News

GEORGE TOWN 28 June 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today the launch of closed loop service in the Cayman Islands under a Licensed Operator Agreement with Agua Hospitality Group, one of the islands’ leading hospitality operators. ecoSPIRITS Cayman Islands marks the arrival of closed loop spirits in ecoSPIRITS’ third island market, following launches earlier this year in Bermuda and the Seychelles. As part of the collaboration, Agua Hospitality Group will commence distribution of an exclusive portfolio of craft spirits, starting with True Believers brands. ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner brands Tried & True Vodka, Mackintosh Blended Malt Scotch, Los Arcos Destilado de Agave and Widges Gin will be will be available ecoTOTE™ format across the island from early July.

The Cayman Islands, comprised of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and home to a population of 65,000. A Caribbean pioneer in conservation, the Cayman Islands established marine park systems over 25 years ago, designating approximately 48% of its coastal waters as no-take zones to protect local marine life. One success is the remarkable turnaround of Cayman’s Nassau grouper, critically endangered by overfishing. Alongside financial services, tourism represent the Cayman Islands’ “twin pillars of economic development”, the latter accounting for 70% of GDP. Unspoiled beaches, duty-free shopping, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing draw 2.3 million visitors yearly, including more than 1.8 million cruise passengers, mostly American nationals. At times, four or five large cruise ships will visit daily, depositing 10,000 cruise tourists at a time in George Town, all eager to experience Caymanian hospitality and delightful local foods and drinks.

Agua Hospitality Group is one of the Cayman Island’s most respected hospitality operators. Founded in 2009 with Agua Restaurant, which became one of the islands’ most successful restaurants, the group opened Next Door Cocktail Bar in August 2021 and quickly secured a nomination for Best New International Cocktail Bar for Tales of the Cocktail 2022. The group plans to open three additional venues in 2022: starting in September 2022 with Aria Restaurant, a Mediterranean concept, and Allora Bakery & Café, a casual restaurant serving pizzas, gelato, café food, bakery items, and then a rooftop cocktail bar with ocean views and a party vibe in December 2022.

As part of the new partnership, Agua Hospitality Group has set up a dedicated production and warehouse facility in George Town to host and operate ecoPLANT No. 027, the first ecoPLANT in the Caribbean region. Centrally located on Grand Cayman, with convenient access to most of the island’s hospitality venues, ecoPLANT No. 027 will be operated by Agua Hospitality Group staff who are trained and supported by ecoSPIRITS’ operations engineering team. Like Bermuda and the Seychelles, ecoSPIRITS Cayman Islands will join the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program, operating a fleet of blue Ocean Conservation edition ecoTOTEs and funding one kilogram of ocean waste recovery for each ecoTOTE delivered to bars, restaurants and hotels in the islands.

The first spirits to launch in ecoTOTE format in the Cayman Islands will come from True Believers, one of ecoSPIRITS’ most active brand partners. True Believers’ vision is to make quality, craft spirits affordable, while guaranteeing provenance with liquid from world class distillers. Committed to doing well by doing good, the True Believers brands are available across the ecoSPIRITS global closed loop network, with the Cayman Islands being the 11th market in the collaboration. Four True Believers spirits will be available in ecoTOTE format through ecoSPIRITS Cayman Islands: Tried & True Vodka, Widges Gin, Los Arcos Destilado de Agave and Mackintosh Blended Malt Scotch.

One of ecoSPIRITS Cayman Islands’ first venue partners will be the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, located on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Opened in 2016, the Kimpton Seafire is the first ever AAA Five Diamond lifestyle resort on Grand Cayman and rated #1 in Best Cayman Islands Hotels by the U.S. News & World Report in 2022. The resort is home to 264 rooms and three dining outlets, all situated on an elevated perch above the sea and offering stunning views of turquoise waters and sun-bleached sands. As stewards of the environment, the Kimpton Seafire’s sustainability practices include funding the Seafire Guardians to protect and regenerate nearby coral reefs, a sustainability-forward design that includes turtle-friendly outdoor lighting, a ground-source geothermal air conditioning system, and rainwater harvesting.

For more information about Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, please contact [email protected]. For Agua Hospitality Group, please contact Agua Restaurant info@agua.ky or Next Door Cocktail Bar [email protected] For information on True Believers and its spirits brands, please contact [email protected]. Brands, bars, restaurants and hotels interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in the Cayman Islands may contact Agua Hospitality Group via [email protected] or ecoSPIRITS via [email protected].

About Agua Hospitality Group

Agua Hospitality Group was established in 2021 following extremely successful 12 years of Agua Restaurant. Twelve years ago, Italian owners Cristiano Vincentini and Walter Fajette established Agua Restaurant and Lounge to create a fresh and vibrant dining experience that avoided conventional Italian restaurant stereotypes. After relocating to Camana Bay’s breezy waterfront in 2018 and undergoing a menu refresh, this long-time favourite seafood restaurant continues to soar in popularity and innovation.

