World Water Day 2022, our sustainable commitments
Discover Julien Populin & Filip Lefever’s interview, Heads of Environment departments at Lutosa. World Water Day 2022, our sustainable commitments. Here are our five pillars:
1935 Potato Trade
1978 Frozen Fries + Flakes Leuze-en-Hainaut (BE)
1981 1st Frozen Specialities Leuze-en-Hainaut (BE)
1988 Frozen St-Eloois-Vijve (BE)
1998 Parfried Chilled St-Eloois-Vijve (BE)
2001 3rd Frozen Fries' line Leuze-en-Hainaut (BE)
2007
2013
2015 6th and 7th lines Frozen Specialities Leuze-en-Hainaut (BE)
2018 4th Frozen Fries' line Leuze-en-Hainaut (BE)
2022 New Flakes line
Based on respect and proximity, our agronomy policy is rooted in a strong partnership with our supplier-farmers. We buy up to 70% of our potato supplies in Belgium, which significantly reduces our carbon footprint. We mainly work with farmers situated within a small radius of our two production sites.
Our agronomic experts carefully choose the varieties that best suit the specific characteristics of each of our products. The main selection criteria include taste, cooking properties, colouring and agronomic behaviour. Moreover, each year we test new varieties for possible future applications.
Lutosa is also very conscious of the importance of the environment, and for several years, the company has been engaged in a strategy aimed at supporting its partner producers towards more sustainable agricultural practices (soil protection, optimal use of water and protection of biodiversity).
With our two, fully integrated production sites, we cover every stage of the potato transformation process.
We do this by matching performance with the strictest hygiene and quality standards. The production lines are multifunctional and offer the flexibility to adapt our process to the specificities of our product range (colouring, coating, peeling, type of oil, etc.).
The word “waste” is not part of our vocabulary when it comes to transforming our potatoes into delicious products. Every link in the production chain uses potatoes to the fullest, while also recycling or reusing anything that is not used (skins, peelings, starch, etc.).
Each site is equipped with its own water treatment plant to purify the production water. Our anaerobic installation generates biogas, which covers 5% of the energy demands of our own infrastructure.
Last but not least, our expertise stretches to the storage of the finished products. Two 12-storey freezers (CIMAT) keep our products at a constant temperature of -21°C. They are fully automated and computer-controlled, thereby guaranteeing total control of the cold chain and compliance with the FIFO (First In First Out) principle.
From field to plate, there is not a single stage of processing that does not involve strict control of the quality of our products and respect for food safety. In parallel, internal and external audits are carried out annually to ensure that our numerous certifications are renewed: IFS (International Food Standard), BRC (British Retail Consortium), BIO, Halal, Kosher, FCA (Feed Chain Alliance), Self-Control Guide (G-014), SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), ISO 50001 (energy management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management).
We also follow other quality programmes such as HACCP to prevent the risk of product contamination.
The health and safety of the Lutosa employees and our partners are our top priority.
Lutosa has an efficient prevention policy and is committed to identifying, assessing, and eliminating risks to ensure proper hazard management. Each year we invest a substantial proportion of our profits in this area, as well as in the elimination of risks and the improvement of workstation ergonomics.
We train everyone to work safely and promote a culture and a state of mind in favour of knowledge and respect for safety instructions.
Through our continuous improvement approach, safety in the workplace is a top priority that is reflected in our daily work. This commitment is enshrined in our charter.
Discover Julien Populin & Filip Lefever’s interview, Heads of Environment departments at Lutosa. World Water Day 2022, our sustainable commitments. Here are our five pillars:
Lutosa provides you with some inspiration and fantastic ideas for your Tapas! Can you smell that yummy aroma of Tapas? All the spices and herbs!