News

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 [email protected].

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 [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 1,943 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 [email protected].

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 [email protected]. For more information about Local Spirits, please contact Jeppe Rasch Christensen on [email protected]. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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/.

MELBOURNE 16 July 2024 Proof & Company, ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operator for Australia, has launched distribution of seven craft spirits from Husk Distillers’ portfolio in ecoTOTE™ format across the country. Husk Distillers, which recently joined the Proof & Company stable of distribution brands, is known for its ‘farm to bottle’ philosophy and passion for sustainability, and is the producer of popular Australian-born brands, Ink Gin and Husk Rum. ecoTOTE processing for this new partnership is taking place at Proof’s new co-packing partner, The Melbourne Distilling Co, with ecoTOTEs of the new spirits now available for distribution to on-trade venues across the country. At a later stage, Proof & Company also plans to introduce Husk brands in ecoTOTE format to venues in New Zealand.

As ecoSPIRITS’ first Licensed Operator in the Asia Pacific region, Proof & Company has led the expansion of the ecoSPIRITS technology in Australia – as well as Singapore, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and New Zealand – since early 2019. Since it was founded in 2012, Proof & Company has evolved into one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent spirits companies.

Husk started in 2012 when founder and CEO, Paul Messenger, planted the crops to create the country’s first cane juice rum. Husk’s first product was Ink Gin, an innovative new world gin made using botanicals found on the farm, as well as an unusual botanical from South East Asia, the butterfly pea flower. The launch of Ink Gin coincided with a boom in the gin category in Australia, and consequently Ink is now the best-selling independently-owned gin brand in the country. Ink Dry Gin will be the first of Husk’s gins to be available in ecoTOTE format, with Ink Sloe & Berry Gin and Ink Art Gin variants set to join later this year. These will join four of the producer’s rums to be offered in ecoTOTE format, each made in small batches from freshly crushed sugar cane juice: Husk Rare Blend Rum, Husk Pure Cane Rum, Husk Coconut Rum, and Husk Bam Bam Spiced Rum.

The home of Husk Distillers is Husk Farm Distillery, in Northern New South Wales near to Australia’s Gold Coast. The company’s ethos is to make spirits that reflect the land as a ‘farm to bottle’ producer, which means it adopts sustainable ‘full circle’ distilling practices. The family-owned business is the caretaker of 150 acres of land, of which a large portion is dedicated to sugar cane and cattle farmland, while 23 acres is virgin rainforest. Husk looks at sustainability in every part of its business, such as capturing and reusing rainwater, using solar power and reducing waste wherever possible. Husk is Australia’s first agricultural rum distillery and the sugar cane used to make the rum is 100% grown, harvested and aged at the farm.

Proof & Company recently established a new partnership for ecoPLANT operations with The Melbourne Distilling Co, a beverage company located in Melbourne’s Western suburbs. The 100% Australian-owned Melbourne Distilling Co fills and packages a range of products for the beverage industry and it has a focus on sustainability and Australian-made ingredients. Under this new partnership it will acts as a co-packing partner and will package many of Proof’s ecoTOTE format spirits, including brands produced by Husk Distillers. This new partnership is part of a strategy to grow the overall ecoSPIRITS program in Australia.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications, at [email protected].

About HUSK Distillers

Husk Distillers makes hand-crafted rum in small batches from the finest quality, freshly crushed cane juice sustainably grown, harvested, aged and bottled at Husk Farm Distillery. As Australia’s first agricultural rum distillery, we are developing this style of rum with a “farm to bottle” philosophy, using sugar cane grown 100% on our farm. Our volcanic soil, sub-tropical climate and local cane varieties combine each harvest to create something unique. The terroir of the Caldera Coast is reflected in every dram of Husk Rum.

For more information, please visit www.huskdistillers.com.

About Proof & Company

Proof & Company is one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent spirits companies, merging a disruptive approach to independent spirits distribution with a team of highly regarded bartenders and educators, a customer-focused mindset, and the region’s leading hospitality clients. From offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Auckland and Christchurch, Proof & Company manages the exclusive distribution of a portfolio of independent spirits, craft cocktail ingredients, and premium bar tools and glassware.

For more information, please visit www.proofandcompany.com or follow @proofandcompany on Instagram.

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 by the end of 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.

Visit www.ecospirits.global and follow us on Instagram for more.

MIAMI 20 June 2024 Following a successful pilot, ecoSPIRITS is working together with the world’s leading cruise ship operator, Carnival Cruise Line; and leading spirits producer, Bacardi Limited; to bring closed loop spirits packaging on board more ships. The pilot collaboration – which was first announced in August 2023 – saw BACARDÍ Superior rum delivered to three Carnival ships in ecoSPIRITS’ ecoTOTE format, in an effort to reduce single use glass waste in the tourism and hospitality segment. Now, closed loop spirits packaging will be introduced to an additional ship operating out of the Port of Miami, Florida. ecoSPIRITS is also collaborating with Carnival to develop new extensions to its core technology to support high volume cruise beverage operations.

