The company has installed 433 solar electricity panels, capable of generating 200,000 kwh per year, 20% of the energy needed to power the factory.
Supported by a £48,950 grant from the UK government through the UK shared prosperity fund, the investment was expected to save the manufacturer 45 tonnes of carbon per year.
In addition to the solar panels installed on site, Heck! is also working on a programme of sustainability initiatives in its journey to net zero. This included the launch of the Heck! ‘Care Code’ to work on initiatives across health, environment, community and kindness.
Factory investments
The Kirklington site has seen more than £5m of investment into production over the past four years, including a £3.5m in factory expansion, creating 20 jobs in 2021.
Commenting on Heck!’s sustainability journey, co-founder Jamie Keeble said: “We’ve made a commitment to our consumers and retail customers to show a transparent sustainability journey. We have measured our Scope 1 and 2 industry standards emissions for three years now, and as such we’ve managed a 30% reduction in our emissions.
“We recently measured Scope 3 emissions and are now identifying opportunities to reduce emissions further. Our first annual impact report will be published this year which charts our climate impact across our supply chain.”
Supporting sustainability
The UK shared prosperity fund has provided £2.6bn of funding for local investment by March 2025. Supporting businesses in their journey towards net zero is one of the key pillars of the fund.
Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, added: “Supporting the decarbonisation of the county is a key priority for the council. It is brilliant to see this grant have such a positive impact in supporting HECK! Food to install solar panels.
“Manufacturers of quality products like HECK! are an important part of the economy and it is vital they’re supported to reach net zero.”
Meanwhile, a global survey has revealed that 83% of respondents are trying to reduce their carbon and water footprint, and are willing to pay more for their beer if it helps ease the planet’s global warming crisis.
