ecoSPIRITS to Launch in Seychelles, Partnering With Leading Local Producer Takamaka Rum
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.
The Seychelles has dedicated almost half of its territory to conservation to protect endangered marine and land species
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.
Takamaka's Seychelles bottlings are expressions of the tropical archipelago
Takamaka's St. Andre bottlings showcase the Seychelles' rich heritage & Creole traditions
As the newest ecoSPIRITS Licensed Operator, Takamaka Rum has taken delivery of ecoPLANT No. 28, which will be sited on the main island of Mahé. ecoSPIRITS Seychelles will launch closed loop service in April 2022, serving the bars, restaurants and hotels across Seychelles archipelago as well as other spirits brands, distributors, and wholesalers under the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program. Distribution of Takamaka Rum in ecoTOTE™ format in the Seychelles will dramatically reduce the brand’s environmental footprint, eliminating an estimated 91.4% of the carbon emissions associated with the packaging and distribution of this rum, or 494g of C02e per bottle.
The Trois Frères Rum Distillery in the Seychelles
ecoPLANT No. 028 will be sited in Mahé and operated by Takamaka Rum
ecoSPIRITS Seychelles will be the second market worldwide to join the ecoSPIRITS Ocean Program, which uses the limited edition Ocean Conservation Edition ecoTOTE™ and funds an ocean waste recovery program managed by Green Steps Group, ecoSPIRITS’ global C02 mitigation partners. Under the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program, each order of an Ocean Conservation Edition ecoTOTE™ by venue partners funds the removal of one kilogram of single use plastic, glass and other man-made waste from protected beaches, coral reefs and waters. The ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program’s first local operations have been established in Zanzibar, an island archipelago off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. The first beach cleanup operation under the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program was conducted by Green Steps Group and their local partners in February 2022.
A local beach conservation team at work in Zanzibar, with funding from the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program
The ecoTOTE 3.0S Ocean Conservation Edition
Richard d’Offay, Managing Director, Trois Frères Distillery, Seychelles
“The Seychelles, as a small island nation, have taken amazing strides to protect and sustain the archipelago’s ecosystems. Our role as a local business must be to support those ideals. The introduction of ecoSPIRITS, minimising single use glass while directly contributing to the conservation of beaches and marine environments, we believe is the type of action that delivers on those goals. We all have a responsibility to take action.”
Zdenek Kastanek, International Sales Director, ecoSPIRITS
“ecoSPIRITS has long been mindful of the special impact that single glass use packaging for spirits and the associated carbon emissions are having on island nations. As we continue to add island markets to the ecoSPIRITS global network, ecoSPIRITS will work alongside our Licensed Operators like Takamaka Rum to have a positive impact by reducing local packaging waste and restoring marine environments. We will also continue to use our voice in the industry to call attention to the impact that single use glass packaging in larger markets is having on these fragile island ecosystems.”
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 media@ecospirits.global. Inquiries for Takamaka Rum can be sent to takamaka@lx-pr.com.
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/
ecoSPIRITS Partners With Pernod Ricard as Transition to Circular Spirits Gains Global Momentum
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 iconic Absolut Vodka in co-branded ecoTOTE™ format. A milestone for the low carbon revolution.
Absolut has a broad commitment to sustainability, operating one of the world’s most energy efficient distilleries in Sweden.
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.
The Pernod Ricard Sustainability & Responsibility Roadmap includes Circular Making as one of four pillars.
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 world’s most awarded gin, now in low waste format.
Two centuries of history and a commitment to innovation for today’s world.
28 HongKong Street, Singapore. One of Asia's best bars - and one of the first in the world to adopt ecoSPIRITS in 2018 - will offer Beefeater Gin in ecoTOTE™ format.
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.
Rum is an essential part of Cuban culture, shaped by the country’s climate, geography, history and people.
The co-branded ecoTOTE™ offers the opportunity for enhanced brand messaging.
ARGO Bar, Hong Kong. A bar celebrating the drinking traditions of tomorrow will be one of the first in the world to offer Havana Club Rum in ecoTOTE™ format.
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.
