Fonterra said the product is audited and verified by Toitū Envirocare, an independent certifier that verifies carbon emissions across the product life cycle.
In order to meet the carbonzero certification requirements of Toitū Envirocare, Fonterra said it calculated the carbon emissions required in the distribution of Anchor butter from farm to consumers' homes, developed a plan to reduce emissions further and supported renewable energy projects to offset emissions that couldn't be reduced.
The butter is certified USDA organic, meaning it's non-GMO and free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones such as rBGH/rBST.
The packaging will feature imagery of New Zealand pastures as well as a QR code to direct consumers to Provenance.org, a third-party company that provides supply chain transparency of everyday products.
"We're excited to celebrate Earth Month with the launch of our Organic carbonzero Certified Butter. Not only does it taste great, but our butter can help everyday consumers live a more sustainable life. With sustainability and the environment a core pillar of the Fonterra brand, we're thrilled to be amongst the first companies to offer US consumers a carbon zero butter option," said Megan Patterson, Americas marketing communication manager, who is spearheading the consumer launch.
The eight-ounce block of butter will be available this month and will be distributed by KeHE at a suggested retail price of $8.00 per package.