News

LONDON 13 March 2025 Countries across the globe are battling to get ahead of the pack with legislation that supports the transition to a circular economy. For the drinks sector, legislation which holds producers responsible for their product’s entire life cycle is becoming more widespread, with glass increasingly forming a key part of packaging waste policies. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which is likely to come into effect in the United Kingdom this year, is expected to command high costs for companies who use glass packaging. Meanwhile, in the United States, a new ruling has changed the standards of fill for distilled spirits and wine by adding a raft of new container sizes that will favour circular packaging solutions. Both pieces of legislation will encourage more industry players to explore alternative packaging, such as reuse systems or other low waste options, helping catalyse the linear to circular transition.

In 2023, the UK government set out details of a new “Simpler Recycling” regime for England. The EPR legislation and the UK’s Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) are designed to fit with this service. After years of debate the latter has now passed through Parliament, with implementation scheduled for October 2027. DRS is designed to tackle the problem of single-use packaging and boost recycling rates by incentivising people to return their used drinks containers. Initially, glass bottles will be exempt (apart from in Wales), but this is likely to change once the DRS is up-and-running. There are several examples of similar operations around the world, particularly in Europe. In the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark for example, consumers return their used containers to designated collection points, such as supermarket ‘reverse vending’ machines.

The EPR scheme has been earmarked for implementation this year by the UK government’s Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). The scheme aims to hold producers accountable for packaging waste, instead of local authorities. At the end of 2024 Defra released its first estimates of rates to be charged for each tonne of material, with glass hit particularly hard because Defra is proposing the use of weight as a key metric. In a statement, Defra says EPR is a “vital first step in cracking down on waste as we move towards a circular economy, and we have always been clear these fees are our initial estimates…. We are continuing to meet with the glass industry to discuss more workable approaches, including for how we calculate the cost of glass”.

The UK’s drinks industry wants more information about how the proposed EPR and DRS schemes will be implemented.

The UK drinks industry – the country’s biggest user of glass – has raised concerns about the UK’s proposed EPR and DRS schemes. This is predominantly because of the high rates expected for glass, but also because there are questions about how the schemes (and any associated fees) will be implemented and to what time scale. In addition, there are concerns that in the short-term the EPR scheme could inadvertently benefit brands that already use cans or plastic containers, especially considering the DRS scheme is not due to start until 2027.

Meanwhile, in America the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) has published a rule changing the standards of fill for distilled spirits and wine, by adding several new container sizes, including a new larger format 3.75L container size. This will put America in line with many European countries, which have not had such strict restrictions on refilling containers, and have therefore been in a better position to embrace refill and reuse systems. ecoSPIRITS’ standard 4.5L ecoTOTE has been adopted by several European and Asian countries and spirits are delivered to bars, where bottles can be repeatedly refilled. For America, ecoSPIRITS developed a 1.75L ecoTOTE to fit with its strict regulations on bottle refilling. With this important change in legislation, ecoSPIRITS and its US customers are now exploring new larger format ecoTOTE solutions for the American market.

The changes, in both the UK and the US, form part of a wider global shift towards the circular economy, with new rulings increasingly affecting the drinks sector. In Europe, for example, The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) recently became part of EU law, covering all packaging and packaging waste in the European market. The legislation, which came into force in February 2025, regulates what kind of packaging can be placed on the EU market, as well as packaging waste management and prevention measures. ecoSPIRITS is working collaboratively with its climate partners around the world to help navigate new and evolving packaging regulations alongside the transition to the circular economy.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications at sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Avallen Solutions

Avallen Solutions is a sustainability advisor dedicated to accelerating change in the drinks industry. With a mission to drive positive environmental and social impact, we help brands, distilleries, and businesses navigate the complexities of sustainability – from strategy and circular packaging to B Corp certification and carbon reduction. Embracing the work of Doughnut Economics, our tailored service is built on the vision of moving towards a more regenerative and distributive model that works for everyone. Founded on the belief that business can be a force for good, Avallen Solutions partners with forward-thinking companies looking to lead the industry without giving the planet a hangover.

Learn more at www.avallen.solutions

Mangrove Global

Mangrove Global was established by John Coe and Nick Gillett in 2006, who built up a team of passionate spirits experts. In early 2023 Mangrove was acquired by GBH, based in Martinique, and incorporated the SPIRIBAM rums into its diverse portfolio. With a large range of premium spirits from mezcals to sakes, world whiskies to vermouths, MD Nick Gillett oversees a dedicated team of spirits professionals, mixologists, sales experts and brand strategists, with extensive experience in both the on and off trade UK spirits market. In the last two years Mangrove has expanded its team, built up its portfolio and opened new accounts, resulting in an extended reach and enhanced market presence. With more than 300 B2B business partners, Mangrove continues to grow year on year. Mangrove’s hand-picked portfolio has been carefully built around dynamic, innovative brands with a strong eco-responsible sensibility. The company has been able to develop many brands that have now become leaders in their category based on effective marketing activations, great commercial agility and an effective communication strategy. 

For more details, please visit: www.mangroveuk.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2025. 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, please visit: www.ecospirits.global

COGNAC 4 March 2025 ecoSPIRITS and leading Fair Trade liqueur brand, FAIR®, have signed a global collaboration agreement, which builds on the successful deployments of FAIR’s craft liqueurs and rare spirits packaged in ecoSPIRITS’ ecoTOTEs in several markets around the world. The two companies have a history of working together and this new phase of the partnership also represents an alignment of vision and core values, with FAIR’s commitment to Fair Trade practices complementing ecoSPIRITS’ mission to transition people to circular packaging technology. FAIR’s ethically-made, and now sustainably-packaged, liqueurs and spirits are now available in five markets in ecoTOTE format, with more markets to be added over the term of the agreement.