In 2021 with the recruitment of their Group General Manager, Wayne Epple, and the plans for major expansion in the group, they re-branded Agua into the “Agua Hospitality Group” and began expanding. Their next new venue was “Next Door”, a hotel inspired Cocktail Bar which focuses on local sustainable ingredients and local Caymanian bush medicine. In 2022, Next Door was awarded with the Tales of the Cocktail “Top 10 Honoree List” in the Best New International Cocktail bar category. With another 3 venues set to open late 2022, Agua Hospitality Group isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

For more information, please visit www.agua.ky

About Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa

Opened in 2021, Seafire was the first new hotel to be built on the Island of Grand Cayman in a decade, The Seafire Resort + Spa transcends the typical Caribbean resort by becoming the first boutique resort. Boundless open-air architecture features commanding views of the sea at every turn, unfolding to meandering gardens, countless unexpected sanctuaries, and convivial gathering spaces. Escape effortlessly into a sensory adventure of choice, all with memorable Caymanian flavour and warm Kimpton spirit. For enquiries, please contact Kimpton Communications via [email protected]

For general information, please visit www.seafireresortandspa.com

About True Believers

Completely dedicated to craft values, intrinsic quality, authenticity, provenance and transparency, True Believers offer one product per major category such as vodka, gin, scotch, bourbon, tequila, and rum. Each liquid offers true quality and credibility with archetypal flavour profiles and designed to delight bartenders and consumers. Present in the most prestigious venues in the world, True Believers brands are the original launch partners for ecoSPIRITS closed loop spirits distribution technology, playing their role in fighting single use glass. 

For more information, please visit www.truthinspirits.com

About The ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program

The ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program complements the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program for island nations that are most at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change. Highlighted by the striking blue Ocean Conservation Edition ecoTOTE, each order of an ecoTOTE by venue partners in participating islands nations funds the removal of one kilogram of single use plastic, glass and other man-made wastes from endangered coral reefs and waters. Using Green Steps Group’s proprietary “proof of impact” technology platform, cleanup operations are verified, monitored and reported through an industry-leading digital record. Ocean waste recovery benefits the venue partners and is jointly funded by ecoSPIRITS and our Climate Partner brands and distributors.

For more information on Green Steps Group, please visit www.greenstepsgroup.com

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction.

Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 11 countries and 30 cities across Asia Pacific. Europe and the Americas. More 1,000 leading bars, restaurants and hotels 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 in 18 countries worldwide by mid-2022.

Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers and venues, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating thousands 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

HAMILTON 28 April 2022 To mark the local launch of closed loop service in Bermuda, ecoSPIRITS and its Licensed Operator, Bermuda Gin Co., have teamed up with two iconic Bermudian brands, Goslings Rum and the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club. As part of the launch, Goslings will join the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program and offer its best-selling rums in low-waste ecoTOTE™ format across the island. The Hamilton Princess, Bermuda’s most storied hotel, is one of ecoSPIRITS Bermuda’s first venue partners and will offer a special celebration menu of sustainable Bermuda Gin Co. and Goslings Rum cocktails through July 2022.

Goslings is Bermuda’s oldest business and the largest exporter of a Bermuda-made product. Owned and operated by the seventh and eighth generations of the Gosling family, Goslings is a world-renown rum producer that operates Bermuda’s largest and only solar-powered spirits blending and bottling facility. As part of the new partnership, Goslings is hosting and operating ecoPLANT No. 026 on behalf of ecoSPIRITS Bermuda, acting as an expert operational partner for closed loop spirits processing for Bermuda.

Goslings rums are based on family recipes and are blended by hand in Bermuda. The famed Goslings Black Seal Rum, itself from a 150-year old recipe, is the official rum of Bermuda, having long ago become synonymous with the island. Black Seal is an essential ingredient in Bermuda fish chowder and the spirit of Bermuda’s favourite cocktail, the Dark ‘n Stormy. Goslings’ Black Seal, Amber and Silver Rums will all be available in ecoTOTE format across Bermuda from the beginning of May. The transition away from traditional single use glass packaging will allow Goslings to eliminate an estimated 91.3% of the carbon footprint associated with packaging and distribution of their award-winning rums in Bermuda.

Another Bermuda icon, the grand pastel-pink Hamilton Princess, has been a landmark on the waterfront of Bermuda’s capital city since 1885. Managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which is a subsidiary of Accor Hotels, the ‘Pink Palace’ has played host to Bermuda’s most discerning visitors for more than a century. With over 400 guest rooms, as well as a full service marina and private beach club, the hotel plays an important role in both business and leisure in Bermuda. Surrounded by lush greenery, Hamilton Princess is a short walk to downtown Hamilton. Renowned for its attentive levels of service, culinary and beverage offerings the Hamilton Princess is able to honour the fragrances and flavours of Bermuda.

Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, a landmark on the waterfront of Bermuda’s capital city since 1885

To celebrate the launch of ecoSPIRITS Bermuda, the Hamilton Princess will offer two special sustainable cocktails for the months of May, June and July: a sustainable version of the iconic Dark ‘n Stormy Cocktail with Goslings Black Seal Rum and a sustainable Bermuda Gin & Tonic with White Roof Gin from Bermuda Gin Co. For each sustainable cocktail served, ecoSPIRITS, Goslings and Bermuda Gin Co. will fund the removal of one kilogram of ocean waste from marine environments under the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program. The collaboration is expected to remove up to two tonnes of ocean waste over the three-month launch period. The partnership builds on ecoSPIRITS’ longstanding relationship with Accor Hotels, which has included similar collaborations with Raffles Hotel Singapore and The Savoy Hotel London.