Hermance De La Bastide, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability & Responsibility, Pernod Ricard Asia
“Our partnership with ecoSPIRITS, as part of our Bar World of Tomorrow initiative, reflects our ambition to create more sustainable and responsible moments of conviviality. The global bar scene has suffered greatly during the pandemic, and this is all the more true now especially in Hong Kong. We believe in the fortitude and resilience of the industry, and we aim to help alleviate any burden that we can, including helping to introduce sustainable practices to their business in an effective way. True to our vision, we strongly believe in working with others across the industry to strengthen what we do collectively. ecoSPIRITS is a wonderful partner to help our industry minimize waste and its carbon footprint, while also protecting our natural resources.”
Paul Gabie, CEO, ecoSPIRITS
“The transition to circular is one of the most important movements in the spirits industry today. ‘Circular Making’ offers the prospects of dramatically reducing our industry’s waste and environmental footprint. There is simply no more effective way to do our collective part in supporting the United Nations SDGs and the global drive to Net Zero. Welcoming Pernod Ricard to the low carbon revolution is a major milestone, both for ecoSPIRITS and the industry. When industry leaders begin to back circular, our collective future gets brighter. We could not be more delighted to have Absolut Vodka, Beefeater Gin and Havana Club Rum join our ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program, a rapidly growing coalition of hundreds of brands, importers, distributors, wholesalers, bars, restaurants and hotels worldwide.”
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 info@ecospirits.global or david.deka@pernod-ricard.com. 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.
ecoSPIRITS to Launch in the United States in Partnership With Park Street Technology Ventures
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.
Art Deco Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
Sweet Liberty, one of Miami's award-winning bars
Little Havana is Miami's vibrant Cuban heart
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.
Harry Kohlmann, CEO, Park Street
“Park Street is committed to investing in sustainability, and the ecoSPIRITS system delivers measurable value to participants throughout the supply chain – from manufacturers and distributors to on-premise accounts and consumers. The term ‘drink responsibly’ now has an even broader implication and we are proud to partner with ecoSPIRITS to bring its technology to the U.S. market.”
Paul Gabie, CEO, ecoSPIRITS
“The U.S. is a crucial market in terms of size, visibility and innovation. Over the past two years, we have been received a remarkable number of inquiries about the ecoSPIRITS technology from U.S.-based brands, distributors and hospitality operators. The timing is right to bring closed loop spirits to the U.S. With its broad network of relationships and commitment to innovation, Park Street was the natural partner for ecoSPIRITS USA.”
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.
The Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in Miami Beach, Florida
Edmund Pillsbury, Angel Investor & ecoSPIRITS USA Board Member
“As an angel investor and board member of Tahoe Blue Vodka, I was able to appreciate the impact single use glass has on the environment. We sell thousands of cases a year and the majority of our glass ends up in a landfill. ecoSPIRITS is an elegant solution and represents the future of responsible packaging in the spirits and wine industry. This solution could potentially eliminate millions of pounds of single use glass and dramatically improve the climate impact of the entire industry.”
Zdenek Kastanek, International Sales Director, ecoSPIRITS
“ecoSPIRITS has long planned to enter the U.S. market, which is known for leadership in both sustainability and innovation. With a majority of our global customer based already operating in the U.S., we have a head start in terms of Climate Partner brands and hospitality operators. We could not have asked for a better partner in Park Street, or lead investors in the Ed Pillsbury and his family, for one of our most important markets worldwide.”
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.
ecoPLANT No. 31, the first in the U.S., will be sited in Miami
ecoPLANTS will be deployed in both Florida and California in the first phase of the new joint venture
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 usa@ecospirits.global. 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
As Global Rollout Continues, ecoSPIRITS Appoints Executive Board Chair and Chief Operating Officer
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.
Singapore's Marina Bay skyline
Ms. Cheah & Mr. Subramanian with the patent-pending ecoTOTE 3.0S
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.
