FC Barcelona & Heura Foods to Promote Sustainable Food Systems
August 26, 2022
Spanish league champions, FC Barcelona Femení have signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with plant-based food company Heura Foods to promote a more sustainable global food system. The partnership is built on a series of common values held by the brands, including a commitment to innovation, effort and teamwork, and a shared desire to have a positive impact on society.
Founded by activists Marc Coloma and Bernat Añaños in 2017, Heura Foods is Europe's fastest-growing plant-based meat company, present in more than 18,000 points of sale in more than 20 countries. One of its main objectives is to create food production solutions that promote more sustainable, nutritious and healthier processes.
According to a recent United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, shifting diets from meat and other animal products to plant-based diets has a high potential for reducing carbon footprints and mitigating climate change, as well as improving human health. Additionally, industrialized animal farming accounts for at least 14.5% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions - though scientists believe the figure is at least 16.5%.
The partners will work alongside FC Barcelona Femení players to create content that promotes the importance of plant-based food in daily diets to positively impact the environment. These “visibility actions” will be distributed across the club’s social channels so that the public can learn more about the options offered by plant-based foods.
An 2016 Oxford University study forecasted that food-related emissions could be cut by 70% and those with plant-based diets have significantly lower carbon and water footprints. In 2020, reports noted that plant-based food and dairy sales topped $29 billion and were projected to increase to $162 billion by 2030, demonstrating the growing popularity and shift towards plant-based diets.
“We at FC Barcelona are convinced of the power of sport when it comes to contributing to the creation of a better world, so for this reason, we believe that with this collaboration we can implement activities that will help us move towards a more sustainable future,” said Juli Guiu, Vice President Marketing Area, FC Barcelona.
"We would also like to thank Heura Foods for their trust and support in continuing to develop and consolidate women's football, in what represents a new step towards equality in all areas of society."
The initiative kicked off this week at the Joan Gamper Cup match on August 23 where the Barça Women's team played against Montpellier. Heura Foods had a presence in the stadium and with hospitality, providing plant-based restaurant options and association rights with the women’s team.
“Innovation, determination, and non-conformism are just some of the traits we admire about the FC Barcelona Women’s team, and why we wanted to partner with such an aspirational team of elite athletes, nutritionists and trainers. It will allow us to scale up our reach to inform and empower people around the world on the benefits that a plant-based diet can have on one’s health and the sustainability of our planet,” said Marc Coloma, Heura Foods CEO and co-founder.