Danes prefer burgers without red meat

MAX releases its Sustainability Report for 2022. The climate impact per SEK in sales continues to fall for the ninth consecutive year and the proportion of packaging made from renewable materials has risen to 94%. The goal that “one in two burgers sold at MAX will be red-meat-free” has been achieved in Denmark, but we remain a few percentage points short in Sweden, Norway and Poland.

MAX has cut the climate impact of its value chain, per SEK in sales, for the ninth year in a row. According to calculations by the World Resources Institute in 2022, MAX reduced the emissions associated with its food by 30% per 1000 kcal between 2015 and 2021, not least due to its guests’ menu choices. This drop of 5% per year for food production is slightly faster than MAX’s own 4% target, which it considers to be in line with the UN’s 1.5°C target as set out in the Paris Agreement.

“A huge thank you goes out to all our guests, who continue to choose delicious burgers with a low climate footprint, and to all our employees who make them in the restaurants. Together, you’ve reduced the climate impact of our food by 30% per 1000 kcal in just six years. I don’t know any other restaurant chain in the world that has made a faster climate transition,” comments Kaj Török, Sustainability Manager at MAX Burgers.

In April last year, MAX completely overhauled its chicken menu, and this has helped the restaurant chain to get closer to its goal that one in two burgers sold will be red-meat-free. The figure for Sweden came in at 45% in 2022, but in Denmark it hit an impressive 51%.

“This was our biggest ever investment chicken. we spent a great deal of time on the flavour and texture, until we finally found the perfect combination of crisp coating and juicy chicken breast. Chicken sales soared 56% in 2022, confirming that we had knocked it out of the park on flavour,” adds Jonas Mårtensson, who is Head Chef at MAX Burgers.

The gradual introduction of the new packaging, which began in 2022 and continues in 2023, boosts the proportion of renewable material up to 94%, compared with a figure of 86% in 2021. The new packaging also provided an opportunity for something of a redesign.

MAX’s sustainability year 2022 in brief:

1. The proportion of red-meat-free meals in the sales figures continued to rise in 2022, hitting 44%, compared with 41% in 2021.
2. According to the World Resources Institute, emissions from the food at MAX fell by 30% per 1000 kcal between 2015 and 2021. The climate impact per SEK in sales continued to fall for the ninth consecutive year. Total emissions are rising as MAX’s overall sales continue to grow, but they are getting lower per calorie sold.
3. Since 2008, MAX has planted around 3.4 million certified trees in the Tropics, which capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. That equates to an area of around 10,000 football pitches, or to the removal of 450,000 fossil-fuel-powered vehicles from the roads for a year.
4. The proportion of sugar-free soft drinks continued to increase and now stands at 42% (38% in 2021).
5. The collaboration with Samhall, focusing on meaningful cleaning jobs for disabled workers and promoting workplace diversity, continues.
6. Since 2006, 7–10% of MAX’s annual net profit has been donated to combat poverty and 2009 saw the formation of the Fair Distribution Foundation. So far, a pre-tax sum of SEK 377 million has been transferred from MAX to the Foundation.
7. MAX in Poland employed 36 Ukrainian refugees as part of its CSR work.
8. Over the year, the number of restaurants with electric vehicle charging points rose to 35, and these chargers supplied our guests with a total of 8.4 million kWh, which would take them 1164 times around the world.
9. MAX won “Sweden’s greenest brand” in its industry for the 13th year in row.
10. MAX also came out top in its industry in the “Sustainable Brand Index” for the 13th year in row.

Read the report here! 

Lovisa Haeger, press officer, MAX Burgers

lovisa.haeger@max.se

MAX Burgers was founded in 1968 and is Sweden's oldest burger chain. MAX wants to become the best burger chain in the world by serving the tastiest burgers and by doing good in society; in the end making the planet a little better. As early as 2008, MAX began climate labeling their menu and climate compensating for all emissions - from farm to fork. Since 2018 MAX’s menu has been climate positive, meaning the company captures more greenhouse gases than the entire value chain emits and at the same time reducing their emissions in line with the UN's global 1.5-degree Celsius target. Since 2006, 7-10 percent of the annual net profit has been distributed to poverty reduction and in 2009, Rättvis Fördelning - The Fair Distribution Foundation - was founded. To date, SEK 377 million before tax has been allocated from MAX to the foundation. MAX Burgers employs close to 7 500 people, has 187 restaurants, and had a turnover of SEK 4.1 billion in 2021.