Sui Ling Cheah, Executive Board Chair, ecoSPIRITS
“ecoSPIRITS has developed into one of the most exciting companies in the Wavemaker Partners portfolio, having the potential to change the way the spirits industry operates. The world has to get serious about climate change. I believe we can play a part by backing companies with transformative environmental impact and innovative and capital efficient business models. I look forward to working closely with our board members and management team as ecoSPIRITS moves forward on its mission to transition the spirits industry to circular packaging technology.”
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.
Anand Subramanian, Chief Operating Officer, ecoSPIRITS
“I joined ecoSPIRITS because I believe that sustainability should become an integral part of our day-to-day lives. I am excited to join the mission of ending single glass use and at the same time creating a scalable, sustainable and profitable business. As a circular economy technology company, we are truly at the centre of revolutionising the spirits industry by combining economic and social benefits for the entire ecosystem from brands, distributors, retail outlets and eventually the end consumer.”
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.
ecoSPIRITS serves its customers from offices in Miami, London, Shanghai & Singapore.
Paul Gabie, Chief Executive Officer, ecoSPIRITS
“2021 was a remarkable year for spirits and the circular economy. ecoSPIRITS is now licensed in 18 countries worldwide, including many of the largest consumer markets. The future of circular spirits is bright; yet, delivering closed loop service at global scale presents complex challenges. Having worked closely with Sui Ling as a board member, I am delighted to welcome her to a formal role on the leadership team. Anand brings the strategy and financial acumen ecoSPIRITS requires to continue to develop cutting-edge solutions for circular at global scale. I could not be more excited about the impact these two appointments will have on ecoSPIRITS’ development in 2022 and beyond.”
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
Closed Loop Service Commences in Cambodia With Rosewood Phnom Penh & Samai Rum
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.
The Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail by Sora Sky Bar at Rosewood Phnom Penh
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.
Rosewood Phnom Penh at Vattanac Capital Tower
An ultra-luxury hospitality experience in Phnom Penh
Sora Sky Bar, the hotel’s flagship rooftop venue
Daniel Simon, Managing Director of Rosewood Phnom Penh
“We are proud to be the first hotel in Cambodia to partner with ecoSPIRITS. This exciting collaboration enables Rosewood Phnom Penh to deepen its commitment to sustainability while showcasing Cambodia’s incredible flavours and scenery from Phnom Penh’s highest bar. Featuring made-in-Cambodia rums and local Khmer ingredients, Sora Sky Bar’s limited-edition Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail embodies our Sense of Place® philosophy and serves as living proof that high-quality, delicious, sustainable cocktails are the future.”
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.
The Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail
Samai Rum in ecoTOTE™ format
Udom Chhoun, Sora Sky Bar Manager
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.
Production of rum at Samai Distillery
The award-winning Samai craft rums
Cambodia will participate in the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program
Daniel Pacheco, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Samai
“At Samai we are proud to be leading this revolution bringing sustainability to the alcohol industry in Cambodia. And we hope this collaboration with ecoSPIRITS can inspire others to reduce their own carbon footprint. Launching the ecoSPIRITS collaboration with Rosewood Phnom Penh was only fitting based on their proven commitment to sustainability, as evidenced by their launch of a new signature sustainable cocktail. This is only the beginning of a journey we hope to share with other brands and venues in the coming months and years.”
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 order@moonhine.asia. For a booking at the Sora Bar to enjoy the Nom Slek Chak Sustainable Cocktail, please contact phnompenh@rosewoodhotels.com. 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 phnompenh@rosewoodhotels.com 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/
ecoSPIRITS Will Launch in India, Bringing Low Waste Spirits to One of the World’s Fastest Growing Consumer Economies
MUMBAI 15 November 2021 – ecoSPIRITS announced that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for India with Third Eye Distillery, a leading local craft spirits producer known for their award-winning Stranger & Sons Gin. The parties will launch closed loop service progressively across the country in 2022, starting in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka in February. The new partnership will bring low waste, low carbon spirits packaging technology to one of the world’s most populous countries, and the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States.
