SUPPLY CHAIN Taking the carbon neutral leap Flinders + Co’s decision to become 100% carbon neutral was driven by both ethical ideals and commercial reality. The Melbourne‑based foodservice meat wholesaler believes it’s the first meat company in the world to fully offset all carbon emissions, not only from its own business, but from every kilogram of meat it sells. Chief Executive Officer James Madden (pictured) said the decision to pursue carbon neutrality had dual drivers. “Last year we changed our name from Flinders Island Meat to Flinders + Co, to reflect the fact our portfolio of products had grown beyond Flinders Island,” James said. “As part of that rebranding, we also spent time redefining our company vision and purpose. We came up with a company purpose to ‘cultivate a better food world’. “One reason for aiming to ‘cultivate better’ is that we wanted to have a reason for our business to exist beyond just money – we wanted to work on something that makes a positive difference every day. “The other reason was strategic. We looked at consumer trends and consumer purchasing drivers and could see that millennials, in particular, are prepared to pay a premium for produce that is sustainable, ethical andenvironmentally friendly.” primary producer sectors. they’re trying to say and why they’re For participants from the red meat saying it, and to act accordingly. Putting lessons into practice In 2017, James took part in the Youngindustry, the program was supported by “MLA does a great job of gathering Food Innovators program of MLA funding from MDC and the Department consumer insights, but a lot of the time Donor Company (MDC), an experience of Agriculture and Water Resources our industry can be slow to respond he credits with driving his company’sas part of its Rural Research and to them. change in direction. Development for Profit program. “We decided to look at what the The Young Food Innovators program “The Young Food Innovators program market was trying to tell us and pick was a 12‑month intensive, acceleratedwas the cornerstone of this whole a demographic group to target; in our development program for young change for our company,” he said. case, that was millennials, who research people working in the red meat, “It taught me to focus on the consumershows are extremely loyal to brands horticulture, seafood and dairy at a granular level; to listen to whatthey believe in.” 38