A ‘Bright’ future for
low-carbon-footprint beef
Tirlán, Kepak and Tesco Ireland have collaborated to produce the first beef range in Ireland with Carbon Trust verification across every product
Through the Twenty20 Beef Club, Kepak and Tirlán have partnered with Tesco Ireland to launch the Bright Meat Company, a new lower-carbon Irish beef range now available exclusively in Tesco stores and online across Ireland.
Every product in the Bright Meat Company range carries a Carbon Trust verified carbon product footprint, which is 14 per cent to 23 per cent lower than equivalent Irish beef meat cuts or finished products.
Specifically, the carbon footprint of the company’s 5 per cent fat Irish beef meatballs is 17 per cent lower than comparative meatballs, for example, while the Irish fillet steak is 23 per cent lower. The Irish ribeye steak is 21 per cent lower, while the Irish beef eye of round roast joint is 20 per cent lower than its equivalent.
Supply chain
The Twenty20 Beef Club is an integrated dairy-to-beef supply chain developed by Kepak and Tirlán. Twenty20 farmers have invested in improving cattle genetics, reducing finishing age, and optimising feed efficiency, supported by emissions modelling built on datasets from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, Bord Bia [Irish Food Board], and Teagasc [Agriculture and Food Development Authority].
What it means for shoppers
While shoppers care about sustainability, things like taste, quality and value remain the primary purchase drivers. Bright Meat Company bridges that gap by delivering a verified lower-carbon Irish beef that doesn’t ask shoppers to compromise on their tastes and preferences,” a spokesperson said. The range was officially launched recently by Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Tesco Ireland CEO, Geoff Byrne.
The Tesco Ireland CEO said: “At Tesco, we know our customers want food that delivers on taste, quality, and value, but they also want to understand the impact of the choices they make. The new Bright Meat Company range offers customers excellent quality Irish products they can feel good about putting into their baskets.”
Minister Heydon said: “This initiative demonstrates how collaboration across farming, processing and retail underpinned by independent verification by the Carbon Trust can successfully lead to lower carbon footprints, while maintaining the high standards for quality that Irish beef is known for.”
Brian Tormey, CEO Kepak Meat Division Ireland, said: “Achieving independent certification from the Carbon Trust is an important milestone for Kepak and reflects the work being done across our business and supply chain to build a more sustainable and resilient beef production model. We see this as another step in strengthening the long-term competitiveness and credibility of our beef.”