
In 2011 alone, Unilever rolled out 22,000 climate-friendly freezers in non-US markets, resulting in a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 12,000 tonnes of CO2.
“It’s a great day when Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever’s efforts to introduce innovative technology positively impacts the environment,” said Jostein Solheim, CEO of Ben & Jerry’s. “Since 2008, we have worked alongside Greenpeace in pursuit of a more responsible freezer for the US. For us, this sweet success is an environmental victory.”
Source: Unilever
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