A sustainability celebration menu at the Hamilton Princess Hotel in Bermuda

For more information about the Hamilton Princess and for restaurant or bar reservations, please contact [email protected] or call: +1 (441) 298-2028. Brands, bars, restaurants and hotels interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in Bermuda may contact Bermuda Gin Co. via email at [email protected] or [email protected].

About Goslings Rum

A family business for over 200 years, Goslings Rum is Bermuda’s largest export product and the only company that blends and bottles rum on the island. First sold in the United States in 1980, Goslings now exports five distinctive, award-winning rums: Goslings Black Seal Rum, Goslings Gold Seal Rum, Goslings 151 Proof Black Seal Rum, Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum, and Goslings Papa Seal Single Barrel Bermuda Rum. Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer, crafted specifically for use in the trademarked Goslings Dark ’n Stormy® cocktail, is the number-one selling ginger beer in the United States. Goslings also markets a ready-to-drink Dark ‘n Stormy® cocktail in a can. Goslings is available in all 50 US states as well as the UK, most EU countries, the Caribbean, Canada, Australia and several Asian markets.

For more information about Goslings Rum, visit www.goslingsrum.com and follow @GoslingsRum.

About Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club

Since 1885, Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, has reigned as Bermuda’s “Grande Dame” and has been a symbol of all that Bermudians hold dear—courtesy, hospitality and quality with an unequalled sense of style. An architectural treasure on Hamilton’s harbourfront for more than 130 years, the hotel continues to host royalty, world leaders and dignitaries, celebrities, business travellers and visitors from around the world. The recently renovated Hamilton Princess & Beach Club offers 400 elegant guestrooms, including 43 suites, and more than 30,000 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor reception and meeting rooms in a peaceful paradise.

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

About Bermuda Gin Co.

Bermuda Gin Co., a local, family-owned business was established by Roy Fellowes in October 2019 with the launch of their first product, Pink House gin. White Roof, a classic London dry gin hit the local market in June 2020. Both gins are hand crafted in small batches and are unique in both taste and design. Pink House and White Roof can be found in bars, restaurants and hotels throughout Bermuda, and are available for retail purchase from many supermarkets and liquor stores on the Island. Our mission is to put Bermuda on the gin map of the world by producing locally inspired gin products to capture the spirit and uniqueness of Bermuda itself.

For more information please visit www.bermudaginco.com.

About the ecoSPIRITS Ocean Program

The ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program complements the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program for island nations that are most at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change. Highlighted by the striking blue Ocean Conservation Edition ecoTOTE, each order of an ecoTOTE by venue partners in participating islands nations funds the removal of one kilogram of single use plastic, glass and other man-made wastes from endangered, coral reefs and waters. Using Green Steps Group’s proprietary “proof of impact” technology platform, cleanup operations are verified, monitored and reported through an industry-leading digital record. Ocean waste recovery benefits the venue partners, but is jointly funded by ecoSPIRITS and our Climate Partner brands and distributors.

For more information on Green Steps Group, please visit www.greenstepsgroup.com.

SINGAPORE 19 April 2022 ecoSPIRITS released today a roadmap for an Intelligent Circular™ future in closed loop spirits and wine. Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, will be the launch customer for ecoSPIRITS’ newest smart technologies in a pilot collaboration in Southeast Asia, with the view of a later rollout across the Asia Pacific region. The collaboration will feature two of Diageo’s leading spirit brands, Smirnoff Vodka and Captain Morgan Rum. ecoSPIRITS’ Intelligent Circular vision will transition its existing portfolio of circular hardware innovation into a global platform of Internet of Things (IoT) hardware, software and data. The Intelligent Circular roadmap is designed to bring circular spirits and wine to new levels of scale, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Under the roadmap, ecoSPIRITS’ core hardware portfolio – the ecoPLANT™, ecoTOTE™ and SmartPour™ – are being upgraded with IoT capability, sensing, tracking and smart features and integrated with a new CircularONE™ software platform. This fusion of hardware and software innovation will dramatically improve closed loop performance. The upgrades will also enable the entire circular platform to generate valuable operational and commercial data for the system users – the growing network of brands, importers, distributors, wholesalers and hospitality venues that make up the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program.

More details regarding ecoSPIRITS’ Intelligent Circular rollout, the new collaboration with Diageo, and the launch of closed loop service in Indonesia will be released in the coming months. Bars, restaurants and hotels interested in participating in the Indonesia pilot program may reach out via [email protected]l.

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.

Media Contacts: Azmar Sukandar, Head of Communications & Society, Diageo Asia Pacific [email protected]

PARIS 7 April 2022 Following a brief soft launch period, ecoSPIRITS closed loop service has launched officially in France, starting with the Paris region. To celebrate this milestone, ecoSPIRITS France has teamed up with La Maison Du Whisky and FAIR, the leading Fair Trade liquor brand, to support Experimental Group in reimagining the leading hospitality group’s famed Experience No. 1 cocktail. The new Experience Infinity cocktail will feature FAIR Vodka and be available at both Experimental Cocktail Club and at the Hôtel des Grands Boulevards through June. The early response to ecoSPIRITS in the French market has been strong, with both Experimental Group locations and more than 60 other leading on-premise venues joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in the soft launch period.

