Interest in plant-based foods based on fruit and vegetables is increasing. To meet the large demand, strengthen the customer offering and manage planned growth, Greenfood and Skanska have now agreed on the development of a new super plant in Helsingborg. When completed, the new building will be 44,000 square meters in size and one of northern Europe's largest centres for sustainable and healthy food innovation, production, and distribution.
Greenfood is one of northern Europe's leading players in healthy food. The Group has grown strongly in recent years and is experiencing continued increasing demand as more and more people choose a more plant-based lifestyle. To consolidate and strengthen Greenfood's leading position, and to create an even better customer offering, the Group is now establishing a new state-of-the-art food facility in Helsingborg. The new facility is being built to rent by Skanska and will be one of the largest of its kind; it will house Greenfood's existing Helsingborg company with purchasing operations, product development, processing, production, packaging, warehousing, and distribution.
“The facility is one of Greenfood's largest investments to date. In partnership with Skanska, we are creating a food ecosystem, a specially adapted, state-of-the-art, and environmentally efficient, food and logistics centre that allows us to continue to grow in Europe, increase our volumes and develop our range,” said David von Laskowski, President and CEO of Greenfood Group.
"This is the largest logistics project that Skanska has ever developed in the Nordic region. The entire facility is tailored to Greenfood's wishes and demands. We are incredibly proud to be an important part of Greenfood's future success and their commitment to this project, says Johan Hedve, Logistics rental manager, Skanska Fastigheter Göteborg.
An important food and logistics centre that strengthens Greenfood’s customer offering
The new food and logistics centre is expected to be ready in 2023 and will be one of northern Europe's most modern. The investment is a major step into the future and will further strengthen Greenfood's customer offering on the European market. Through greater production and warehousing capacity, increased automation, and a more efficient and sustainable logistics chain, Greenfood will meet customers' needs even better than today.
“By bringing together several of our different businesses, Greenfood Greenhouse becomes a modern ecosystem for innovation, production and distribution of food. It creates a broader and stronger customer offering and a logistics chain that enables higher service, better flexibility and a more efficient and sustainable supply of goods,” David von Laskowski stated.
Modern technology and environmentally efficient logistics reduce climate footprint
From the very beginning, the goal has been to create a food and logistics centre for the future with a focus on modern technology and sustainability. The new plant will be at the forefront of energy and environmental efficiency through, amongst other features, efficient cooling systems and modern heat recovery, as well as a solar cell plant that will cover parts of the business's electricity needs.
Transport will also be more climate efficient. Well-planned routes and optimized loads mean that Greenfood's future deliveries can be driven with fewer and better-stocked trucks. In this way, a smoother, greener logistics chain is created that reduces the number of trucks on the roads – an important step towards a more transport-efficient business and a reduced climate footprint.
“Everything we stand for and everything we offer our customers depends on a prosperous planet. That is why it is so important to us that we continue to reduce our climate footprint and make sustainable investments. The new facility is a very important piece of the puzzle for creating a more sustainable business,” said David von Laskowski.
A great deal of knowledge and expertise in the Helsingborg region
Helsingborg is a strategically important place for both Greenfood and the food industry. It is the Nordic region's largest port for fruit and vegetables. About 90 percent of all fruit and vegetables eaten in Sweden comes via Helsingborg. Greenfood has also been active in the region for a long time, which means that there is a great deal of knowledge and industry expertise that is crucial for the Group's success and future growth.
“We are creating the new facility to become an even better partner and to strengthen our market position. We also want this to be a fantastic new workplace for our employees in Helsingborg. In the end it is the people within the Greenfood Group who drive us forward by developing and running the business,” David von Laskowski said.
44,000 square metres and will include purchasing operations, product development, processing, production, packaging, warehousing, and distribution. Construction starts May 2021, to be completed Q2 2023.
For more information:
Greenfood
www.greenfood.se/en