Many of FAIR’s liqueur and spirits brands are already available in ecoTOTE format, including FAIR Quinoa Vodka, FAIR Oaxaca Whiskey, FAIR Café Liqueur, FAIR Passion Fruit Liqueur, FAIR Kumquat Triple-Sec Liqueur and FAIR Elderflower Liqueur. In addition, the producer’s FAIR Chipotle Liqueur is currently being introduced to venues in the Cayman Islands while plans are underway to package FAIR’s Acai Liqueur in ecoTOTE format in Europe. The current portfolio of FAIR brands in ecoTOTE format can be found in countries such as France, the UK, Germany, the US and the Cayman Islands.

The relationship between ecoSPIRITS and FAIR began in early 2022, when ecoSPIRITS officially launched its closed loop service in France. Later in the same year, FAIR Quinoa Vodka and FAIR Café Liqueur were introduced to the UK market in ecoTOTE format. All of FAIR’s liqueurs and spirits are certified Organic and Fair Trade. They are ethically sourced using local Fair Trade ingredients and distilled in Cognac, France. The company, which started in 2009, believes in treating all people fairly. This includes paying farmers at a fair price to enable them to cover their production costs, live from farming, educate their children and build schools. FAIR now has products available in more than 30 markets globally.

ecoSPIRITS x FAIR Around the World:

FAIR brands in ecoTOTE format can be found in prestigious venues and popular cocktail destinations in many countries across the globe. Here are just a few examples:

France: Experimental Cocktail Club (FAIR Quinoa Vodka)

To celebrate the launch in France in 2022, ecoSPIRITS France teamed up with La Maison Du Whisky and FAIR, to support leading hospitality group, Experimental Cocktail Group, in reimagining its famed Experience No. 1 cocktail. The revamped ‘Experience Infinity’ cocktail featured FAIR Quinoa Vodka delivered in ecoTOTE format. It was introduced to consumers via the Experimental Cocktail Club and at the Hotel des Grands Boulevards in Paris. The Experimental Group is famous for introducing cocktail culture to Paris via the group’s first Experimental Cocktail Club venue, which opened in 2007. The Group also now operates cocktail bars, wine bars, restaurants and hotels in New York, London, Ibiza, Menorca, Venice and Verbier.

UK: The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury Hotel, London (FAIR Quinoa Vodka, FAIR Café Liqueur, FAIR Passion Fruit Liqueur)

Three of FAIR’s brands (FAIR Quinoa Vodka, FAIR Café and FAIR Passion Fruit) are distributed in ecoTOTE format in the UK and all three are popular cocktail ingredients in stylish destinations such as The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury Hotel in London, and other renowned cocktail bars across the country. The Coral Room, situated near London’s popular Covent Garden area, is a cocktail and wine bar inspired by the 1920s. By taking FAIR Café and FAIR Passion Fruit liqueurs in ecoSPIRITS’ low waste packaging format, the venue is helping to work towards the ESG and sustainability commitments of The Bloomsbury Hotel, and that of the hotel’s parent company, The Doyle Collection.

Cayman Islands: Rum Point Beach Club (FAIR Kumquat, FAIR Café, FAIR Elderflower, FAIR Oaxaca Whisky)

This luxury boutique hotel claims to have one of the best beach bars in Grand Cayman, featuring 15,000 square feet of decking raised above the white sand. The venue offers an eclectic all-day menu of light dishes and house favourites, while the drinks menu has a wide range of cocktails and craft beers. Low waste cocktails are flagged up to consumers via the eS waterdrop icon, and many of these are made using FAIR brands delivered in ecoTOTE format, including liqueurs: FAIR Kumquat, FAIR Café, and FAIR Elderflower, and also FAIR Oaxaca Whiskey. The list of sustainable cocktails includes examples such as Kai Fresca, made using FAIR Elderflower liqueur, blended with thyme-infused gin or vodka, fresh citrus juice, simple syrup and Prosecco. ecoSPIRITS Cayman is operated by drinks industry expert, Wayne Epple.

US: Miami Beach EDITION Hotel, Miami (FAIR Café Liqueur)

The luxurious Miami Beach EDITION Hotel serves Sustainable Espresso Martinis, made using FAIR Café Liqueur and Tried & True Vodka, both taken in ecoTOTE format. This drink is served in the boutique design hotel’s Lobby Bar and its Matador Bar. The hotel itself boasts an on-site ice skating rink, a bowling alley, two outdoor pools and a wellness spa with gym. In 2023, the hotel group joined other environmentally conscious hospitality companies by actively minimising single use plastic products throughout its operations. In 2024 this approach was extended into single use glass, including taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format. FAIR Café Liqueur is part of Preiss Imports’ portfolio in the United States, and the brand is distributed in ecoTOTE to venues in Florida by XXI Wine & Spirits.

Germany: LiQ Bar, Dusseldorf (FAIR Café Liqueur)

LiQ Bar is part of Dusseldorf’s local bar community, famed for its premium cocktails and relaxed atmosphere, as well as its 80s kitsch decor. This intimate, independent bar is focused on sustainability as well as quality, and as part of this it takes delivery of FAIR Café liqueur and Widges Gin in ecoTOTE format, for use in a wide array of cocktails. The bar has an extensive menu of spirits and classic cocktails but it also has some more unusual 80s inspired options, created by its skilled in-house mixologists. The distribution of ecoTOTEs in Germany is organised by the licensed operator for the region, InnovativeDrinks, a spirits import and distribution company founded by spirits industry executive, Hans-Knud Reiss. Closed loop spirits service began in Germany at the end of 2021 with an ecoPLANT for the country based in Karlsruhe, in southwestern Germany.

