Jude's Ice Cream Case Study

Jude’s work with Small World Consulting has led them to:

Launch a range of plant-based ice creams, which made up 75% of new products in 2023.
Reduce their carbon intensity by 21% since 2020 and aim for a 43% reduction by 2030.
Reduce the emissions from their ice cream ingredients by 18%.
Help fund several nature restoration projects that benefit people, land and nature as well as reducing carbon.

Reading time: 3 mins

Jude’s wants to produce the best ice cream in the UK, in the most sustainable way. If you've tasted the delicious of a stripy Jude's tub, you would be inclined to agree, as you dig your spoon in for just one more mouthful, that the first part of their mission is complete.

James Wright, Managing Director at Jude’s, says they came to Small World Consulting back in 2020 because they wanted to measure their carbon footprint but also understand the science. “The environment has always been at the heart of Jude’s and we were particularly keen to understand the science and have better information - so we could make the best decisions.”

“ Small World were absolutely brilliant, a total pleasure to work with.”

James Wright, Co-CEO, Jude's Ice Cream

Gathering the data for your first carbon footprint is always the hardest, recalls James, but Jude’s had all the support they needed. “Small World were absolutely brilliant, a total pleasure to work with,” he says.

Jude's carbon footprint reports offer detailed insights into where their emissions are highest and how their activities over subsequent years result in emission reductions. They have reduced their energy use by installing solar panels on their factory roof, and the team are continuously improving their manufacturing machines and processes, like using the heat generated from cooling one batch of ice cream to pre-heat the next batch of ingredients that need heating.

Jude's have installed solar panels on their ice cream factory roof, to bring down their Scope 2 energy emissions.

Plant-based joy

The majority of Jude's carbon emissions come from their ingredients, and the biggest contributor is the milk in their dairy ice cream. Even though the milk comes from a farm just 4 miles away, using plant proteins instead would produce far lower emissions. So, Jude’s launched a range of plant-based ice creams.

“That was really the big one for us, redoubling our efforts to grow our plant-based recipes because we can see this has a direct and meaningful impact”.

For James, quality is the most important ingredient in any recipe. “Ice cream is a treat, it brings joy, so it cannot compromise on quality. It is delicious vanilla ice cream… it just happens to be plant-based”. Small World’s analysis shows that Jude’s plant-based ice creams use 80% less land and have 47% lower carbon emissions than their dairy recipes. Those are things that Jude’s can talk about with their customers.

Learn more about our work asking what truly sustainable land use and farming in the UK looks like.

Our work on sustainable farming and land use in the UK

Carbon offsets are off, carbon intensity is in

Jude’s work with Small World Consulting asked the question, what does ‘good’ really look like for a company that wants to do things differently and sustainably? James describes changing their view from looking at carbon offsetting to understanding the importance of reducing carbon, and how they now focus on reducing their carbon intensity as the company grows.

“In our journey with Mike and the team, we have gone from the idea of offsetting to talking about carbon intensity. Offsets are not the solution. That has been really important for the evolution of our thinking over the last four years.”

Jude’s asked the Small World team to look at a range of different projects and recommend ones which would have a meaningful, positive impact on carbon reduction, nature restoration and local communities. They fund these in addition to investing in their own carbon reduction.

“If we are going to invest, we want to make sure it's actually doing what it says on the tin and having an impact. It is important and helpful to have that guidance,” reflects James.

Jude's are based on the edge of the South Downs National Park, where they are now funding local nature restoration projects.

Jude’s are based on the edge of the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park. Working with them on tree-planting projects within the park is not part of a traditional carbon offsetting scheme. But their investment is helping to restore an ancient woodland, boost biodiversity and build relationships with their local communities. “It is so much more visible to us. Being able to have an impact locally is important, and that’s where our focus is now.”

“ We want to build long-term relationships and work with people who share our values and the way we want to do things. The Small World team have made that really easy. ”

James Wright, Jude's Ice Cream.

Sharing the same values

James sees a straightforward future for Jude’s. “We want to make the best ice cream in the UK, and we want to do it as responsibly and well as we possibly can”.

They want to keep asking big questions: “How can we have an impact? How can we advocate for something we believe in? How can Jude’s make a difference?”

Working with Small World Consulting helps them bring truth to the answers. “We want to build long-term relationships and work with people who share our values and the way we want to do things. The Small World team have made that really easy”.

Jude's won the Positive Social and Sustainable Impact award at the Lloyd's Bank British Business Excellence Awards in 2021.

Find out more about their sustainability journey in the latest Jude's impact report.