Experimental Cocktail Club opened in Paris in 2007, marking the emergence of a leading European hospitality brand and operator that has since grown to encompass 24 venues in 6 countries. By focusing on high quality ingredients​, Experimental Cocktail Club is credited with having catalysed the cocktail renaissance in France when few bars in the country were focusing on cocktails. Led by three passionate French entrepreneurs Romée de Goriainoff, Pierre-Charles Cros and Olivier Bon, Experimental Group has since branched out to operate bars, restaurants and hotels in Paris, New York, London, Ibiza, Menorca, Verbier and Venice. Each venue showcases the group’s signature style of tailor made bohemian luxury.

The inspiration for the Experience Infinity Cocktail is a rebirth of one of the most popular cocktails in the history of the Experimental Cocktail Club in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. FAIR Vodka, which is organic, Fair Trade certified, and available in low waste ecoTOTE™ format, was an obvious choice for the base spirit. Developed by Karim Hamadouche, Head Bartender at Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, the Experience Infinity Cocktail balances out the cereal notes of the quinoa vodka with a housemade citrus essence incorporating lemongrass, basil and chamomile.

The result is a wholistically sustainable and socially responsible cocktail imbued with freshness and lightness. In celebration of the collaboration, ecoSPIRITS, FAIR, and La Maison du Whisky will sponsor the planting a native tree in the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program for each Experience Infinity Cocktail served over the next three months. Overall, the Experience Infinity cocktail is ethically sourced, involves no packaging or ingredient waste and eliminates an estimated 61g of carbon emissions per cocktail through the elimination of single use glass. This carbon impact is supplemented by an estimated 22 kg of carbon emissions sequestered per annum by each tree planted once it reaches maturity. Trees in the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program have an average lifespan of 100 years.

Fair Vodka is the first vodka produced from quinoa, a grain farmed for over 5,000 years by the Incas in South America. Organic and Fair Trade certified, FAIR spirits are ethically sourced and distilled in Cognac, France. Born out of the research of French distillers and Bolivian farmers, quinoa for the production of the vodka is sourced in the Andes mountains from 1,200 Bolivian farmers grouped together in the “Anapqui” cooperative. Having joined as an ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner in France, FAIR will soon become available in ecoTOTE™ format in the United Kingdom as its partnership with ecoSPIRITS begins to expand to markets around the world.

For more information about Experimental Cocktail Club and the Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, please contact [email protected]. Bars, restaurants and hotels interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in France may contact La Maison du Whisky via [email protected]. Brands interested to learn more about joining ecoSPIRITS in France may contact [email protected].

About Experimental Cocktail Club

The Experimental Group was founded by Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros and Romée De Goriainoff, three childhood friends with a taste for innovation. Passionate about the cocktail culture that was developing in New York and London, and convinced that Paris could rediscover its rich mixological history, they opened the Experimental Cocktail Club in 2007 in a small street in the Montorgueil district, which became the spearhead of the cocktail wave in the capital. Xavier Padovani joined them in 2010, reinforcing the group’s common vision to offer a contemporary hospitality experience to a demanding clientele around the world. Now famous for introducing cocktail culture to Paris, the group now operates cocktail bars, wine bars, restaurants and hotels in Paris, New York, London, Ibiza, Menorca, Venice and Verbier.

For more information please visit https://www.experimentalgroup.com/destinations/paris

About FAIR

FAIR is the leading Fair Trade liquor brand. The hallmark of this range (rum, vodka, gin and liqueurs) 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/

SYDNEY 22 March 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today a significant expansion of its technology portfolio, taking on the substantial waste and carbon emissions footprint of the estimated 30 billion single use glass wine bottles that are produced each year. The extension of ecoSPIRITS’ patent-pending closed loop packaging technology to premium wines marks the launch of the world’s first globally-scalable circular glass packaging solution for the category. Developed to meet the standards of leading organic and bio-dynamic wine certifications, the new ecoSPIRITS circular wine technology will be deployed first in Australia in partnership with leading global wine producer Accolade Wines. Closed loop wine service will then be made available in a number of other ecoSPIRITS markets worldwide over the second half of 2022.

Designed with premium and certified winemakers in mind, the new circular wine solution offers full lifecycle wine preservation from winery to point of service. Upgraded versions of ecoSPIRITS’ ecoPLANT™, ecoTOTE™ and SmartPour™ technologies deliver high standards of hygiene, oxidation, temperature and ultraviolet light protection for wines distributed in the closed loop system. Amongst other innovations, ecoSPIRITS’ new circular wine technology will preserve the bottle presentation and consumer brand experience in hospitality venues, a distinct difference from existing keg and tapped wine solutions.  The new wine technology will leverage ecoSPIRITS’ global closed loop network, and offer the same dramatic cost and carbon footprint reduction as premium spirits.

Among other technology upgrades, ecoSPIRITS has released a new version of its successful ecoPLANT technology that is tailored to process both premium wines and spirits. The new ecoPLANT 2.0W is a semi-automated, containerised wine and spirits processing facility that generates high purity nitrogen gas for ecoTOTE filling and wine blanketing, complies with leading European Union and Australia-New Zealand standards for food grade processing, and delivers gold standard wine hygiene and preservation.

ecoSPIRITS’ award-winning ecoTOTE portfolio will now be expanded to include a wine variation, the ecoTOTE 3.0W. This newest ecoTOTE is designed specifically for premium wines, marked by a striking grey enclosure and with a stainless steel cap liner to comply with organic wine contact material standards and a tinted internal glass vessel to ensure ultraviolet protection for wines during transport and storage. The ecoTOTE 3.0W includes all of the features of the popular ecoTOTE 3.0S, including global cloud-based tracking, shock- and tamper-resistant features, and a 4.5L volume for efficient handling and transportation.