Home to almost 1.4 billion people, India is one of the most important, and fastest growing, consumer markets in the world. In recent years, the market for premium and craft spirits has begun to evolve quickly, fueled by the emergence of craft cocktail bars, proudly ‘Made in India’ craft spirits producers, and a young, affluent consumer demographic with an interest in quality, provenance and brand. Given India’s size, and status as a developing economy, the country is a critical piece in the climate change solution puzzle. There are some promising signs on this front: at COP26, the United Nations climate conference taking place in Glasgow this month, the Indian Government made a series of new pledges, including to reduce India’s carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030 and to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070.
Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sidecar Bar in New Delhi, one of Asia's 50 Best Bars
Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mumbai
Founded in 2018, Sakshi Saigal, Rahul Mehra and Vidur Gupta set up Third Eye Distillery and transformed the spirits landscape in India by launching the first Indian Gin in the premium space. They were the first to explore contemporary style Gins in India with their flagship brand, Stranger & Sons that received international accolades and connected with a global audience. The trio chose Goa with its diverse expanse of spice farms as the location for their distillery where they innovate and explore new extensions to create quality homegrown products. Third Eye Distillery pioneered sustainable practices right from its inception with the distillation of the spirit to their most recent partnership with ecoSPIRITS to provide a revolutionary platform for the Indian spirits industry.
Vidur Gupta, Rahul Mehra, and Sakshi Saigal, Co-founders, Third Eye Distillery
“We’re extremely excited to be the exclusive partners for ecoSPIRITS in India. We look forward to pioneering the sustainability movement in the Indian spirits landscape by bringing this platform to India and making it available to all spirits brands, imported and homegrown. We believe ecoSPIRITS will be a game-changer in moving the Indian spirits market towards a zero net carbon trajectory and helping the country achieve its sustainability goals. We are thrilled to work with brands to make this closed-loop distribution model accessible to all.”
Paul Gabie, CEO, ecoSPIRITS
“India is a market that is close to my heart, having lived there for two years earlier in my career. It is also one of the most challenging markets in the world for independent and imported spirits brands. To be able to bring the sustainability and commercial benefits of ecoSPIRITS in one of my favourite places is a highlight. Given India’s size as both a consumer market and contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, it is a strategic market for ecoSPIRITS. We are excited to get started reducing single use glass there with such capable partners.”
Stranger & Sons Gin, Third Eye Distillery’s flagship product, is India’s leading craft gin by volume. Launched in 2018 and produced in Goa, Stranger & Sons Gin was conceived to celebrate the agricultural diversity and abundance of India and its love affair with spices. It captures the spirit of India, in a spirit from India that is produced with nine botanicals from local Goan farms, markets and spice vendors. Now exported to Singapore, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Taiwan, New Zealand and the UAE, Stranger & Sons Gin has picked up a host of international awards, including being declared one of the 8 best gins in the world in 2020 by the International Wine & Spirit Competition to winning the highest honours at The Asian Spirits Masters 2021 and their most recent Gold medal at the Gin Masters 2021. With the launch of ecoSPIRITS in India, Stranger & Sons Gin will become the first Indian spirit to be available in low waste packaging format.
The launch of closed loop service in India will also make the market more accessible and sustainable for imported premium spirits, a well-known challenge in the industry. ecoSPIRITS India will participate in the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program, which grants a wide range of spirit brands and their importers, distributors and wholesalers with access to our global closed loop network. Plantation Rum, the world’s number one super premium rum brand and an ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner since 2019, will become the first imported spirit available in India in ecoTOTE™ format. This transition will make Plantation Rum the most sustainable premium rum offering in the Indian market. With the packaging waste and transport cost savings of the ecoSPIRITS system, Plantation Rum will be available at a reduced on-trade price point, making it more accessible to the Indian bar community.
Angélique Jullienne, Global Marketing and Communication Director for Maison Ferrand
“We, at Plantation Rum, are delighted starting off this new collaboration with ecoSPIRITS and Third Eye Distillery in a very important and rapidly growing consumer market like India. We are convinced that the future of our industry will be driven by projects like ecoSPIRITS. This sustainable initiative echoes our values and actions talk louder than words with us. For this reason, our distillery, West Indies Rum Distillery, will become the first zero-carbon footprint distillery in Barbados by 2030. Collaborating with ecoSPIRITS completes this engagement.”
ecoPLANT No. 023 will be commissioned at Third Eye Distillery’s existing Goa facility, initially providing closed loop processing for the entire India channel network. Additional ecoPLANTS are planned as the national distribution network develops over time. The Third Eye Distillery team will bring substantial Indian regulatory, licensing and spirits production expertise to the new Licensed Operator partnership. Like all ecoSPIRITS Licensed Operators, they will receive comprehensive support from the ecoSPIRITS closed loop engineering team.