Next up in the collaboration, the two companies will officially launch FAIR’s Acai Liqueur in ecoTOTE format in Europe in the coming weeks, while FAIR’s Chipotle Liqueur, which was recently launched in ecoTOTE format in the Cayman Islands, will be introduced to more venues and new markets.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications at sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About FAIR

FAIR is the leading Fair Trade liquor brand. The hallmark of this range (craft liqueurs and rare spirits) is in the combined use of fair trade, sustainable development and French craftsmanship for producing these products. The brand has a philosophy of fair deals for all partners involved in the production chain. This aim has taken them across the world in order to produce high-quality spirits from the finest ingredients.

For more information please visit https://fair-drinks.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2025. 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, please visit: www.ecospirits.global

CUBA 4 February 2025 A year-long project in Cuba featuring Havana Club Original Añejo 3 Años rum delivered in ecoTOTE™ format to two Iberostar Group Hotels, is being expanded. The news comes as the team behind the project are celebrating after winning a major award last week at the PLD (Premium & Luxury Drinks) Innovation Awards in Paris. The award, in the ‘Sustainable & Refillable Innovation’ category, was presented in recognition of the activity, which started in January 2024 when Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS launched a pilot-scale closed loop system for Havana Club rum in the brand’s home nation of Cuba. The project – now one of ecoSPIRITS’ most efficient closed loop systems globally – is being expanded to include additional Iberostar hotels in Cuba, as well as select local venues in Havana.

The first Havana Club Original Añejo 3 Años rum ecoTOTEs in Cuba were delivered to two luxury Iberstar hotels in Varadero from January 2024.

As part of the project, Havana Club activated a dedicated ecoPLANT™ at its home distillery in San José de las Lajas, Cuba. The leading Spanish hotel operator, Iberostar Group, took the role of launch partner in the Cuban market, taking the first ecoTOTE deliveries in early 2024 at two of its luxury hotels located in the popular beach destination of Varadero. The two hotels – each home to at least five restaurants, bars and nightclubs – were the first to take delivery of Havana Club Original Añejo 3 Años rum in ecoTOTE format. In the 12 months since the activity began, the initiative has avoided 16,000 kilograms of CO2e and eliminated 10,000 kilograms of packaging waste. Several local venues in Havana are set to join the initiative, along with two additional Iberostar Cuba hotels in Varadero.

Havana Club is the biggest Cuban rum brand and is sold in more than 125 countries.

In 1993, Pernod Ricard and The Cuba Ron S.A. Corporation created the joint venture ‘Havana Club International S.A.’, to bring Havana Club to consumers around the world. Havana Club is the biggest Cuban rum brand and one of the international leading rum brands, sold in more than 125 countries. The Havana Club Rum Distillery in San José de las Lajas was chosen as the host site for ecoPLANT No. 44 in 2024, joining existing ecoPLANTs in the Caribbean region in George Town, Cayman Islands and San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. The ecoPLANT 2.0S is operated by Havana Club distillery staff, supported and trained by ecoSPIRITS’ Circular Operations team.

The launch of the ecoSPIRITS technology in Cuba showcased the SmartPour 2.0S Havana Club Edition.

Pernod Ricard was the first global spirits company to pilot the ecoSPIRITS technology, starting in Singapore in March 2022. The pilot featured the launch of a portfolio of co-branded circular hardware to service leading venues across the region. The launch – which featured Havana Club rum, Absolut vodka and Beefeater Gin – marked the first of its kind for a global brand portfolio. The launch of ecoSPIRITS’ technology in Cuba in early 2024 showcased the SmartPour 2.0S Havana Club Edition and coincided with the announcement of a five-year global agreement between ecoSPIRITS and Pernod Ricard.

The project in Cuba won a PLD Innovation award in January 2025 in the Sustainable & Refillable Innovation category.

The ADF, PCD and PLD Innovation Awards have been promoting and celebrating the very best in packaging innovation since 2001. The winners of the 2025 awards were announced at a ceremony in Paris on 29^th January, 2025, hosted by the awards’ prestigious jury members. The PLD (Premium & Luxury Drinks) Innovation Awards, launched in 2020, celebrate the global premium and luxury drinks market’s very best packaging innovations and launches from the past year. The “Havana Club x ecoSPIRITS’ ecoTOTE and SmartPour project” won a PLD Innovation award in the “Sustainable & Refillable Innovation” category.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications on sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Havana Club International S.A.

The Havana Club International S.A. joint venture was established in November 1993 by the Cuban company Ron S.A., responsible for rum production, and the French Pernod Ricard Group, with the goal of developing the Havana Club brand internationally via Pernod Ricard’s strong international distribution network. Since 1994, Havana Club has been a priority brand for Pernod Ricard, and today it is one of the Group’s top 13 key spirits brands Since 2003, Havana Club International S.A. has also been in charge of the domestic distribution of the Havana Club brands in Cuba, along with key international brands from the Pernod Ricard portfolio. In 2007, Havana Club International S.A. inaugurated its new rum distillery in San José de las Lajas to meet the increasing demand for aged rums. Havana Club is the number three international rum brand in the world and the worldwide leader in super premium and above rums. Havana Club achieved an 8% growth in value in FY24. Havana Club is exported to more than 125 countries around the world (excluding the US where Cuban products are banned due to the trade embargo). Havana Club’s main export markets in Europe are Germany, the UK, and France and in the Americas, Mexico, Canada, Chile, and Argentina.

