Month: November 2022

LONDON 1 December 2022 ecoSPIRITS has announced that it has partnered with Rémy Cointreau, one of the largest producers and distributors of spirits and liqueurs in the world, to jointly launch closed loop service in the United Kingdom in January 2023. The new collaboration will see two of Rémy Cointreau’s iconic brands – Cointreau liqueur and Mount Gay rum – made available in co-branded editions of ecoSPIRITS award-winning ecoTOTE™ and SmartPour™ hardware for on-trade venues in London and beyond. With this launch, Rémy Cointreau becomes the first global drinks company to partner with ecoSPIRITS in the United Kingdom and Cointreau becomes the first global liqueur brand to be available in a closed loop packaging format. For the launch, ecoSPIRITS and Rémy Cointreau have partnered with leading UK distributor, Speciality Drinks, which will be the exclusive distributor of Cointreau and Mount Gay’s Eclipse variant in ecoTOTE format for the initial phase of the pilot distribution period.

The Rémy Cointreau brands chosen to feature in the initial UK launch have global recognition and sit among the most high-profile spirits and liqueurs found in the UK’s on-trade scene. The producer’s eponymous Cointreau brand originated in Angers, France in 1849. The orange-flavoured liqueur is a cocktail pioneer at the heart of more than 600 cocktail recipes, including classics such as the original Margarita. The Barbados-born Mount Gay rum has a history dating back to 1703, making it the world’s oldest working rum distillery. It joined Rémy Cointreau’s stable of brands in 1989.

As the first global customer to launch with ecoSPIRITS in the UK, Rémy Cointreau will see its two iconic brands deployed in co-branded hardware to venues across the on-trade, including bars, restaurants, and hotels. The brands will travel to outlets in ecoTOTE format where they can be dispensed into branded bottles or served directly into glass or cocktail shaker via ecoSPIRITS’ SmartPour technology. The venues involved in the program will be revealed when the partnership officially commences in early 2023.

The UK launch with Rémy Cointreau is also significant for ecoSPIRITS because it marks another milestone in its journey to develop industry-leading circular technology. The co-branded SmartPour 2.0S Cointreau Edition has been adapted specifically for Cointreau to accommodate the higher levels of viscosity and sugar that are the hallmarks of the liqueur category. These adaptations included an upgraded dispense nozzle, enhanced calibration, and an upgraded cleaning process. The Cointreau Edition is the first SmartPour to be specifically tailored for liqueurs and will help accelerate ecoSPIRITS’ innovation in this important category.

The partnership with ecoSPIRITS forms part of Rémy Cointreau’s overall commitment to sustainable practices, whereby the company has set itself the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% per bottle by 2030 and moving towards Net Zero by 2050. The program forms part of the company’s “Sustainable Exception” roadmap built around Terroir, People & Time, where soil regeneration, sustainable production (products and transport), increased bottle circularity and responsible consumption, are all key elements. The collaboration with ecoSPIRITS will result in a 95% reduction in single use packaging waste for Cointreau and Mount Gay distributed in ecoTOTE format. The system will also help UK on-trade partners reduce their own operations waste streams and reduce back-of-house storage by 30 to 50%.

To support the new collaboration, existing ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner and leading UK distributor, Speciality Drinks, will be the exclusive distributor of Mount Gay Eclipse rum and Cointreau liqueur during a pilot period. Speciality Drinks was founded in 1999 by Sukhinder and Rajbar Singh, who also founded the leading spirits retailer, The Whisky Exchange. The family-owned business works with more than 1,000 of the best bars, restaurants, and hotels across the UK and overseas, from the smallest pop-up bars to large international groups. As a member of the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program, Speciality Drinks is part of growing global coalition of importers, distributors, and wholesalers who are licensed for closed loop distribution using ecoSPIRITS’ technology.

Bars, restaurants, and hotels in the UK interested in participating in the collaboration between Rémy Cointreau and ecoSPIRITS can get in touch by contacting ecoSPIRITS’ Sales Director for Europe [email protected]. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, please contact Sonya Hook, Senior PR Manager at Sonya.H[email protected] and for Cointreau and Mount Gay in the UK, please contact [email protected].

About Rémy Cointreau

All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group’s portfolio includes 14 singular brands, such as the Rémy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, and Cointreau liqueur. Rémy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,924 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group’s strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronet Paris.

For more information, visit www.remy-cointreau.com.