Goa is known for its beaches, idyllic settings dot the coastline
ecoPLANT No. 023 will be located in Goa
As in other markets, ecoSPIRITS will work closely with leading hospitality operators in India, helping them reduce their single use waste and making premium spirits more affordable for house pours and cocktail lists.
Rakshay Dhariwal, Managing Director, Pass Code Hospitality
“As an entrepreneur with multiple ventures in the hospitality industry, I’m concerned about the environment and am excited to work towards a sustainable future. This partnership gives us a platform to champion the sustainability movement. Providing spirits in ecoTOTE™ format will indeed help us reduce the environmental impact of our operations and be the perfect solution for reducing our carbon footprint!”
Sameer Seth, Founder & CEO, Hunger Inc
“This is a ground-breaking opportunity that takes us one step closer to ending single use glass and other associated packaging material through a closed loop system! I’m extremely excited about how this will enable hospitality teams to serve spirits in a socially responsible manner and I’m eager to see the impact it’s going to have on our industry in the long run as well.”
ecoSPIRITS closed loop service will be available in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka from February 2022. Bars, restaurants, hotels, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in India can get in touch via email at india@ecospirits.global or ecospirits@thirdeyedistillery.com
About Third Eye Distillery
Established in 2018, Third Eye Distillery was founded by Sakshi Saigal, Rahul Mehra and Vidur Gupta with the vision of redefining the spirits landscape of the Indian market. They were the first to explore contemporary style Gins in India with their flagship spirit, Stranger & Sons, which has garnered praise and recognition across the globe. Through pioneering innovations that are built consciously, Third Eye Distillery aims to elevate the homegrown spirits market and uplift India’s cocktail culture.
About Stranger & Sons Gin
The spirit of India in a spirit from India.
Stranger & Sons is a contemporary Indian Gin, the debut spirit from Third Eye Distillery in Goa, founded in 2018 by Rahul Mehra, Sakshi Saigal and Vidur Gupta. Crafted with inherently Indian botanicals including a unique citrus peel mix and warm spices such as pepper, mace and nutmeg, they built a three-dimensional gin that is proudly Indian and true to its origin. Inspired by the country’s agricultural wealth, entrepreneurial spirit and rather wonderfully strange traditions, Stranger & Sons was launched as an Indian spirited gin created in contemporary India, a country that is diverse, nuanced and eccentric.
Starting out as early innovators in the Indian Gin category to winning awards at multiple international spirit competitions, they’ve managed to put Indian Gin on the world map and continue to work towards showcasing India’s diversity to the rest of the world!
*Currently available in Goa, Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka and Rajasthan within India and the United Kingdom, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, internationally.
For more information, please visit https://www.strangerandsons.com/
About Plantation Rum
Plantation Rums, in their instantly recognizable raffia-wrapped bottles, are served at the world’s finest tables and in the most prestigious bars. The fruit of a unique savoir-faire, they express the flavors of the terroirs of rum in fascinating expressions whose double ageing technique has become a true trademark. The Plantation range, through its originality and quality, has conquered the hearts of rum lovers around the world. Multi-awarded expressions like Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple and Barbados XO 20th Anniversary are now classics.
For more information, please visit https://www.plantationrum.com/
ecoSPIRITS to Launch in Thailand & Vietnam, Strengthening Its Asia Pacific Network
BANGKOK 9 November 2021 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for Thailand and Vietnam with a new company formed as joint venture between Bootleggers Trading, a leading Thai craft spirits distributor, and Chalong Bay Distillery, an award-winning craft rum distillery in Phuket. The new joint venture will launch closed loop service in Thailand in January 2022, with service in Vietnam following several months later. With this latest announcement, ecoSPIRITS’ closed loop network covers the majority of Asia Pacific’s leading spirits markets. More details regarding the launch of ecoSPIRITS Vietnam will be announced in January 2022.
