ecoSPIRITS Launches Licensed Operator Program, Starting with the United Kingdom
SINGAPORE 21 DECEMBER 2020 Building on its success across Asia Pacific over the past 18 months, ecoSPIRITS has announced a global licensed operator program, which will bring its closed loop spirits distribution technology to new markets worldwide. The first market under this new program will be the United Kingdom, where ecoSPIRITS has partnered with the team behind premium spirits importer and distributor Mangrove UK. The new partnership will bring closed loop spirits distribution to London in April 2021, with additional cities to follow over the course of the year.
ecoSPIRITS’ patent-pending system of closed loop technologies offers both a substantial reduction in the delivered cost of premium spirits, and a transformative reduction in waste and C02 footprint. As one of the world’s most mature markets for premium spirits, the United Kingdom is a natural fit for this cost reduction advantage. The ecoSPIRITS circular solution to eliminating single use glass waste is also in sync with United Kingdom consumers, who are increasingly transitioning to sustainable consumption and purchasing choices.
Under the new Licensed Operator program, experienced local spirits industry partners invest in the ecoSPIRITS hardware and technologies, including the ecoPLANT™, ecoTOTE™ and SmartPour™ systems. They receive the rights to operate the ecoSPIRITS closed loop technology in a market, with comprehensive technology, engineering and product support from the ecoSPIRITS team. In return, Licensed Operators commit to offering closed loop service to other industry participants, including premium spirits brands, distributors and wholesalers who are looking to improve their cost and environmental performance.
Zdenek Kastanek, International Sales Director, ecoSPIRITS
“Since launching in Asia Pacific in late 2018, ecoSPIRITS has received inquiries from countries around the world about the prospect of closed loop service,” notes Zdenek Kastanek, ecoSPIRITS International Sales Director, “The ecoSPIRITS Licensed Operator program makes this prospect a reality. Together with our local partners, such as the wonderful team behind Mangrove UK, we can scale our climate impact many times over. From a personal perspective, I am excited to have this opportunity to reconnect with so many industry friends and relationships that I developed during my years working in hospitality in London.”
Nick Gillett, Managing Director, Mangrove UK
Nick Gillett, Managing Director, Mangrove UK, added,“I have tracked the progress of ecoSPIRITS in Asia since its launch, and firmly believe their technology offers a sustainable blueprint for the UK drinks industry to follow. A number of brands in our portfolio have sustainability, environmental and Fairtrade principles at their core, and ecoSPIRITS offers us a very natural next step. The on-trade community is a driving force for change – campaigning against plastic straws, ill treatment of workers in production, treatment of waste water. ecoSPIRITS offers the potential to remove single glass from a large portion of the UK trade, in addition to commercial and logistical advantages, and deliver greater long term sustainable benefits. We are all experiencing a seismic change in the industry and revaluating everything we have previously believed in, so the question for me was – how can we not get involved?”
Founded by spirits industry veterans Nick Gillett and John Coe, Mangrove UK is a leading specialist distributor of premium spirits and liqueurs. As the anchor investor in the new United Kingdom Licensed Operator for ecoSPIRITS, Mangrove UK brings an extensive network of industry relationships, and an existing portfolio of premium spirits and liqueur brands, to the launch of closed loop service in this all-important spirits market.
The more than 500 hospitality venues that operate the ecoSPIRITS technology in Asia Pacific markets will soon be joined by leading United Kingdom hospitality operators, both large and small. As the on-trade community begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021, reduced spirits costs, smaller carbon footprints, and sustainable consumption choices offer the prospect of a ‘green reset’ – moving forward to a more sustainable future, rather than a simple reversion to the old normal.
Every now and then there is a need for a disruption in the market place. A disruptor who understands there is a need for change, who is not afraid to challenge status quo and who goes and figures it all out and dedicates massive effort to solve the problem. ecoSPIRITS is the disruptor and a total game changer.”
“I am really excited to have ecoSPIRITS on the UK market. Reducing waste in our industry is sometimes really hard work, but in this case someone has basically done it for you while you are saving cost, which ultimately is a benefit for our guests as well. Having great spirits delivered to your bar, while helping the environment is just a beautiful thing! I cannot wait to have them over in the Mezcaleria soon.”
“Many have seen circular spirits as mission impossible. ecoSPIRITS have made it mission possible to bring the ground breaking concept to the bars to reduce the waste in bars which has a massive impact on our environment. Definitely the way forward as our industry needs to see more actions like this from drink producers.”
