May 2026 updates

The third edition of Changing Markets Foundation’s Dairy and Coffee Methane Action Tracker assessed 23 dairy and coffee companies across Europe and North America, finding progress in methane disclosure and action plans, but limited progress on reduction targets.

Key findings

• Disclosure is improving, but significant gaps remain. Eight companies disclosed their methane emissions separately, while 15, including Arla, Lactalis and McCafé, did not disclose methane emissions for 2024 or 2025. Five companies published clear methane action plans.
• Only three companies have published methane reduction targets. Danone is the only company aligned with the Global Methane Pledge target of reducing methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. General Mills and FrieslandCampina have broader dairy emissions reduction targets.
• Few companies reported actual methane reductions. Danone, Le Groupe Bel and Nestlé were the only companies to report methane reductions for 2024 or 2025. Danone reported a 29.8% reduction in methane emissions from fresh milk against its 2020 baseline, putting it close to its 2030 target. Nestlé reported a 20.1% reduction, without explaining how it was achieved, while Le Groupe Bel reported a 23% reduction against its 2017 baseline.
• Leading companies are pulling ahead. Danone topped the rankings with 75.5 points, followed by General Mills (74.5) and Starbucks (65). Although 91% of assessed companies recognised the link between livestock and climate change, this awareness has yet to translate into widespread targets and action.
• DMAA members outperform non-members. Members of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance scored an average of 46 points, compared with 23 for non-members.
• Progress among coffee companies remains uneven. Starbucks improved its ranking through stronger methane disclosure and a clear action plan. Other coffee companies scored below 25 points, with Costa scoring 8 and Dunkin scoring 0.

Wider sector context

Dairy and coffee companies are beginning to make progress on methane transparency, but action remains limited across the wider food sector. A separate Changing Markets Foundation assessment found that none of the major global supermarkets assessed publicly disclosed methane emissions, set methane reduction targets or published a methane action plan in 2026.

Regulatory developments, including the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), are also increasing the importance of robust emissions reporting. Companies that already have systems in place to measure and disclose methane emissions will be better positioned to respond to growing reporting requirements and scrutiny.

Why methane matters

Agriculture accounts for approximately 42% of human-caused methane emissions, with livestock production a major source. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for around a third of the warming experienced since pre-industrial times. Because it is relatively short-lived in the atmosphere, rapid methane reductions can slow near-term warming and help limit global temperature rise.