Home to a population of almost 70 million, Thailand is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and a fast-rising force in Asia’s bar and cocktail community. In 2020, five Bangkok bars landed on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, including The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Tropic City, Backstage Cocktail Bar, Vesper and Teens of Thailand. The Thai bar community is known for its vibrant hospitality, creative use of ingredients and flavour and deep pool of talent. With a rich natural heritage made up of lush highland rainforests, ancient limestone karst formations, white sand beaches and clear blue waters, Thailand is also home to some of the world’s finest hotels and resorts. The combination of a vibrant local hospitality scene and a highly developed luxury tourism sector make Thailand a leading Southeast Asian market for premium spirits.
Benchamabophit Temple, Bangkok
Phang Nga Bay, Phuket
The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Federico Balzarini, Head Bartender, Vesper
“Our hospitality industry is as beautiful as Mother Earth and ecoSPIRITS is taking care of both, minimizing waste and environmental impact. All this is accompanied by a clever design and stunning branding. If then we add the fact that the spirits available in ecoTOTE format are also delicious… Being eco–friendly has never been so easy.”
Vesper in Bangkok is one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars
Philip Bischoff, Four Seasons APAC Beverage Ambassador & Beverage Manager, Four Seasons, Bangkok
“I am really excited that ecoSPIRITS is officially launching in Thailand. It is incredibly important to me and to our industry that we work together to reduce waste and the C02 footprint. Having the ability to help the environment, while saving costs, is amazingly impactful and I look forward to the continued rollout of new markets and cities in the near future.”
The stunning Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, which opened in 2020
As part of the new joint venture, two new ecoPLANTs, Serial Nos. 18 and 24, will be commissioned in Bangkok and Phuket to provide a network of closed loop service in Thailand. A third ecoPLANT is planned for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2022.
ecoPLANT No. 018 will be located in Bangkok, Thailand
ecoPLANT No. 024 will be located in Phuket, Thailand
Founded in Bangkok in 2014 by Minway Chi, Bootleggers Trading is an importer, educator and producer of craft spirits. Bootleggers’ exclusive distribution portfolio of craft and premium spirit brands include Plantation Rum, Citadelle Gin, Ferrand Cognac, Mancino Vermouth, Widges Gin, Tried & True Vodka, Chartreuse, Kavalan Whisky and Black Tears Rum. Bootleggers will bring its lengthy experience with Thai spirits import, distribution and brand building to the new joint venture.
Minway Chi, Founder, Bootleggers Trading Co., LTD
“As an importer, producer, and distributor, the Bootleggers Team sees first hand the carbon costs associated with moving spirits around the world. With no official recycling scheme available in Thailand, it falls to us as the source to also be the solution. That is why our team is proud to be a part of the ecoSPIRITS low carbon revolution, bringing quality products in an environmentally impactful way to hospitality teams throughout Thailand. That we can do this and help save costs is just the cherry on top.”
Founded in Phuket in 2012 by Thibault Spithakis and Marine Lucchini, Chalong Bay Rum is one of Southeast Asia’s best-known craft spirit producers. Blending the traditional art of French distillation with the rich sugarcane heritage of Thailand, the distillery produces a range of handcrafted rums from 100% organic, first-press Thai sugar cane using a traditional French copper still and Saneha gin. Over the years, Chalong Bay Rums have picked up a number of international awards, including Gold, Double Gold, Best in Class, or Consumer’s Choice Award at renowned international competitions. They are currently distributed in Thailand, Singapore, France and working on expanding their international presence. The distillery will host ecoPLANT No. 024 in Phuket and provide its extensive technical, production and operational expertise to ecoSPIRITS Thailand.