The plan to introduce closed loop spirits packaging to cruise ships for the first time via a partnership between ecoSPIRITS, Carnival and Bacardi saw BACARDÍ Superior – one of the most-ordered spirits across Carnival’s fleet – delivered in ecoTOTE™ format to three of the company’s ships, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Sunrise, operating out of the Port of Miami, Florida. A fourth Miami-based ship, Carnival Magic, will implement the program, with more vessels from other cruise ports in the United States expected to join later in 2024.

During the pilot phase, which ran from late August 2023 through to the end of March 2024, the three companies saved tens of thousands of single use glass bottles from being produced. In total, the pilot eliminated more than 38,000 pounds of packaging waste, while also funding the recovery of more than 6,000 pounds of ocean waste from endangered marine environments as part of the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program. Delivering Carnival’s most popular onboard rum in ecoTOTE format eliminated 95% of the packaging waste when compared with traditional glass bottles. The system also represents a more efficient way of delivering spirits to the cruise ships, saving both weight and space onboard.

To support expanded deployment of its circular packaging technology in the cruise environment, ecoSPIRITS has developed a new version of its SmartPour technology, tailored to the specific demands of onboard beverage operations. The new SmartPour™ SHV 1.0S is a bottle refilling unit developed in consultation with Carnival and Bacardi to make back-of-house operations even more efficient. This latest SmartPour can refill spirits bottles faster than the SmartPour 2.0S refilling solutions deployed during the pilot collaboration. The SmartPour SHV 1.0S joins the ecoTOTE 3.0SC, a special version of the award-winning ecoTOTE, which was also developed in consultation with Carnival to meet the unique requirements of the onboard beverage operations.

For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications at [email protected].

About Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & pls (NYSE/LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S, homeports that any other. For over 50 years, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports and employs more than 40,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival currently operates 25 ships and is in an exciting period of growth with the addition of two ships over the next two years.

For more information visitwww.carnival.com and for more about Carnival’s sustainability goals, visit: www.carnivalsustainability.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 by the end of 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.

Visit www.ecospirits.global and follow us on Instagram for more.

LONDON 29 May 2024 Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS have announced a five-year global agreement to enable the distribution of Pernod Ricard’s spirits brands in ecoSPIRITS’ circular packaging technology to on-trade venues around the world. The collaboration builds on the success of a pilot project in Singapore in late 2022, which saw the launch of three Pernod Ricard brands in select bars across the city state. As part of this deepening partnership to promote circularity in the spirits industry, Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS have also been investing in developing shared knowledge and capabilities in circular packaging operations and circular packaging impact accounting and reporting. Under the new global agreement, ecoSPIRITS has expanded its customer success team to support Pernod Ricard and in January the two companies deployed a full ecoSPIRITS closed loop packaging system at the Havana Club distillery in San José de las Lajas, Cuba, to begin reducing single use glass packaging in the Cuban market.

As part of the original pilot project in Singapore, three of Pernod Ricard’s spirits brands – Beefeater London Dry gin, Havana Club rum and Absolut vodka – have been successfully deployed in ecoTOTE™ format to bars across Singapore, and dispensed in venues using co-branded SmartPour™ technology. These three spirit brands will now be introduced to new markets under the new global agreement, with additional Pernod Ricard brands to be added over time. Pernod Ricard’s partnership with ecoSPIRITS is aligned with the producer’s Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap, which includes a pillar of ‘Circular Making’, encouraging circularity by developing more sustainable packaging solutions.

Since late 2020, Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS have been collaborating to evaluate, refine and pioneer circular packaging for the spirits industry. As part of this collaboration, the parties have invested in developing capabilities and expertise in the complex transition from linear to circular packaging systems. Most recently, a joint ecoSPIRITS and Pernod Ricard global technical team has worked to develop global operations standards for closed loop systems, with a goal of enhancing the safety, security and scalability of circular packaging. The two companies also recently appointed leading French circular economy consulting firm, Circul’R, to conduct an independent validation and upgrade of the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator. This work by Circul’R enables the tracking and reporting of the positive carbon emissions impact of the ecoSPIRITS technology, in line with rapidly evolving standards on carbon accounting and environmental claims.

The first local market deployment under the new global agreement is already underway with the introduction of a closed loop system for Havana Club rum in the brand’s home market of Cuba. The new system has been anchored by a dedicated ecoPLANT at Havana Club’s distillery in San José de las Lajas, Cuba. The ecoPLANT 2.0S is one of three ecoPLANTs in the Caribbean region, along with one in George Town, Cayman Islands and another in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Cuba’s first ecoPLANT is run by Havana Club distillery staff, who have been supported and trained by ecoSPIRITS’ Circular Operations team.

Iberostar Group, a leading Spanish hotel operator with more than 120 hotels around the world, was the launch partner for the Cuba market. Two of the group’s luxury properties – Costa Varadero and Bella Vista Varadero – 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 from January 2024 and pioneering the ecoSPIRITS technology in Cuba. The two properties are located in the vicinity of the country’s renowned Varadero beach, with each home to at least 10 restaurants, bars and nightclubs.