About Cointreau

Iconic orange liqueur creator and cocktail pioneer, Maison Cointreau was founded in 1849 in Angers, France, when the terroir and several generations of entrepreneurs came together. The excellence of its products would not be possible without concrete action in the field of corporate and environmental responsibility, from the orange groves through to the tasting glass. With the 2025 Sustainable Exception plan, environmental challenges now form the heart of the House of Cointreau’s strategy. This plan is based on three cornerstones: preserving our terroirs and biodiversity for future generations, committing to people by encouraging them to consume our products responsibly and respecting the value of time by combatting climate change.  The brand’s heritage as a liquorist-distiller lives on today at the heart of more than 500 cocktails, including the original Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Cointreau liqueur’s distinctive character is the result of the meticulous selection, harmony, and distillation of sweet and bitter orange peel essences, a task entrusted to Maison Cointreau’s Master Distiller. Unique and boasting exceptional organoleptic qualities, it’s a staple for bartenders and at-home cocktail enthusiasts around the world.

For more information, visit www.cointreau.com.

About Mount Gay

Mount Gay is the world’s oldest running rum distillery established in 1703. Founded and still located in the Parish of St Lucy, at the northernmost tip of Barbados, Mount Gay is crafted using pure, coral-filtered water and the finest Barbadian and Caribbean molasses. Distilled in traditional double copper pot and copper column stills, Mount Gay rums are aged in a diverse selection of casks including American whiskey, Bourbon and Cognac. Harnessing over 300 years of heritage and expertise, Mount Gay rums are a fine balance between science, art and innovation. Blended by Master Blender Trudiann Branker and aged under the influence of Barbados’ tropical climate, our rums highlight a unique, rich and flavourful character. Mount Gay’s core range includes Mount Gay Silver, Mount Gay Eclipse, Mount Gay Black Barrel and Mount Gay XO alongside the annual limited editions 1703 Master Select and the Master Blender Collection. In addition to crafting the world’s oldest rum, Mount Gay is committed at all times to the use of sustainable and transparent practices in order to realise our vision of environmental stewardship and carbon neutrality.

For more information on our rum and to explore more about what we do for our community and the planet, visit www.mountgayrum.com.

About Speciality Drinks

Speciality Drinks is a family-owned business, working with more than 1,000 of the best bars, restaurants and hotels across the UK and overseas from the smallest pop-up bars to large international groups. A premier supplier of whiskies, spirits and champagnes to the on-trade focused on exceptional service, sharing our passion for great drinks and introducing new producers and categories to the on trade. The company was founded in 1999 by Sukhinder and Rajbar Singh, founders of the world’s leading whisky and spirits retailer, The Whisky Exchange.

For more information, visit https://specialitydrinks.com.

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 14 countries and 30 cities across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. More than 1,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology, including Michelin-starred restaurants, World’s 50 Best and Asia’s 50 Best bars and iconic hotels. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 25 countries worldwide by early 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.

For more information, visit www.ecospirits.global.

CALGARY 17 November 2022 ecoSPIRITS has announced plans to launch closed loop service in Canada under a Licensed Operator Agreement with Caldera Distilling, a Nova Scotia-based craft spirits producer and owner of Highwood Distillers in Alberta, Canada’s largest independent distillery. ecoSPIRITS Canada will start operations in early 2023 with a range of spirits in ecoTOTE™ format, including Caldera’s flagship Hurricane 5 Canadian Whisky. Distribution will initially commence in British Columbia and Alberta with other Canadian provinces to be added over the course of 2023. The move into Canada is a significant step for ecoSPIRITS as it continues to build on its North American footprint, which currently covers the United States, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands.

Canada is a strategic market for ecoSPIRITS, being one of the world’s top ten economies with GDP expected to reach $1.74 trillion by the end of 2022. A G8 nation, Canada’s enormous geographic footprint offers both significant opportunities and challenges. It is also home to the well-established Canadian Whisky segment, which is the best-selling whisky style in North America and a popular category globally. Canada has been producing whisky for more than two centuries and now boasts more than 300 craft distillers. Concentration means that the country’s top eight producers represent more than 95% of Canadian whisky production. Canadian Whisky shares some characteristics with Scotch Whisky and bourbon, but the frequent addition of rye, along with unique production techniques, means Canadian whiskies tend to have a style of their own.

Caldera Distilling was founded in 2013 in the port town of River John, Nova Scotia, a community famed for its shipbuilding craftsmanship and agricultural export market. Caldera Distilling pays tribute to this heritage by handcrafting its spirits using regional ingredients, such as local hard water and homegrown grains. Caldera’s flagship brand, Hurricane 5 Whisky, will be the first to be distributed in ecoTOTE format, but other brands will follow shortly after. Earlier this year, Caldera bought Alberta-based spirits producer Highwood Distillers. Caldera’s acquisition of Highwood not only significantly expanded its portfolio of brands, but it added storage and aging facilities for more than 17,500 barrels of whisky, while also giving the producer a much-needed presence on Canada’s West.