Thibault Spithakis, Founder, Chalong Bay Rum
“Sustainability has always been the driving principle of our project and brands. Joining the closed loop system is a natural development and a great opportunity to continue and extend our effort from production to distribution. We tried to implement recycling programs collecting bottles from clients for years but it has always been very difficult to scale, and ecoSPIRITS disruptive model is clearly providing a very smart, comprehensive, and efficient system benefiting all stakeholders and society.”
Chalong Bay’s award-winning rums will be available in ecoTOTE™ format across Thailand
Paul Gabie, CEO, ecoSPIRITS
“Our expansion of closed loop service to Thailand and Vietnam strengthens our Asia Pacific network, adding two of the fastest growing spirits markets in the region. We have tremendous admiration for what Thibault and Minway and their teams have achieved in contributing to the remarkable evolution of spirits production and distribution in Thailand over the past decade. Together, we can now contribute to the next chapter of spirits innovation in the region – one that has sustainable principles at its core.”
ecoSPIRITS closed loop service will be available in Thailand from January 2022. A more detailed announcement regarding ecoSPIRITS Vietnam will be released the same month. Bars, restaurants, hotels, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in Thailand or Vietnam can get in touch via email at thailand@ecospirits.global or vietnam@ecospirits.global or minway@bootleggerstrading.com
About Bootleggers Trading
Bootleggers Trading was founded in 2014, as a spirits importer, producer, and educator by Minway Chi. Our team provides some of the most recognizable and most awarded independent spirits brands from around the world into the hands of Thailand’s top cocktail bars, restaurants, and specialty retailers. With a focus on quality brands and an intensive advocacy program, our team of passionate individuals helps promote and elevate the vibrant Thai cocktail and beverage industry.
For more information, please visit https://www.bootleggerstrading.com/
About Chalong Bay Distillery
Chalong Bay’s was born from the dream to unite two heritages and bring the French Caribbean tradition of Agricole rum distillation back to the origin of sugarcane. Their purpose is to create super premium craft spirits that are natural, authentic, with a unique Thai character, marrying traditions and craft production methods that are sustainable and respectful of the environment and the community.
All Chalong Bay expressions are created using first-press, natural sugarcane juice from 100% pure, organic, single variety Thai sugarcane that has been hand-cut and grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers by local farmers.
Their recently launched Saneha Gin is crafted following the same principles and using local ingredients and botanicals such as Phuket pineapple, ginger flower, or makwan among others.
But, more than a rum and a gin, Chalong Bay is a Spirit. They are a family that carries the spirit of care and dedication. They cherish doing things naturally and authentically, refusing to compromise on quality and sustainability while respecting their communities and environment
For more information, please visit www.chalongbay.com and www.saneha.co.th
ecoSPIRITS Releases Global Carbon Emissions Calculator To Quantify Climate Impact
SINGAPORE 28 October 2021 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has completed a year-long study to quantify the climate impact of its closed loop spirits technology. The new ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator is based on a study performed by Deloitte, a leading global consultancy firm providing sustainability services. The new Calculator allows ecoSPIRITS and its brand partners to compare the carbon emissions footprint of a spirit distributed in ecoTOTE™ format against the same spirit distributed in single use glass for any two paired points of spirit production and consumption on the planet.
Glass itself is not the problem. As a packaging material, glass is durable, endlessly reusable and is inert, outperforming plastic, aluminium and steel in protecting spirit flavours. However, glass is expensive and energy-intensive to produce, yielding an embodied carbon emissions footprint of 550g per bottle on average. Glass is also dense, comprising approximately 50% of the weight of standard bottled spirit and increasing global logistics costs and emissions. As packaging waste, glass’ durability becomes liability, taking more than 10,000 years to break down in the natural environment.
Single use glass bottles in production
Single use glass bottles sorted for recycling
In the current linear economy, the problem lies in the ‘single use’ nature of glass packaging. In 2020 alone, ecoSPIRITS estimates that the world produced 40 billion single use glass spirit bottles, leading to 22 million tons of carbon emissions. Recycling single use glass packaging helps, but it is not a long-term solution to dramatically reducing emissions. Recycling a glass bottle saves only 10-15% of the energy required to produce a new bottle. A recycled glass bottle has a carbon footprint that is just 25 – 40% lower than a new one. To solve the single use waste crises over the long term, the world must transition our economies, and the spirits industry, from single use to reuse.
