Birds Eye owner Nomad Foods has hit major sustainability milestones in its 2024 report, praising its big wins in sourcing, nutrition and carbon reduction.

The frozen giant, whose brands also include Aunt Bessie’s, Findus and iglo, said 99.6% of its sourced fish and seafood was Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified last year, with the UK among ten European markets now at 100% certification.

On the nutrition front, 96% of branded net sales came from “Healthier Meal Choice” products, while the company’s new Birds Eye’s Steamfresh range was named a finalist in the Food and Drink Federation’s UK Diet & Health Award.

Meanwhile, the company said the range alone added 3.5m extra portions of veg to UK plates in its first nine months. Across 2024, Birds Eye and Aunt Bessie’s vegetable lines delivered the equivalent of over 457m veg portions to British households.

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Operationally, the group has cut absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its legacy business by 40.8% since 2019, beating its 2025 target well ahead of schedule.

Nomad Foods added that it also became the first manufacturer to join the Move to -15°C coalition, exploring how raising storage temperatures from -18°C to -15°C could cut freezer energy use by up to 11% without affecting quality.

Nomad Foods CEO Stéfan Descheemaeker said: “As we celebrate our tenth anniversary as a public company, sustainability remains a fundamental driver at the heart of our business.

“Our new purpose, ‘Making Mealtimes Better with the Goodness of Frozen Food’, inspires our sustainability strategy, and I am very proud of the progress we have made in 2024 towards our goals.”

Looking ahead, the company said it remains on track to meet all major 2025 targets, including sourcing 100% of its fish and seafood from sustainable or responsible farms.

Earlier this month, Birds Eye released a new major new campaign, That’s a Recipe for a Life Well Fed, positioning frozen food as a nutritious and sustainable choice for family mealtimes.