Highwood Distillers was founded in 1974 and is based in Alberta’s High River, near the city of Calgary, which will also be the location of Canada’s first ecoPLANT™. Highwood produces several well-known brands across most spirit categories, including White Owl Whisky, Centennial 10 Year Old Whisky, and Foothills Vodka. Highwood is Canada’s largest privately-owned distillery and is one of the country’s biggest spirits producers. It sits within the top eight major Canadian distillers and is the only one not owned by a multinational alcoholic beverage company. Highwood distils its own whisky, vodka, and gin, and it also imports rum, whiskies (including Scotch whisky) and tequila for distribution across Canada.

ecoSPIRITS Canada will be headed up by Caldera Distilling’s CEO Jarret Stuart, Co-Owner David Walker, and President Michael Nychyk. To cover such a large geographical area, the trio will roll out ecoSPIRITS Canada in stages, with the first phase anchored by the installation of an ecoPLANT at the Highwood distillery in Alberta. This facility will serve Western Canada, starting with the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Over time, Caldera and ecoSPIRITS plan to deploy additional ecoPLANTS across Canada, to eventually cover all major population centers in country.

ecoSPIRITS’ industry-leading closed loop packaging technology is now available in more than 14 countries and 30 cities across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, with network coverage forecast to expand to 25 countries by the first half of 2023. To find out more information about opportunities to partner with ecoSPIRITS in Canada, please contact Jessica Berry at [email protected] and [email protected]. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Senior PR Manager at [email protected].

About Caldera Distilling

Capturing the essence of our history in every bottle, Caldera Distilling embodies the spirits of the explorer, the eye of the craftsman and the patience of the farmer in every bottle of whisky we share with the world. Raise your glass and join us in celebrating our roots. Nova Scotia craftsmanship combined with whisky ingredients that are grown on our River John distillery property gives us the unique opportunity to craft authentic local spirits. Enjoy flavours shaped by the land that our traditional grains are grown in. Caldera Distilling is proud to be 100% Canadian owned and operated, using only Canadian grains and aging some of the rarest and finest Canadian whiskies on earth.

To find out more visit: www.caldera.ca

About Highwood Distillers

Highwood Distillers, which was founded in 1974, was named after the famous river and region that surrounds the distillery in the foothills of Western Canada’s beautiful Rocky Mountains. Until 1997, both the distillery and sales offices were located at the distillery in High River, Alberta. Today the sales team operates out of Calgary, Alberta, while the distillery continues to thrive and grow in High River. Highwood’s fine whiskies begin with small batch distillation, following by aging in charred oak barrels. It has whisky brands such as White Owl, Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky and Potters Special Old Canadian Rye Whisky and its portfolio also includes a range of spirits including vodka, rum, gin, and liqueurs.

To find out more visit: www.highwood-distillers.com

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 14 countries and 30 cities across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. More than 1,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology, including Michelin-starred restaurants, World’s 50 Best and Asia’s 50 Best bars and iconic hotels. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 25 countries worldwide by early 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.

BANGKOK 7 November 2022 ecoSPIRITS is strengthening its relationship with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts by working more closely with two high profile destinations in the Rosewood Asia portfolio: Hong Kong and Bangkok. This is the second consecutive year ecoSPIRITS has worked with Rosewood Hong Kong, and the first year working with the luxury hotel group in Bangkok. The unique collaboration comprises a range of premium spirits from ecoSPIRITS’ Climate Partners in ecoTOTE™ format, which are then showcased on a creative ecoCOCKTAILS menu in the properties’ flagship bars. Each menu features a collection of special low waste cocktails made using upcycled and otherwise sustainable ingredients. This expanded partnership in Asia builds on ecoSPIRITS collaborations with other Rosewood luxury properties around the world, including London, United Kingdom; Hamilton, Bermuda; and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

As part of Rosewood’s commitment to waste reduction, ecoSPIRITS‘ low carbon, low waste technology has been introduced throughout eight of Rosewood Hong Kong’s bars, restaurants, and lounges, matched by a similar number in Rosewood Bangkok. The partnership supports Rosewood Hotels’ ambitious Green Initiative, supported by its ‘VERDES’ pledge: ‘To Value the Earth’s Resources and Demonstrate Environmental Sensitivity’. By committing to sustainable practices throughout the business the group aims to ‘Embrace a Sense of Place’, which looks at respecting each venue’s unique setting; ‘Provide Ultimate Hospitality’, whereby it offers ultra-luxurious accommodation while showing consideration for the environment; ‘Nurture Nature’, which relates to all areas of energy efficiency and waste reduction; and ‘Educate and Dedicate’, incorporating issues such as sustainability training for staff.