For more information, please visit: https://havana-club.com/en/

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales amounting to E10,701 million in fiscal year FY22. The Group, which owns 17 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive portfolios in the industry with over 240 premium brands distributed across more than 160 markets. Pernod Ricard’s portfolio includes Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier Jouet champagnes. The Group’s mission is to unlock the magic of human connections by bringing “Good Times from a Good Place”, in line with its Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap. Pernod Ricard’s decentralised organisation empowers is 19,480 employees to be on-the-ground ambassadors of its purposeful and inclusive culture of conviviality, bringing people together in meaningful, sustainable and responsible ways to create value over the long term. Executing its strategic plan, Transform & Accelerate, Pernod Ricard now relies on its ‘Conviviality Platform”, a new growth model based on data and artificial intelligence to meet the ever-changing demand of consumers. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

For more information, please visit: www.pernod-ricard.com

About Iberostar Cuba

Iberostar Cuba Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel chain that promotes a responsible tourism model focused on caring for people and the environment. It has 18 4-star and 5-star hotels in the main tourist destinations on the island of Cuba. Iberostar Cuba Hotels & Resorts offers clients 3 hotels in the heart of Havana and 14 hotels on the shores of beaches in places such as Varadero, Cayo Cruz, Cayo Ensenachos, Cayo Guillermo and Holgiun. You can also immerse yourself in the history and tradition of the city of Trinidad.

For more information, please visit: www.iberostar.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2025. 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, please visit: www.ecospirits.global

DUBLIN 12 December 2024 ecoSPIRITS has fully launched its closed loop service for spirits in Ireland, in partnership with the licensed operator for the region, Lough Ree Distillery. ecoSPIRITS Ireland now offers a wide range of low waste spirits to help venues across the region eliminate single use packaging waste and reduce their carbon emissions footprint. The spirits, developed in-house at Lough Ree’s distillery in County Longford, are packaged in ecoSPIRITS’ reusable 4.5L ecoTOTE™ format at the distillery’s on-site ecoPLANT™. In recent months, several bars in Ireland have started taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTEs, which – once empty – are returned to the ecoPLANT to be cleaned, sanitised and refilled, ready to return to the venue as part of the closed loop process.

Lough Ree Distillery is based in the town of Lanesborough, Co. Longford, which is conveniently located in the centre of Ireland, offering easy access to all the island’s major cities and regions. The family-run company, which was established in 2018 by Michael and Peter Clancy and their sister Sheila Mullen, began working with ecoSPIRITS at the end of 2022. Lough Ree is known for its pioneering and creative approach to developing new spirits brands, and this outlook extends into other areas of the business. By working with ecoSPIRITS, and leading the transition to the circular economy for spirits in Ireland, the company is making sustainability a core element of its innovation strategy.

Lough Ree produces a wide collection of award-winning spirits and many of these are now available in ecoTOTE format for delivery to hospitality venues across Ireland. Brands available in ecoTOTE format include: Bart’s Blended Irish Whiskey, Sling Shot Distilled Irish Gin, Pinkie Distilled Irish Gin, Whippy Vanilla Vodka and Nua Irish Vodka. On average, brands packaged in ecoSPIRITS’ reusable ecoTOTE format benefit from a 95% reduction in packaging waste and a 60-90% reduction in carbon emissions associated with the packaging and distribution of premium spirits. Venues also benefit from a reduction in storage space.

Churchtown Stores Pub in Churchtown, Dublin, is a family-run establishment with a reputation for its good sense of community and for being a place to relax and unwind. The former hardware store has a wide-ranging drinks menu, including cocktails such as Espresso Martini’s (known as ‘Churchtown Confession’), and the Whiskey Sour (‘Churchtown Sour’). The bar now also offers low waste cocktails and drinks, made using spirits delivered in the reusable ecoTOTE format.

Little Pig Speakeasy is another Dublin-based venue, now taking delivery of Lough Ree’s spirits in ecoTOTE format. In true speakeasy-style, this venue is hidden away in the city of Dublin and it is designed with a nod to the luxurious interiors of the 1920s, with plush décor, fine wines and high quality spirits. A New York Italian-inspired menu has been created to match the drinks list.

Skelly’s Bar & Guesthouse in Ballymahon is an example of a venue close to Lough Ree Distillery, which has now joined the ecoSPIRITS’ Climate Partner Program. Skelly’s features a garden, terrace, restaurant and bar. This is the place to go to relax with a drink by a roaring fire, or to meet friends for a tipple and food, with a warm welcome and live music. The traditional Irish bar has a rustic feel, yet they have moved with the times to serve directly from ecoTOTEs, pouring the same great products with more convenience for bar staff.

Ryan’s of Camden Street, Dublin, is a traditional Irish pub located in the heart of Dublin city. Ryan’s, which was established as a pub in 1872,  is said to be the place to go if you want to experience an authentic Irish pub vibe. The venue started pouring Pinkie Distilled Irish Gin and Sling Shot Gin from this month (December 2024) and early in 2025, Ryan’s will also sell an own-label brand, Ryan’s Whiskey, which is selected and developed by Lough Ree Distillery and delivered in ecoTOTE format.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Lough Ree Distillery

Founded and run by sibling trio Peter and Michael Clancy and their sister Sheila Mullen, Lough Ree Distillery is the ultimate family business. Commencing operations in 2018 by opening a micro distillery in their hometown of Lanesborough, Co. Longford, the company has an impressive product portfolio of multi award winning products. Lough Ree’s brand emphasises the power of connection – connecting whiskey tradition with modern technology, connecting the gentle pace of rural Ireland with the confidence of a new generation and finally connecting people from far and wide through fine spirits. With innovation at the heart of the business, the team became the first to distil peat as a botanical with their Sling Shot Gin, while Bart’s Blended Irish Whiskey is a complex blend of grain, pot still and peated malt whiskeys with malt whiskeys finished in Rye and Oloroso casks. The company also has The Bridge series of Single Cask Whiskies.

