Ruminations

Hold the Burps and Petards

"To make a real impact in the world, we need the whole industry to change. Just offering at Burger King is kind of like a drop in the ocean."
"The beauty of it, and maybe the craziness of it, is that we are doing something ... that can make a real impact on the world by pushing the industry to adopt this new practice."
"It's not really rocket science. Adding 100 grams of lemongrass ... can have a significant impact in terms of greenhouse emissions, which is probably the biggest negative contribution that this industry has."
Fernando Machado, global chief marketing officer, Burger King

Burger King debuting a Whopper made from cows that burp and fart 33% less
Burger King

The new Whopper being introduced by fast-food chain Burger King will be sourced from cows fed lemon grass to make them belch less methane; the chain's answer to the industry conundrum of sustainability in the world of environmental concern. Lemon grass is fed to cows as a diet supplement to cut greenhouse gas emissions by about a third.

The emerging and growing awareness by major food brands of the role they play in contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions has its response on the part of Burger King with the introduction of the new sandwich, meant to reassure customers that both the company and its clients are making an effort to address the issues of environmental degradation so critical to the future of the planet.

Growing public pressure on this and like issues have driven major food brands to reconsider their role in contributing to global emissions. Meat producers and retailers in particular have faced growing pressure from investors and consumers to think of innovative ways they can reduce their products' climate impacts. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural industries are second to the energy industry in their effect on the environment.

About 14.5 percent of the global total greenhouse gas emissions are linked to raising animals. Cows are known to emit methane roughly thirty times more powerfully destructive than carbon dioxide's role in warming the planet, making the logistics of selling low-methane beef across a fast-food empire doable, while daunting. The issue is that production costs will be impacted and suppliers and retailers must be prepared for higher costs.

Modified diets and feed supplements carry additional costs for cattle farmers, themselves grappling with reduced incomes newly compounded by the issues surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. While paying more for the new product that Burger King is preparing to introduce to its waiting market, the increased cost will not, according to Mr. Machado, be passed on to the consumer; not at the present time, in any event.

Selected stores in Miami, New York, Austin, Portland and Los Angeles will feature the new burger on their menus. Suppliers in Latin America and Europe are being brought on line with the intention of expanding the new initiative. The company also sells meatless burgers in a partnership with Impossible Foods Inc. In a calculated move, the company has taken the direction of green product releases to enhance both their reputation and eventually, their bottom line.

The method of diet supplementing for cows with lemon grass has demonstrated that methane emissions are cut by an average of 33 percent, but the method awaits validation from an academic peer review following initial experiments. Lower-emission beef may ultimately require certification if sold on a mass scale, to win over consumer confidence. To that end, the company has stated it plans to share its cow diet formula in an effort to convince other companies to follow their example.