The first United Kingdom ecoPLANT™, the 16th worldwide, will be located in central London. More details regarding the United Kingdom launch will be released in January, including the initial portfolio of spirit brands that will be available in ecoSPIRITS format. In the meantime, spirit brands, importers, distributors and venues interested in learning more about closed loop service in the United Kingdom can reach out to ecoSPIRITS via email at [email protected] or Mangrove UK via email at [email protected]
About Mangrove
Mangrove UK was established by John Coe and Nick Gillett in 2014 and now employs over 30 specialist spirits professionals, mixologists, sales and brand experts with extensive experience in both the On and Off trade UK spirits market. Mangrove UK’s hand-picked portfolio displays heritage, innovation and commercial viability. The company has delivered measurable growth for a number of brands to become market leaders in their categories in under five years through strategic marketing and commercial advice, category education, menu creation, PR partnerships and brand activations. With over 100 routes to market, the business has grown turnover from £10.5 million in 2015 to £21.4 million in 2019. Focusing on the premium market, Mangrove UK ensures it represents the highest quality of brands by hand-selecting all products based on their provenance, category authenticity, innovation and commercial value to the trade. For more information, please visit mangrove.com
ecoSPIRITS Embarks on Journey to B Corporation Certification
SINGAPORE 11 DECEMBER 2020 ecoSPIRITS has been granted status as the first Pending B Corp in Asia, as it embarks on a year-long journey to secure the coveted B Corp Certification offered by B Lab, a global non-profit organisation. B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
ecoSPIRITS’ belief that society’s most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and non-profits alone inspired the company to join the B Corp movement. The growing global community of certified B Corp companies, which includes impact leaders Danone, Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s, is working toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose. By harnessing the power of business, B Corps use profits and growth as a means to a greater end: positive impact for their employees, communities, and the environment.
“ecoSPIRITS mission to end single use glass in the spirits industry has deep environmental foundations. However, we realise our work to have a positive impact cannot end there,” notes ecoSPIRITS CEO Paul Gabie, “By pledging to become a B Corp, we are committing to better understand the impact of our operations on the environment, our communities, our suppliers, our team members and others we engage in our work.”
“We are extremely excited to welcome ecoSPIRITS to the B Corp community and to partner with them on the journey to full certification in 2021. The Pending B Status provides a mark of intent for companies to manage their impact and inform stakeholders of their intent, notes Tom Stewart, Executive Director for B Market Building in Singapore and Malaysia, “ecoSPIRITS is a visionary organisation, addressing a key environmental issue, and a great business to have as the first Pending B in Asia.”
The B Corp Certification assesses the overall positive impact of a company. To be certified, companies must achieve a minimum verified score on the B Impact Assessment, a rigorous evaluation of a company’s impact on its workers, customers, community and the environment. Once completed, ecoSPIRITS’ B Corp certification score and impact assessment will be public, and available on bcorporation.net. This powerful combination of third-party validation, public transparency and legal accountability builds trust.
The patent-pending ecoTOTE 3.0, a closed loop technology for spirits distribution.
The ecoSPIRITS Forest Program supports low-income communities in the endangered Kalimantan rainforest area of Borneo.
From supply chain and input materials to charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification will require ecoSPIRITS to evaluate every aspect of its business and operations with impact in mind. Just one example of the impact of the B Corp process: ecoSPIRITS will now be required to audit, monitor and support its manufacturing partners in China, who produce ecoPLANTS, ecoTOTES and other ecoSPIRITS hardware and technologies, to ensure their environmental and labour practices meet B Corp standards.
“To obtain the Pending B status, we have already completed the first step of amending our corporate constitution to include the B Corp purpose clause. It now legally requires our board of directors to balance profit and purpose,” notes Cash van Halder, ecoSPIRITS General Counsel, “To maintain transparency as we complete the journey to full B Corp Certification over the next 12 months, ecoSPIRITS will provide interim updates on our progress. And once certified, we will also be subject to a B Corp audit every three years to ensure we are maintaining high standards of positive impact, governance and transparency.”
For a young technology company with a mission of environmental impact, B Corp Certification is a natural fit. By becoming a member of the growing B Corp community, ecoSPIRITS hopes to inspire others in the spirits industry to join this movement towards a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.
About B Lab
B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies—known as B Corps—who are leading the way. To date, our community includes over 3,500 B Corps in 70 countries and 150 industries, and over 100,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.
For more information, please visit bcorporation