For more information, please visit https://www.lrd.ie/

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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

PARIS 28 November 2024 Rémy Cointreau’s newly-created corporate venture capital fund, Rémy Cointreau Ventures (“RC Ventures”), has made an investment in ecoSPIRITS. The news means Rémy Cointreau is the latest customer to participate in ecoSPIRITS’ customer investment program, following on from the four-year global licensing agreement announced by the two companies in May this year. The funding also represents the first investment made through the French spirits group’s venture capital arm, RC Ventures, which was launched this month to support the growth of innovative start-ups in the drinks industry and to help Rémy Cointreau test market trends and explore new technologies in the sector.

In May 2023, ecoSPIRITS launched its customer investment program alongside the closing of its Series A funding round. The program is only open to ecoSPIRITS’ major customers who enter into long-term licensing agreements for the company’s circular packaging technology. Under the program, eligible customers have the opportunity to make small equity investments in ecoSPIRITS with each participant guaranteed to receive the same terms as other customer investors. The program terms include restrictions that help guarantee universal access and equal treatment for all users of the ecoSPIRITS technology platform. The proceeds will be used to accelerate ecoSPIRITS’ research and development program and to strengthen its leadership position in closed loop packaging technology for spirits.

The partnership between Rémy Cointreau and ecoSPIRITS began in late 2022, when two Rémy Cointreau brands – Cointreau orange liqueur and Mount Gay rum – were introduced in ecoSPIRITS’ circular packaging technology to select on-trade venues in London. More recently, in May 2024, the two companies announced a four-year global licensing agreement to bolster this partnership and, as a result of this, Cointreau and Mount Gay rum in ecoTOTE format have been rolled out across more sites in the United Kingdom. Plans are also now underway to extend into the United States, starting with Las Vegas. The global agreement enables Rémy Cointreau to make its liqueur and spirit brands available in ecoSPIRITS’ technology in more markets around the world over the coming years.

Rémy Cointreau Ventures (“RC Ventures”) is a new corporate venture capital fund, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rémy Cointreau. It was created to support the growth of high potential, innovative start-up companies that share Rémy Cointreau’s vision and values in the wider world of wines and spirits. The fund offers financial support and operational expertise to these companies while also helping Rémy Cointreau anticipate and test new market trends, reinforce its innovative capacity and explore new product categories, client experiences and technologies within the wine and spirits ecosystem. The minority stake in ecoSPIRITS is RC Ventures’ first investment.

The investment via RC Ventures is another step for Rémy Cointreau in its overall commitment to sustainable practices across its whole business. In 2023 it announced its Sustainable Exception roadmap to reduce Rémy Cointreau’s global carbon footprint and this funding news – alongside last year’s announcement of a four-year global licensing agreement with ecoSPIRITS – marks a significant step in achieving its ambitious goals across its portfolio. The company has also committed to ambitious CO2 reduction targets, SBTi certified, aligned with the 1.5°C global warming threshold. In 2030, the Group carbon footprint for scope 1 and 2 will be reduced by 42% and plans to move towards Net Zero by 2050.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

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 1,943 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group’s strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris.

For more information, please visit www.remy-cointreau.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

SINGAPORE 07 November 2024 ecoSPIRITS has released a major update to its CircularONE™ cloud-based software platform. The release represents another milestone in the company’s Intelligent Circular™ roadmap, which is ecoSPIRITS’ vision for the future of the circular economy. The new CircularONE 1.1 release offers upgraded core architecture for better management of a complex global IoT network of circular hardware assets as well as three new functional modules: native ecoTOTE tracking, advanced hardware management and user administration.

The first phase of ecoSPIRITS’ cloud-based CircularONE software was released in early 2022. Sitting at the centre of ecoSPIRITS’ circular technology solution, CircularONE is designed to improve the safety, scalability and efficiency of the closed loop packaging network. CircularONE powers operations management, supply chain traceability, and commercial intelligence for ecoSPIRITS customers. In late 2022, ecoSPIRITS announced the appointment of Derek Tang as Chief Technology Officer and additional details on its plans for the development of CircularONE. With responsibility for overall product and technology development at ecoSPIRITS, Tang has been working with his team to build the CircularONE platform into an industry-leading solution for circular network management.

The new CircularONE 1.1 release makes it easier to manage the complex global IoT network of circular hardware assets.

One of the key benefits of the new CircularONE 1.1 is that ecoSPIRITS customers can now track and manage their fleet of ecoTOTEs within a single platform. Entire ecoTOTE fleets can be pre-registered to provide a comprehensive picture of inventory level, asset locations and circulation data. Users are given the flexibility to manage ecoTOTEs individually or grouped by pallet or production batch, so they can easily be tracked through the supply chain. CircularONE 1.1 has enhanced user access restrictions, providing more flexibility to ensure that only those with the necessary permissions can track and manage ecoTOTEs.

ecoSPIRITS customers can now track and manage their fleet of ecoTOTEs from a single platform.

With CircularONE 1.1,  ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operators and partner companies can manage all of their hardware assets – ecoPLANTs, SmartPours and ecoTOTEs – through one dedicated interface. In addition, users now have access to a comprehensive historical record for each individual hardware asset. CircularONE 1.1. also helps users manage each of their SmartPour dispense systems remotely, giving them the ability to push configuration changes, such as new volume dispense settings, via the software platform. Using the CircularONE mobile app, users can also easily and instantaneously report hardware issues.

All hardware assets – ecoPLANTs, SmartPours and ecoTOTEs – can be managed through one dedicated interface, linked to the CircularONE mobile app.