The Bangkok and Hong Kong hotels are celebrating their focus on sustainability by launching a special menu of ‘ecoCOCKTAILS’ carefully curated by the creative forces behind two of Rosewood Hotels’ most acclaimed bars: Simone Rossi, Director of Bars at DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong and Giuseppe Carneli, Bars Manager at Lennon’s at Rosewood Bangkok. DarkSide Bar is a cocktail parlour featuring retro cocktails and an extensive library of rum, whiskies, and calvados. The elaborate menu, spearheaded by Rossi, contributed to its recognition as number 13 in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022. Lennon’s sits on the top floor of Rosewood Bangkok. To enter, guests walk through a vinyl shop, housing around 6,000 records, while the bar itself has floor-to-ceiling glass and a spiral staircase leading to a cigar lounge. The drinks list, curated by Carneli, features rare whiskies, Thai cocktails, and signature serves.

“Our ecoCOCKTAILS II menu maximises our waste reduction by giving ingredients a second chance and it also creates incredible tipples for our patrons, so it’s a sustainable win-win for both bar and guests. It is also exciting to be able to continue our collaboration with ecoSPIRITS and bring it to new heights by involving – and working closely with – our Rosewood Bangkok sister property.”

“This year, we introduced an all-new cocktail menu that puts sustainability at the forefront. This partnership with ecoSPIRITS enables us to go even further with the world’s first closed–loop spirits technology to reduce our carbon footprint and eliminate waste at the same time.”

Crafted ecoCOCKTAILS by Rosewood Hong Kong

DarkSide has three ecoCOCKTAILS on its menu, made using locally sourced ingredients and recycled materials, such as banana skins, from the hotel’s bars and restaurants. The cocktails are:

Crafted ecoCOCKTAILS by Rosewood Bangkok

Lennon’s ecoCOCKTAILS menu comprises three carefully crafted drinks, made using locally sourced ingredients and complemented by ecoSPIRITS’ low-waste technology. The three drinks are:

The ecoCOCKTAILS are available now at the two Rosewood hotels. For more information about Rosewood Hong Kong and DarkSide bar, contact [email protected] and for enquiries about Rosewood Bangkok and Lennon’s, contact [email protected]. To find out more about ecoSPIRITS in Asia, contact James Wynn Williams, Sales Manager Asia Pacific, on [email protected] and for general enquiries about the company please email [email protected]

About Rosewood Bangkok

Rosewood Bangkok is a dramatic landmark in the capital’s skyline, honouring rich Thai culture while celebrating the cutting-edge creativity and contemporary design ethos of the dynamic city. Rosewood Bangkok is a 30-storey, visually stunning, vertical architectural marvel. Its contemporary form is inspired by the wai, the famous Thai gesture of greeting. Rosewood Bangkok has been recognized as one of the very best places to stay by the world’s leading organizations.

For more information, visit: www.rosewoodhotels.com or follow @rosewoodbangkok on Instagram.

About Rosewood Hong Kong

Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a new centre of gravity on the Kowloon waterfront – the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. On passing the gate and traversing the cobblestoned drive, the urban din falls away, revealing lush topiary and a serene forecourt that commands the harbour. A warm welcome heralds a stay of unparalleled comfort and distinctive hospitality at the Hong Kong luxury hotel.

For more information, visit: www.rosewoodhotels.com or follow @rosewoodhongkong on Instagram.

About the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program

The ecoSPIRITS Forest Program helps ecoSPIRITS’ venue partners generate additional carbon mitigation beyond the substantial carbon footprint reduction from their use of the ecoSPIRITS circular packaging technology. Under the program, one tree is planted for each cycle of an ecoTOTE through the ecoSPIRITS closed loop network. Each tree planted is geo-tagged in the name of the partner venue. Using Green Steps Group’s proprietary “proof of impact” technology platform, the program is verified, monitored, and reported through an industry-leading digital record. Tree planting benefits the venue partners but is jointly funded by ecoSPIRITS and our Climate Partner brands and distributors.

For more information, visit: https://www.greenstepsgroup.com/

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 14 countries and 30 cities across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. More than 1,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels, and retailers have adopted the technology, including Michelin-starred restaurants, World’s 50 Best and Asia’s 50 Best bars and iconic hotels. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 25 countries worldwide by early 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.