UK | A first-of-its-kind, government-funded hydrogen demonstration has been completed at a Kellogg’s factory in the UK, making it the first food manufacturer in the country to produce cereal using this method.
The three-week demonstration, part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching programme, replaced fossil fuel gas with hydrogen to power the factory's toasting oven. The hydrogen-fuelled process successfully produced Cornflakes, Branflakes, Special K, and Rice Krispies.
This came after Kellanova UK was selected to receive GBP three million in funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in 2023. The HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching 2 programme has been funded through the UK Government’s GBP 55m Industrial Fuel Switching Competition, which is part of the GBP one billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).
“The production of our cereal using hydrogen is an exciting first for us. It’s a significant moment for our people, our operations, and the industry as it demonstrates the potential of investing in low carbon fuels to drive decarbonisation,” said Sam Bistiaux, Vice President of Manufacturing at Kellogg manufacturer Kellanova.
“We are excited to be at the pioneering edge of this process, with the technology still in its infancy, and the long-term potential truly transformative. As we look to continue reducing our carbon footprint, we hope that sharing examples of best practice and learnings from the demonstration can equip other businesses with the confidence and know-how to do the same so that we can take urgent and collective action towards a greener future.”
The demonstration showcased the role that hydrogen can play in supporting industry decarbonisation. It formed an integral part of the manufacturer’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of its Better Days promise.
As of the end of 2024, Kellanova has achieved a reduction of 54 percent in Europe for its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, putting it well on track towards its commitment of a 63 percent reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions across its European operations by the end of 2030.
“It’s been fantastic to see the results of this demonstration, as part of HyNet’s Industrial Fuel Switching 2 programme, and to see the positive impact investment in hydrogen could have for industry, society, and the planet,” said David Parkin, Chair of the HyNet Alliance.
“Having businesses like Kellogg’s taking part has been hugely valuable in paving the way for other food manufacturers to explore low carbon fuel, think about their decarbonisation roadmap, and help to make a critical contribution to the UK’s journey to Net Zero carbon emissions.”
