ABP Food Group has been recognised for sustainable food production at an awards ceremony in Dublin.

The Annual Green Awards were held this Tuesday (February 26), at which ABP received the Green Food and Beverage Award.

ABP says that the award recognises the company’s “commitment, innovation and action” in evolving Irish food production toward sustainability.

According to ABP, the award acknowledges the group as an “industry leader” in sustainable practices.

“We are very proud to have collected the Green Food and Beverage Award. This recognition stands as a testament to the continual commitment to sustainable practices that ABP has undertaken,” claimed John Durkan, group sustainability manager at the company.

He added: “There are currently hundreds of innovative sustainability initiatives taking place across our company, keeping us on track to reach our sustainability targets for 2020.”

The Green Awards were established in 2008 with the aim of recognising companies for taking steps towards sustainable production.

ABP highlighted a recent plastic packaging initiative as evidence of its green credentials.

The company formed the ‘Plastic Action Alliance’, which it claims is the first initiative of its kind, and is aimed at making plastic packaging more sustainable.

A well as that, the group’s UK division is about to launch meat-free, plant-based quarter pounder burgers, though that move has been met with criticism.

Patrick Kent, president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) claimed that these plans were “outrageous” and an “insult to farmers”, arguing that introducing such products was inappropriate at a time when the beef sector was facing such challenges.

However, ABP highlighted that it first entered the meat-free sector in 2011, arguing that its core business “is and will remain beef”, and that it was catering to the changing demands of customers.