Recognised as a leader in sustainability initiatives in the wine industry, Accolade is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a sustainable packaging initiative which aims to change the culture of business by designing more sustainable packaging, increasing recycling rates and reducing packaging litter. Collaborating with ecoSPIRITS to pioneer waste and carbon emissions reduction in premium wines is a natural extension of Accolade’s broad commitment to environmental responsibility.

For its first collaboration with ecoSPIRITS, Accolade has selected its leading eco–wine brand, Banrock Station. Banrock Station produces premium South Australian wines with a passion for quality and holds a longstanding commitment to protecting the local environment. The Banrock Station vineyards and protected wetlands sit side-by-side along the meandering Murray River and South Australia’s Riverland. The winery’s environmental commitment is broad and sustained, having supported more than 130 conservation projects in 13 countries over the last 20 years. Banrock Station’s wines are sustainably produced, vegan friendly and already use lightweight bottles and recycled materials.

Initially, Banrock Station’s Pinot Grigio, Rosé and Pinot Noir wines will be offered in ecoTOTE 3.0W format to on-premise customers in Sydney, Australia. As part of the partnership, ecoSPIRITS and Accolade will collaborate on a study of the lifecycle reduction in single waste and carbon footprint associated with closed loop distribution of the Banrock Station wines. The partnership with ecoSPIRITS is one element of Accolade’s global sustainability strategy ‘Making Every Drop Count’, detailing a long-term action plan to create real change across the business, industry and planet.

Additional information on the collaboration and the launch of closed loop wine service in Sydney will be released soon. Parties interested in learning more about ecoSPIRITS and our circular wine and spirits technologies can get in touch via [email protected]. For media inquiries regarding Accolade Wines and the Banrock Station, please reach out to Kate Harper, Dialogue Public Relations, via [email protected]. For bars, restaurants and hotels interested in participating in the new collaboration between ecoSPIRITS and Accolade Wines, please reach out to Derek Burden via [email protected] or [email protected].

About Accolade Wines

Headquartered in Australia, Accolade Wines draws on a proud heritage, with Houghton established in 1836 and the first grapes crushed at Hardys winery in 1857, to become a world-leading provider of luxury, premium, mainstream, and commercial wines. With three of the top 10 wine brands in the UK and two of the top 10 in Australia, Accolade’s rich and diverse portfolio is made up of distinguished wine brands including Hardys, St Hallett, Petaluma, Houghton, Grant Burge and Banrock Station and modern wine brands such as House of Arras, Echo Falls, Madam Sass and Jam Shed shaking up the global landscape. 

Accolade is a fully integrated business, managing the entire supply chain from grape to glass. With more than 1400 employees in over 40 countries around the world, Accolade delivers approximately 276 million litres of wine to 130 countries every year. Accolade is committed to the sustainable growth of our business and the industry. Through our relentless innovation, global sustainability strategy, and the partners we engage with, we endeavour to have a positive impact on the industry and communities in which we operate. 

For more information please visit https://www.accoladewines.com/

About Banrock Station Winery

Founded in 1995, Banrock Station’s mission is to do good and produce honest, great tasting wine that doesn’t cost the earth. Every drop of Banrock Station goes into conserving the planet.  Over the last 25 years, Banrock have contributed to over 130 projects across 13 countries, starting with restoring their surrounding RAMSAR accredited wetlands in the Riverland; providing a haven for over 17,000 native plant, animal and threatened bird life. They have contributed over $6 million to conserving this planet! Banrock Station brings together a passion for conservation and wine to deliver an unforgettable experience where consumers can enjoy the same quality wine they expect from Banrock Station without compromising on their own sustainability efforts.

For more information please visit https://www.banrockstation.com.au/

VICTORIA 14 March 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for ecoSPIRITS Seychelles with Trois Frères Distillery, the producers of Takamaka Rum. The new partnership will bring circular spirits packaging technology to another island market at risk from rising sea levels and climate change. As part of the collaboration, Takamaka Rum will join the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program and become available across their home market in ecoTOTE™ format. The partnership for the Seychelles builds on ecoSPIRITS’ upcoming launch in Bermuda, proving the appeal of circular spirits in markets both large and small around the world.

An archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles is home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises. With a population of 98,400, the islands are a vibrant tourist destination famous for their mountain rain forests and iconic beaches. Like other island nations around the world, Seychelles has already experiencing the impacts of climate change.  These include the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, the felling of coastal and mid-level forests, and the extinction of unique species such as the Seychelles parakeet and the saltwater crocodile. As a result, Seychelles has emerged as a world leader protecting lands and waters for threatened species, designating 42% of its territory for conservation.

Founded in Seychelles in 2000, Takamaka Rum widely regarded as the ‘spirit of the Seychelles’ and is the market leader in the local spirits industry. A family-owned and operated producer, Takamaka Rum is on a mission to put the Seychelles on the world rum map by producing locally inspired rums to capture the spirit and uniqueness of Seychelles itself. Each rum bottle is filled with the character of these unique islands, their local craftsmanship and their people.

