As concern for the environment grows, beverage alcohol brands are increasingly adopting sustainable practices, but many feel like they could be doing more to make a positive contribution. At Bar Convent Berlin, Tim Etherington-Judge, Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer at Avallen Spirits touched on the urgency of shifting to a sustainable model. He discussed some ways that businesses can take immediate action, from reducing single-use plastics to moving their money into banks that support investment in renewable energy.
In 2020, 70 billion single-use wine and spirits bottles were consumed globally. Zdenek Kastanek, International Sales Director at ecoSpirits, made the case that reducing single-use glass can benefit the beverage alcohol industry as a whole. Kastanek touched on the costliness of the spirits supply chain, the carbon created by single-use glass, and how the ecoSpirits business model aims to address both of these issues.
Another place beverage alcohol brands can begin a shift to a more sustainable business model is with their ingredients. Patrik Drobny, CEO of BITE – The Culinary Beverage Brand, discussed the importance of responsibly sourcing ingredients and using them to their full potential. Drobny also touched on the three pillars of sustainability: economical, environmental, and social.