Finally, ecoSPIRITS customers who use the CircularONE 1.1 benefit from an independent space to manage all the users within their organisation, giving them control over who can access the system and what can be accessed by each user. For larger scale partners, CircularONE 1.1 offers high levels of flexibility and security, allowing them to customise the system’s access controls based on their needs. Smaller scale partners meanwhile can benefit from using default settings, resulting in a streamlined onboarding process. These partners can access the more enhanced setup and control features later, if needed.

ecoSPIRITS customers can use CircularONE 1.1 to control what can be accessed by each user within their organisation.

The major update to CircularONE not only includes three new functional modules, but it focuses specifically on delivering an enhanced user experience. All user modules now fall under a unified CircularONE-themed design, while the system is also more intuitive to support a smooth user onboarding process and to reduce the learning curve for new users. By transitioning to a scan-based process across the full platform, the chance of errors derived from manually inputting data is minimised. Overall, the new CircularONE 1.1 is intuitive, efficient, and easy to use.

With a focus on user experience, the new CircularONE 1.1 is more intuitive to support a smooth user onboarding process.

The new CircularONE 1.1 release is now rolling out in phases to ecoSPIRITS’ customers around the world. In Scotland, Diageo is using the new ecoTOTE tracking module to manage closed loop operations of a fleet of Gordon’s Gin and Captain Morgan Rum ecoTOTEs. With the help of national drinks supplier and wholesaler, Matthew Clark, these ecoTOTEs move between the ecoPLANT, which is based in Kirkaldy, Scotland, and a selection of hospitality outlets operated by Stonegate, one of the United Kingdom’s largest hospitality groups. Diageo and the Nolet Group are also using CircularONE 1.1 in the Netherlands to manage the distribution of their Ketel One vodka brand in ecoTOTE format. The ecoTOTEs are filled with Ketel One at a new ecoPLANT at the Nolet Distillery in Schiedam. They are then deployed to premium cocktail company, Amanti Cocktails, for the creation of pre-mixed cocktails, after which they are returned to the ecoPLANT for cleaning and refilling.

Diageo is using CircularONE 1.1 to manage ecoTOTEs of Gordon’s Gin and Captain Morgan Rum in Scotland, and for Ketel One vodka in the Netherlands.

CircularONE will continue to develop with through a phased release roadmap for the year ahead, including the integration of new hardware and the continual improvement of the IoT interface and its performance. A dedicated ecoPLANT operating system is one of the next areas of focus on the CircularONE roadmap, with more details to be available in the coming months.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications Sonya.Hook@ecospirits.global.

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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 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 further in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

COPENHAGEN 22 October 2024 Local Spirits, ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operator for Denmark, has signed an agreement with Scandic Hotels Denmark – the Danish division of the largest hotel chain in the Nordics region – to supply its range of ecoTOTE format spirits and liqueurs to the hotel group’s properties across the country. Most of the company’s hotels in Copenhagen have already made the switch to closed loop spirits packaging, with a total of 27 outlets across Denmark expected to transition over the coming months. Scandic Hotels Denmark’s partnership with Local Spirits includes both pouring spirits and liqueurs, which will be featured as Danish-made and organic spirits on drinks menus alongside details of the sustainability-focused partnership with ecoSPIRITS. The new collaboration will help Scandic Hotels Denmark eliminate more than 95% of the packaging waste associated with its most popular spirits pours, while also supporting its ambition to forge new relationships with local and organic producers.

In March 2023, the Danish drinks company, Local Spirits, started working with ecoSPIRITS as its licensed operator for Denmark. The company is focused on environmentally-friendly products and practices, and it distributes predominantly local and organic spirits to the on and off-trade sectors. Local Spirits sells and distributes more than 300 products from 25 different Danish producers, as well as a few international craft brands. It has 20 different spirits SKUs available in ecoTOTE format, which it supplies to more than 100 outlets across Denmark.

Scandic Hotels has the largest and widest network of hotels in the Nordic market, supported by 19,000 employees. The company started in 1963 in Sweden and it now has 280 hotels in operation (and under development) in six countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Poland. Scandic Hotels’ Danish arm comprises 27 outlets, representing a total of more than 5,900 rooms, and of these, many of the Copenhagen-based sites have already started taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format. One of the first to start using the ecoSPIRITS closed loop packaging system was the centrally-located Scandic Spectrum, which has around 600 rooms and the restaurant Ansvar, which is famed for its celebration of ‘green cuisine’. Scandic Hotel Denmark’s venues outside of Copenhagen, such as Scandic Aarhus City and Scandic Kolding, have also started using the ecoSPIRITS system.

In addition to its commitment to a more sustainable future, Scandic Hotels Denmark has a focus on supporting local suppliers and Danish-made produce. Scandic is now the first major hotel chain in Denmark to use Local Spirits as its main supplier, with the majority of the spirits (up to 15 SKUs in total) packaged in ecoTOTE format, including the hotels’ house pour spirits. This includes the hotels’ house pour gin, which is the small batch Local Spirits Distilled (LSD)’s Organic Gin, made in Denmark using organic botanical ingredients. Also on the list is the Danish double malt whisky, Stauning HØST (“harvest”), which is popular as a base for whisky-based cocktails. House pour liqueurs, such as the uniquely-named Bad Boy Coffee Liqueur from the Danish producer, Bad Company Spirits, will also be delivered in ecoTOTE format, for cocktails such as the espresso martini.