Bars, restaurants, hotels, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in Seychelles can get in touch via email at seychelles@ecospirits.global. Media inquiries for ecoSPIRITS may be directed to [email protected]. Inquiries for Takamaka Rum can be sent to [email protected].

About Takamaka Rum

Family owned, Takamaka was founded by two brothers twenty years ago who have built the brand into the number one spirit on the island nation. Bernard and Richard d’Offay set out to create rums that capture the spirit of the Seychelles, with its diverse flavours and laid-back attitude, which they and their fellow islanders would enjoy. They didn’t follow an industry blueprint, instead using what means they had available to them to create their liquid. 20 years later, the brothers now produce a portfolio of premium rums that are enjoyed around the world, capturing the unique and undiscovered flavours of their remote, tropical island home in the Indian Ocean.

For more information please visit https://www.takamakarum.com/

HONG KONG 9 March 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has partnered with Pernod Ricard, the world’s second largest spirits and wine company, to pilot circular spirits, starting in Hong Kong and Singapore. The new collaboration will see Pernod Ricard’s iconic brands Absolut Vodka, Beefeater Gin and Havana Club Rum become available in ecoSPIRITS’ innovative closed loop packaging technology. The partnership is the first of its kind for a global brand portfolio, marking a major milestone in the industry’s transition to circular spirits. To celebrate the milestone, the Pernod Ricard brands will debut in the first co-branded editions of the award-winning ecoTOTE™.

The new partnership is a natural fit for both parties. Pernod Ricard is an industry leader in sustainability, having made broad commitments under a Sustainability & Responsibility Roadmap that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The roadmap include a pillar of ‘Circular Making,’ which envisions reducing carbon footprint and minimising waste by developing more sustainable packaging solutions. Pernod Ricard has set a goal of reducing carbon footprint by 50% by 2030, and to pursue a Net Zero trajectory by 2050.

Under the pilot program, Pernod Ricard will make Absolut Vodka, Beefeater Gin and Havana Club Rum available in low waste, co-branded ecoTOTE™ format to up to 80 leading bars, restaurants and hotels in Singapore and Hong Kong. Both cities are known for their vibrant and innovative bar scenes, and have embraced the ecoSPIRITS technology over recent years. Using the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator, the initiative is forecast to reduce the carbon emissions of packaging and distribution for the participating Pernod Ricard brands by an average of 66% when compared with the traditional format of single use glass.

The new initiative will form part of Pernod Ricard’s Bar World of Tomorrow program which promotes more sustainable and responsible bar practices. Locally in Hong Kong, Bar World of Tomorrow is partnering with Food Made Good Hong Kong— part of the UK-based Sustainable Restaurant Association, which is dedicated to helping food service businesses operate sustainably. The program aims to upskill bartenders on topics such as responsible service, waste management, sourcing and managing fresh ingredients and ice supply management, with an emphasis on work-life balance, customer care, and ways to maximize yield from bar ingredients—thus reducing overall operational costs. Since January 2021, close to 100 bartenders in Hong Kong have completed the training program.

The pilot collaboration between ecoSPIRITS and Pernod Ricard will launch in both cities in the coming months. Over time, Pernod Ricard hopes to include more bars and restaurants in both cities, before expanding the program to other key markets and brands across Asia and beyond. 

Bars, restaurants and hotels in Singapore or Hong Kong interested in participating in the collaboration between Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS can get in touch via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Additional information on the timeline for the launch of closed loop service for the Pernod Ricard brands, and the participating venue partners, will be released soon.

About Pernod Ricard

​​Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales amounting to €8,824 million in fiscal year FY21. The Group, which owns 16 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-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, New Zealand Wines, Campo Viejo, Mumm Sparkling and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term and sustainable growth for all its stakeholders, remaining true to its founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and strong sense of ethics. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 18,500 employees to be on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité”. Pernod Ricard 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap “Good Times from a Good Place” is integrated into all its activities from grain to glass, and Pernod Ricard is recognised as a UN Global Compact LEAD participant for its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

About ecoSPIRITS

Founded in 2018, ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for the premium spirits industry. Leveraging business as a force for good, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. The ecoSPIRITS patent-pending, closed-loop technology is licensed in 18 countries worldwide, including many of the world’s largest consumer markets, and is used by almost 1,000 leading hospitality venues. The ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program is a global coalition of hundreds of brands, distributors, wholesalers and hospitality operators committed to reducing the environmental impact of their operations. ecoSPIRITS serves its customer base from offices in Singapore, Shanghai, London and Miami.

MIAMI 28 February 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for the United States with a new joint venture company established with Park Street Technology Ventures and the Edmund Pillsbury family. ecoSPIRITS USA will be headquartered in Miami, where Park Street is also based. Financing for the joint venture will be provided by all three parties. As part of the launch of ecoSPIRITS patent-pending closed loop spirits technology in the world’s largest premium spirits market, ecoSPIRITS’ Zdenek Kastanek will transition into the new role of Managing Director, ecoSPIRITS USA effective July 2022.

Park Street Technology Ventures is an affiliate of Park Street, a leading technology-enabled services company that helps emerging and established alcoholic beverage suppliers and brand owners cost-effectively and securely scale and manage their businesses in the U.S. market. ecoSPIRITS selected Park Street as their U.S. partner for their extensive experience across the entire beverage alcohol value chain, including regulatory compliance, freight and logistics, importing and distribution, and information and data management. Backed by Park Street’s 400 team members in the United States and around the world, and ecoSPIRITS’ global team and industry-leading experience with circular spirits, the new joint venture is well positioned to bring circular spirits to a complex and exciting U.S. market.

