Blentagruppen: from scattered spreadsheets to structured sustainability data – with flexibility and human support along the way

Blentagruppen is a Swedish, family-owned food group behind well-known brands such as Guldfågeln and Ingelsta Kalkon. The company manages the full value chain from poultry farming to processing and distribution of Swedish chicken and turkey. Animal welfare is one of the group’s highest priorities, with a commitment to ensuring world-class care throughout the animals’ lives.

The Challenge

When Blentagruppen began working toward their validated climate targets under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the volume of sustainability data grew quickly. With several facilities and many data sources, Excel became both messy and time-consuming.

“There is a lot of data to keep track of. We had Excel, many files and many people involved. We needed a way to collect and quality-assure everything in one place” says Anna Johansson, Head of Sustainability at Blentagruppen.

At the same time, customers and partners increasingly requested transparent emissions data and insights into processes. Ensuring data quality, traceability and smooth workflows became essential. Parallel production investments for greater long-term efficiency added yet another layer of complexity and increased the need for reliable follow-up.

Why SustainLab

After comparing several providers, Blentagruppen chose SustainLab. The reason was clear: flexibility.

“We chose SustainLab because of the flexibility. Our value chain is complex and we need to add, adjust and adapt without depending on consultants for every change. We want to work in the system ourselves,”
Anna explains.

Being able to start with the most important elements and expand as processes matured made SustainLab’s approach a natural fit.

The Solution

A centralized data hub. SustainLab helped Blentagruppen set up a shared structure where emissions data can be collected, quality-assured and traced. Clear input templates and robust documentation processes ensured consistency.

Flexible calculations. The sustainability model was configured to fit Blentagruppen’s reality. Less rigidity, more configurability.

“This was built around us. Every company looks different, and we needed a solution that fits our everyday operations.”

Human support when it matters. SustainLab’s team worked closely with Blentagruppen and even collaborated directly with their previous consultants to ensure smooth transfer of historical data and assumptions.

“The collaboration has worked really well. We’ve had many questions along the way and resolved them together.”

Implementation

Blentagruppen chose to build a solid foundation. Along the way, incoming data also improved, which meant historical data was reviewed and quality-checked once again.

“It has become an extra, extra layer of checking. We have more control ourselves now, while SustainLab ensures everything in the background is accurate.”

The team has worked with all three emission scopes – Scope 1, 2 and 3 – from the very beginning. The current focus is improving the quality of Scope 3 data by increasingly using supplier-specific climate data rather than spend-based estimates. A future ambition is to connect emissions data more clearly to financial decisions in practical comparisons between alternatives.

Results so far

Less dependency on Excel. A more reliable, traceable database that reduces person-dependency and simplifies delegation.

Higher data quality. Clearer sources, emissions factors and documentation strengthen internal trust and external credibility.

Smarter workflows. Fewer ad-hoc questions and more time for actual analysis.

Validated climate targets. Blentagruppen communicates that their climate targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. SustainLab supports the ongoing follow-up of the data needed to track progress.

“We want a system that isn’t person-dependent. When someone leaves, the work should continue without friction. Now it does,”
says Anna.

Key Learnings

Start with the foundation. Investing time in structure, sources and traceability pays off. “Garbage in, garbage out” still applies.

Flexibility saves time. A configurable model reduces the need for external involvement for every adjustment.

Data drives dialogue. Better data leads to better conversations with suppliers and makes it possible to switch to lower-emission alternatives where it matters.

Climate meets cost. While it’s not possible to compare emissions and financial impact directly in the system today, Blentagruppen aims to do this in the future to support better prioritization.

Looking Ahead

Blentagruppen continues to strengthen data collection, increase the share of supplier-specific values where feasible, and tie climate impact more closely to investment and procurement decisions. With ongoing production improvements and a consistent focus on animal welfare, the group is advancing its long-term sustainability work.

“Now that the foundation is in place, we can build in our own pace. The key was getting everything in one place with quality and traceability,”
Anna concludes.

Quick Facts: Blentagruppen

• Swedish, family-owned food group behind Guldfågeln and Ingelsta Kalkon.

• Focus on animal welfare, resource-efficient production and climate work with validated targets.