For more information about Scandic Hotels, please contact Anna Kirstine Mouritzen on annakirstine.mouritzen@scandichotels.com. For more information about Local Spirits, please contact Jeppe Rasch Christensen on jeppe@localspirits.dk. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Scandic

Scandic is Denmark’s and the Nordic region’s largest hotel chain. Scandic is also Denmark’s only Swan-labelled hotel chain. The certification means that the hotels meet a number of strict requirements relating to – among other things – water and energy consumption, waste, food waste, chemicals, biodiversity and ecology. The Nordic Ecolabel requires constant improvement and development towards a more sustainable hotel operation – a journey that has been part of Scandic’s DNA since 1993.

For more information, visit: www.scandichotelsgroup.com.

About Local Spirits

Local Spirits is a Danish distributor of local, organic spirits and currently sells over 300 products from 25 different Danish producers. Almost 50% of the range is organic, and most bestsellers are not only sold in bottles but also in CO2 – and price-saving packaging formats that make it possible to use local and organic products on a larger scale. Local Spirits uses a circular delivery solution that replaces traditional glass bottles with reusable units – ecoTOTEs from ecoSPIRITS.

For more information, please visit www.localspirits.dk.

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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

AMSTERDAM 1 October 2024 Diageo has launched distribution of its Ketel One vodka brand in ecoTOTE format in The Netherlands, as part of its recently announced global agreement with ecoSPIRITS. ecoTOTEs are filled at a new ecoPLANT at the Nolet Distillery in Schiedam where Ketel One is produced, and they are then deployed to premium cocktail company, Amanti Cocktails, for the creation of pre-mixed cocktails. Amanti is distributing the Ketel One cocktails – such as the espresso martini – to more than 100 bars in cities including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. The activity marks the first time Ketel One vodka has been made available in ecoTOTE format globally.

Ketel One is a family-made vodka brand created in 1983 by the Nolet Family in Schiedam, in the Netherlands. The Nolet Distillery, which was established more than 300 years ago, started by producing the grain-based spirit genever before expanding into other drinks, including vodka. The super premium Ketel One vodka is crafted in a copper pot still in combination with modern distilling techniques. In 2008, the Nolet Group created a 50-50 joint venture company with Diageo to market and distribute Ketel One vodka globally. The Schiedam-based Nolet Distillery is now home to a new ecoPLANT, where ecoTOTEs are filled (and cleaned, sanitised and refilled) with Ketel One vodka.

Ketel One vodka in ecoTOTE format is sent from the ecoPLANT to the Amsterdam-based company Amanti Cocktails, where it is made into pre-mixed cocktails such as the much-loved espresso martini, for delivery to bars across the country. The empty ecoTOTEs are sent back to the ecoPLANT where they are cleaned, refilled, and sent back to Amanti, up to 150 times, eliminating the need for more than 1,500 glass bottles per month. The ecoTOTE is expected to deliver a carbon emissions reduction after the sixth use, with an anticipated total carbon reduction of 60%.

Amanti Cocktails was set up by Kas de Bruijne, who spent many years designing cocktail menus for Michelin starred chefs, and Tjeerd Schravendeel, an importer of innovative catering equipment. Together they started Amanti with the aim of developing ready-made premium cocktails “that are indistinguishable from freshly made cocktails”, specifically for the catering and hospitality industry. More than 100 bars in the Netherlands are taking delivery of the pre-mixed Ketel One cocktails, including the three-strong Benji’s, a café concept described as a “peaceful green oasis with an industrial feel”, and the popular restaurant-bar, Badhuis, all based in Amsterdam. Amanti Cocktails is also working with Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Amsterdam, which will start with a new draft cocktail concept in October 2024.

This activity in the Netherlands represents one of the first new markets out of an expected 18 for Diageo since it announced a three-year global agreement with ecoSPIRITS in November last year, for the distribution of a range of Diageo spirits brands in ecoSPIRITS’ circular packaging technology. Diageo first started working with ecoSPIRITS through the Diageo Sustainable Solutions programme in 2021. The global roll out of ecoSPIRITS forms part of Diageo’s goal of reducing carbon emissions across the supply chain. As part of this particular project, ecoPLANT No. 049 was commissioned in Schiedam, Netherlands, at the Nolet Distillery. In addition, Diageo and ecoSPIRITS have developed co-branded ecoTOTEs for Ketel One vodka.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Singleton, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness. Diageo is a global company whose products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.

Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

About Amanti Cocktails

Amanti Cocktails was founded by Kas de Bruijne and Tjeerd Schravendeel with the intention of making convenient, quality pre-mixed cocktails for the on-trade. Its range includes an Espresso Martini, a Paloma and an Aperol Spritz.

For more information visit: www.amanticocktails.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

SINGAPORE 16 September 2024 ecoSPIRITS has released an important upgrade to the way it tracks packaging waste and carbon emissions impact. The new ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator builds on the original ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator, which was first released in October 2021, and developed in collaboration with Deloitte. The enhanced tool enables ecoSPIRITS and its brand partners, channel partners, and outlet partners around the world to measure the positive impact of the ecoSPIRITS technology for their spirits supply chains. This upgrade project has been completed with Circul’R, a leading French circular economy consulting firm, in a study jointly funded by ecoSPIRITS and global spirits producer Pernod Ricard, for the benefit of everyone using the ecoTOTE and other ecoSPIRITS’ technologies around the world.

The ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator was originally based on a comparative life cycle emissions study performed by Deloitte Singapore in 2021, drawing on the GHG Protocol Initiative and using standard CO2e conversion factors. The study estimated emissions from packaging production, along with the material transport steps related to the movement of spirits from distillation to the consumer. Like the new ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator, the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator estimated the total carbon footprint reduction for any individual spirits brand based on a specific point of origin, point of consumption and supply chain connecting the two.