Private financing for the new joint venture will be led by the Edmund Pillsbury family, with co-investments by ecoSPIRITS and Park Street. Edmund Pillsbury, who is an experienced private investor and a board member of Tahoe Blue Vodka, will take a seat on the board of the joint venture entity alongside Kohlmann and Gabie. The joint venture has opened offices in Miami, where Kastanek is based, and will build a team of industry professionals dedicated to scaling closed loop spirits across the country.

In the first phase of development, ecoSPIRITS USA will offer closed loop service in Florida and California from three ecoPLANTs (Nos. 31, 32 and 33) based in Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, respectively. The ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program will open to spirit brands, importers, distributors and hospitality operators and venues who are looking to reduce the single use waste and carbon footprint of their U.S. spirit distribution and consumption. ecoSPIRITS USA will also participate in the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program, which plants native trees in endangered wild areas based ecoTOTE™ cycles in the closed loop system.

Bars, restaurants, hotels, importers, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in the U.S. can get in touch via email at [email protected]. Additional information on the timeline for closed loop service and the coverage in each state will be released soon.

About Park Street

Launched in 2003 by former McKinsey consultants, Park Street is a technology-enabled services company that helps emerging and established alcoholic beverage suppliers and brand owners cost-effectively and securely scale and manage their businesses.  The company combines complex sector expertise with skilled human capital and a purpose-built technology platform to deliver fully transparent and reliable performance.  Areas of expertise include regulatory compliance, freight and logistics, importing and distribution, order fulfillment, accounting, HR and benefits management, working capital, information and data management, systems development, systems integration, and more.  The company is trusted by thousands of brands from new-to-market entrepreneurs to well established multi-brand global portfolios.  Park Street is headquartered in Miami, Florida and has over 400 team members supporting operations across the United States and around the world.

About Park Street Technology Ventures

Park Street Technology Ventures (“Park Street Ventures”) is an affiliate of Park Street and invests in early-stage start-ups and established growth companies in the alcoholic beverage industry.  The firm’s investment mandate focuses on transformative technologies and green initiatives.  Park Street Ventures provides a combination of capital, strategic and operational guidance, and industry knowledge to help companies accelerate growth.

For more information, please visit www.parkstreet.com

SINGAPORE 21 February 2022 ecoSPIRITS announced today the appointments of Sui Ling Cheah to the role of Executive Board Chair and Anand Subramanian to the role of Chief Operating Officer. The appointments bolster ecoSPIRITS’ leadership team and governance as it navigates both a period of extraordinary global growth and the next phase of development of its closed loop technology. Together, Ms. Cheah and Mr. Subramanian bring more than 40 years of experience in strategy, investment banking, private equity, venture capital and governance to the ecoSPIRITS mission. Both of the new roles will be based in ecoSPIRITS’ Singapore headquarters.

In the newly-created role of Executive Board Chair, Ms. Cheah will lead the ecoSPIRITS board, oversee the company’s governance, and assist the CEO in setting the company’s overall strategy and direction. Ms. Cheah brings more than 25 years of experience to the role, primarily in investment banking, technology company advisory and board governance. In addition to her role at ecoSPIRITS, Ms. Cheah is an Operating Partner at Wavemaker Partners, a leading early stage venture fund. She previously spent more than 20 years in investment banking, including time at Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan and BNP Paribas. Ms. Cheah also holds independent board positions in several publicly listed companies in industries spanning hospitality, healthcare and telecommunications.

In addition to the new Executive Board Chair, ecoSPIRITS has appointed Anand Subramanian to the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Mr. Subramanian will oversee the company’s board and investor relations as well as the finance, talent and strategy functions. He brings experience in strategy, investment banking, private equity and venture capital to ecoSPIRITS. Mr. Subramanian joins from Comcast NBC Universal, where he was Head of Strategy & Business Development in Asia Pacific. He previously spent thirteen years in investment banking and private equity and growth company investing, most recently with Fullerton Financial Holdings and J.P. Morgan.

Both of the new leadership roles will be based in ecoSPIRITS’ headquarters in Singapore, allowing ecoSPIRITS CEO Paul Gabie to spend time across the company’s Miami, London and Singapore offices to better support a growing global network of ecoSPIRITS Licensed Operators and Climate Partners.

About Sui Ling Cheah

Sui Ling Cheah is Operating Partner at Wavemaker, a B2B and deep tech focused early stage venture capital fund where she is responsible for helping the mature companies in Wavemaker’s portfolio with business development, follow-on financing and eventual exits. Prior to joining the venture capital industry, she spent 20 years in investment banking raising capital for high growth companies and executing cross-border M&A. Her last investment banking role was as the Co-Head of Corporate Finance of SEA at BNP Paribas. Prior to that, she was Executive Director of Investment Banking at JP Morgan Singapore. Sui Ling started her career with Merrill Lynch New York followed by stints in Singapore and London. Sui Ling is currently also a board director of several publicly-listed companies such as CDL Hospitality REIT, Parkway Life REIT and Telechoice International.  Born in Malaysia, she graduated from Wellesley College in the United States with a Bachelor of Arts in French and Economics.

