Osem-Nestle Shifts Entire Israeli Operations to 100% Solar Electricity
Osem-Nestle has completed its transition to 100% renewable solar electricity across all Israeli manufacturing plants and logistics hubs, cutting annual carbon emissions by 30,000 tons.
Osem-Nestle has completed the transition of all its factories and facilities in Israel to 100% renewable electricity, becoming the first food company in the country to do so. Starting May 1, 2026, the company's production plants, logistics centers, and corporate headquarters operate entirely on solar energy. This dramatic move is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 30,000 tons annually, cutting the company's total emissions by about 30%.
The transition encompasses the company's manufacturing plants in Sderot, Yokneam, and Kiryat Gat—including well-known brands such as Bamba, Tivall, and Tnuva's Tzabar dips—as well as logistics hubs and corporate offices. This is not a localized change or a sporadic installation of rooftop solar panels, but a comprehensive structural shift in the energy source powering central operations across Israel.
Overcoming the Intermittency Challenge
Food manufacturing is energy-intensive, requiring continuous electricity to run production lines, refrigeration systems, and logistics hubs around the clock. A major challenge in transitioning to renewables is the mismatch between solar generation patterns and industrial demand, as the sun does not shine continuously while factories operate on tight schedules.
To bridge this gap, Osem-Nestle partnered with EDF Power Solutions Israel to secure green electricity generated by solar fields equipped with advanced energy storage systems in the Negev. This tailored agreement synchronizes generation and storage capabilities with the continuous operational needs of the industrial facilities.
Eilon Vanish, CEO of EDF Power Solutions Israel, stated: "We are proud to supply green electricity to Osem, one of the leading companies in the Israeli economy. We intend to expand our activities in the near future to a wide range of companies and entities in the Israeli market that have embraced sustainable environmental strategies."
A Broader Sustainability Strategy
Avi Ben Assayag, CEO of Osem-Nestle, emphasized the broader strategic context: "Osem-Nestle invests heavily in sustainability and has set clear targets of achieving zero carbon footprint by 2050. The transition to green energy is another significant milestone in our sustainability journey, yielding an immediate reduction of 30,000 tons of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, Osem-Nestle is committed to achieving significant water conservation and transitioning to sustainable corporate transport."
The energy shift complements a series of operational changes across the entire supply chain. Currently, 99.5% of the company's product packaging is designed for recycling, and over 800 tons of packaging materials have been eliminated in the past five years. Additionally, manufacturing plants adhere to a strict Zero Waste to Landfill policy, utilizing recycling, reuse, and energy recovery for all industrial byproducts.
The logistics fleet is also undergoing transformation. The company has installed solar films on delivery trucks, upgraded to advanced Euro-standard models, and introduced electric trucks, which now account for about 3% of the fleet. Meanwhile, heavy fuel oil in thermal manufacturing systems has been entirely replaced by natural gas.
The Road to 2030 and Beyond
These domestic initiatives align with Nestle's global sustainability framework, which targets net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction in total emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. In 2025, Nestle surpassed its initial interim target, achieving a 24.52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions against a projected 20% goal.
While consumers will not directly see the solar fields or energy storage facilities in the Negev, the environmental impact of manufacturing everyday grocery items is fundamentally changing behind the scenes.