In early 2024, ecoSPIRITS and Pernod Ricard appointed French circular economy consulting firm Circul’R to conduct an independent validation of the original ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator and to assist with upgrades to align with evolving carbon accounting standards and best practices. Circul’R provides companies and territories with the means to effectively reduce their environmental impact by accompanying them on all the steps of their transition towards a circular economy. Its mission is carried out with the support of the network of more than 1,000 solution providers and experts that make up the Circul’R ecosystem.

Circul’R was appointed to ensure the tracking and reporting of the positive CO2e impact resulting from the use of ecoSPIRITS’ circular packaging technology was in line with rapidly evolving carbon accounting and environmental claims. Circul’R recommended a number of technical modifications to the carbon calculator to ensure it covered a wider range of possible supply chain scenarios. As a result of these recommendations, new features have now been added to improve the tool’s accuracy and ease of use. Among these new features is the ability to calculate carbon emissions for the pre-fill transport step and end-of-life step for the tanker delivery of spirits to the ecoPLANT in bulk containers. The tool has also been adjusted to ensure the weight of the sea container is accurately factored into the carbon footprint calculations, and it is also now possible to include calculations for different types of vehicles across various transportations steps. New end-of-life methods, such as incineration, have also been introduced. Finally, the impacts of adapting the tool to various markets across different countries have been carefully examined at each stage of the life cycle, including sourcing, usage, and end-of-life. The tool’s functionalities have been refined and impact factors added to ensure it accurately reflects the specificities of each region.

The waste calculator component of the ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator takes into account the weight, material composition and average life cycle of both packaging options (traditional glass spirits bottles and reusable ecoTOTEs). The calculator also considers the in-outlet practice of refilling spirits bottles from ecoTOTEs for presentation to consumers. Country-specific waste management factors have also been added. Overall, the ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator can provide a validated accounting of both the CO2e and packaging waste avoided through use of the ecoSPIRITS closed loop technology platform for individual spirits in specific supply chains in any part of the world.

The upgraded ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator further validates the claim that use of the ecoSPIRITS system leads to an average of 95% less single use glass and cardboard waste and an average reduction of 60-90% in the carbon emissions footprint of premium spirits packaging and distribution. By using the revamped ecoSPIRITS Impact Calculator, it is possible to accurately and easily measure the sustainability impact for specific brands or cocktails, or over historical or predicted time periods.

In January 2024 Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS launched a closed loop system for Havana Club rum in the brand’s home nation of Cuba. Havana Club has activated a dedicated ecoPLANT™ at its home distillery in San José de Las Lajas, Cuba, while two Iberostar Group hotels became the first hotels in Cuba to take spirits in closed loop packaging, taking delivery of Havana Club Añejo 3 Años rum in ecoTOTE format. The initiative in Cuba anticipates concrete outcomes, including reduced bottle imports and glass waste, which will translate into an 88% reduction in the carbon emissions footprint related to premium spirits packaging and distribution and a reduction of glass waste by 99%.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications at sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

About Circul’R

Circul’R provides companies and territories with the means to effectively reduce their environmental impact by accompanying them on all the steps of their transition towards a circular economy. The Circul’R team now counts more than 30 people who accompany companies and territories in their transformation every day. This mission is carried out with the support of the network of more than 1000 solution providers and experts that make up the Circul’R ecosystem.

For more information, please visit https://en.circul-r.com

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is a worldwide leader in the spirits and wine industry, blending traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art brand-building, and global distribution technologies. Our prestigious portfolio of premium to luxury brands includes Absolut vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes. Our mission is to ensure the long-term development of our brands with full respect for people and the environment, while empowering our employees around the world to be ambassadors of our purposeful, inclusive, and responsible culture of authentic convivialite. Pernod Ricard’s consolidated sales amounted to €12,137 million in fiscal year FY23. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI;ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

For more information, please visit www.pernod-ricard.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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow in 2024. 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, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.

SINGAPORE 20 August 2024 ecoSPIRITS has announced that it has secured USD 3 million in trade finance facilities from DBS Bank, marking one of the first ‘green’ loans for the packaging technology sector in the region. The new financing, which was secured under Enterprise Singapore’s ‘Enterprise Financing Scheme – Green’ (EFS-Green), follows on from ecoSPIRITS’ USD 10 million Series A funding round, which was closed in April 2024. The new loan facility will help ecoSPIRITS accelerate its manufacturing as it works more closely with global customers to integrate circular packaging technology into their supply chains around the world.

The facility will help ecoSPIRITS scale up its capacity to manufacture and deploy low waste, circular distribution technologies for spirits, while also helping its existing partners scale up their circular packaging operations. This financing also follows recent announcements by ecoSPIRITS of separate global licensing agreements with Diageo, Rémy Cointreau and Pernod Ricard and continued growth of high volume channels for circular packaging, such as cruise lines.

ecoSPIRITS chose to partner with the Singapore-based DBS Bank because of its strong commitment towards sustainability, having established itself as a leader in enabling sustainable financing across the region. DBS works with both large corporates and with small and medium enterprises, such as ecoSPIRITS, to advance a low carbon economy. In 2023, the bank was named World’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility by Euromoney.

Enterprise Singapore’s EFS-Green scheme allows better access to green financing for Singapore enterprises, which develop enabling technologies and solutions to reduce waste, resource use or greenhouse gas emissions. From April 2024, it has also expanded to support ‘green technology & solutions adopters’ to help more local enterprises adopt green solutions and reduce their carbon footprint. Under EFS-Green, EnterpriseSG will provide 70% risk-share to catalyse the lending from partner financial institutions. As a fast-growing Singapore technology company working on the circular economy transition, ecoSPIRITS’ work is aligned with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and the city state’s push to foster green innovation at home and abroad.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications at sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.

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 a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow in 2024. 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 https://ecospirits.global/.