For more information, please visit LinkedIn

About Anand Subramanian

Anand Subramanian has over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, and investment banking. Prior to joining ecoSPIRITS, Anand was the Head of Corporate Strategy and Business Development APAC at Comcast NBCUniversal where he oversaw the go-to-market strategy for NBCUniversal in Asia Pacific across both linear and digital assets. Previously, Anand was Vice President of Investments at Fullerton Financial Holdings, Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings, overlooking fintech and financial services investments across South & South East Asia. Anand spent close to 10 years at J.P. Morgan, Singapore, where was an Executive Director, Investment Banking overseeing all facets of IB including capital markets and M&A. He was also the Head of Junior Resources. Born in India, Anand graduated from Symbiosis Center for Management and Human Resource Development with an MBA in Finance & Marketing and from Delhi University with a Bachelor in Commerce.

For more information, please visit LinkedIn

PHNOM PENH 12 January 2022 ecoSPIRITS is celebrating the launch of its inaugural closed loop service in Cambodia with one of the country’s leading luxury hotels, Rosewood Phnom Penh, and local ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner, Samai Rum. To mark the launch of ecoSPIRITS Cambodia, Sora Sky Bar at Rosewood Phnom Penh has created the Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail – the first in Cambodia to feature the ecoSPIRITS technology – to showcase a uniquely Cambodian spirit alongside sustainable local flavours and ingredients. For every Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail served through April 2022 at the hotel, one tree will be planted under the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program.

Rosewood Phnom Penh, the latest property from Rosewood Hotels and Resorts to collaborate with ecoSPIRITS, is an ultra-luxury hotel located in the heart of the Cambodian capital. Soaring 188 metres above Phnom Penh, the hotel occupies the top 14 floors of Vattanac Capital Tower, the city’s most iconic modern structure and a symbol of the new Cambodia. With unobstructed views of the fabled Mekong River, the hotel is home to six restaurants and lounges. Sora Sky Bar, the hotel’s flagship rooftop bar, is one of the country’s most acclaimed beverage venues, offering an expansive whisky collection, carefully curated cocktails and a spectacular view.

Sora Sky Bar Manager, Udom Chhoun, created the Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail to honour the hotel’s new partnership with ecoSPIRITS. Inspired by a traditional Khmer snack from Kampot, Cambodia, the unique cocktail stars hand-crafted, aromatic Samai Kampot Pepper and Gold rums from Samai Distillery, the country’s first and only premium rum producer. Both rums are delivered to the hotel in low-waste ecoTOTE™ format, infused with coconut meat, then mixed with Mancino Bianco vermouth, fresh lemon juice, and egg whites. As a finishing touch, the cocktail is garnished with toasted black sesame and dried coconut for a silky, elegant tipple bursting with Khmer flavours.

As Samai Distillery transitions to ecoTOTE™ format for the distribution of its award-winning rums in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and other cities across the country, it is set to become the most sustainable spirit producer in the Cambodian market. The move to closed-loop packaging technology will dramatically reduce the distillery’s import of glass bottles from Europe and eliminate single-use paper labels, stoppers and cartons. Overall, the ecoSPIRITS system will now eliminate an estimated 91% of the carbon footprint associated with the packaging and distribution of Samai Rum in Phnom Penh, or the equivalent of 830g of CO2e per bottle. To further the positive impact of the collaboration, ecoSPIRITS and Samai Distillery are planting one native tree in the Rosewood Phnom Penh forest under the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program for each Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail served.

Samai White, Gold and Kampot Pepper Rums are now available across Cambodia in ecoTOTE™ format from ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner distributor, Moonshine Cambodia. For more information, please contact [email protected]. For a booking at the Sora Bar to enjoy the Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail, please contact [email protected]. You can also follow Rosewood Phnom Penh on Instagram @rosewoodphnompenh

About Rosewood Phnom Penh

Rosewood Phnom Penh presents an ultra-luxury hospitality experience in the Cambodian capital. The hotel is located on the top 14 floors of Vattanac Capital Tower in the central business district, with unobstructed views of the city and the fabled Mekong River from its position within the tallest building in the capital. Rosewood Phnom Penh embraces the Rosewood brand’s A Sense of Place®️ philosophy and reflects the location’s history, culture and sensibilities. It features 175 rooms and suites; six restaurants and lounges, including Sora, a sky bar on a cantilevered terrace; Sense, a Rosewood Spa; a fitness center; a 22-meter indoor lap swimming pool; and meeting facilities that include The Pavilion residential-style meeting and function space.

For more information or reservations, please contact [email protected] or +855 23 936 888

For more information, please visit: rosewoodhotels.com/en/phnom-penh
Connect with us: Facebook, Instagram @rosewoodphnompenh

About Samai Distillery

Samai Distillery was founded in 2014 in Phnom Penh and is regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s pioneering craft distilleries. As Cambodia’s first and only premium rum producer, the Samai team produce hand-crafted, premium rums using high-quality, locally grown ingredients and a process that pays tribute to age-old rum making traditions. Complex and full of character, Samai rums reflect the unique Cambodian terroir. With four premium products in its portfolio, Samai rums are distributed in France, Singapore, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Korea, with more countries to come. If you happen to be in Cambodia, don’t miss a chance to try the rums and exclusive cocktails at the bar inside the distillery, or book your private tour.

For more information, please visit: https://www.samaidistillery.com/