The problem lies in the ‘single use’ nature of carbon-intensive glass packaging
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres statement on the IPCC 2021 Climate Report 9 August 2021
ecoSPIRITS’ patent-pending system of closed loop technologies eliminates single use glass from the spirits supply chain, offering a proven reduction in the delivered cost of premium spirits, and a transformative reduction in single use waste and carbon footprint. By introducing a fully reusable, engineered glass packaging format, the ecoTOTE™, ecoSPIRITS is able to retain the best features of glass packaging, while eliminating the financial and environmental costs associated with single use of an energy-intensive, costly material.
The ecoSPIRITS closed loop system
The new ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator is based on a Comparative Lifecycle Emissions Study performed by Deloitte Singapore in accordance with guidance from the GHG Protocol Initiative and using standard CO2e conversion factors. The study estimates carbon emissions from the principal packaging production and material freight steps implicated in the movement of spirit volumes from their point of distillation to the point of final consumption. Findings from the study were then used to create the global carbon emissions calculator tool, which compares ecoTOTE™ closed loop distribution versus the single use glass comparator. The calculator estimates the total carbon footprint reduction, in both grams of C02e and percentage terms, for any spirit based on any two paired points of origin and consumption in the world.
On average, the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator confirms that ecoSPIRITS’ technology eliminates 60% – 90% of the carbon emissions associated with the packaging and distribution of premium spirits when compared with single use glass comparators. The percentage carbon footprint reduction is a function of supply chain length, and the modes of transport used in transporting the spirit from distillery to end venue. For each spirit brand partner, and location of distribution, ecoSPIRITS will publish a specific carbon footprint reduction figure in both grams of C02e and in %. for the ecoTOTE™ format.
Eve Mignot, Sustainability Manager, ecoSPIRITS
“The launch of the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator gives us a powerful new tool to quantify, report on, and mitigate the sources of carbon emissions in the spirits supply chain,” notes Eve Mignot, ecoSPIRITS Sustainability Manager, “This new tool will help us work even more closely with our brand and distribution partners in measuring the environmental impact of their transition to closed loop packaging. We will also use the calculator to help our partners optimize the way spirits are transported, prioritising lower carbon modes of transport over time.”
The new ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator will be used by ecoSPIRITS to quantify the carbon footprint reduction impact of its proprietary technology for all current spirit brand partners, as well as all brands that join its global closed loop network going forward. For each spirit brand partner, and location of distribution, ecoSPIRITS will publish a specific carbon footprint reduction figure in both grams of C02e and in %. for the ecoTOTE™ format.
Tim Etherington-Judge, Co-founder, Avallen
Avallen is one of the world’s first “planet positive spirits”, being Climate Positive, featuring a label made of apple pulp, and having a bee-saving program through 1% for the Planet.
“As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. At Avallen, we want to see a world where climate change stabilises and reverses catastrophic biodiversity loss. The end of single use glass through the revolutionary ecoSPIRITS platform will play a big part in Avallen being a world-leading climate positive brand.”
Spirits Brands & Carbon Emissions: Getting Started
Ben Leggett, Director & Distiller, Elemental Distillers
Roots Dry Gin, created in award-winning distillery built of up-cycled containers, offers a complete transparency of ingredients, processes and production, from root – to cup.
“Elemental Distillers is the embodiment of a belief that we can both deliver creative, premium and award-winning spirits while also operating sustainably through an ongoing collection of sustainable micro-changes and in full transparency of our processes and ingredients.”
John Stirling, Director, Arbikie Distillery
With a pea-base spirit grown without fertilizers and distilled with local botanicals, each bottle of Nàdar removes more CO2 emissions than it creates.
“At Arbikie we’re continuously looking for ways to innovate and reinforce our sustainability focus. For each decision we make, we consider the environmental impact and how we can do things better. We are really encouraged by the CO2e mass reductions of this system and the partnership with ecoSPIRITS is one that excites us all.”
Spirits brands, importers, distributors, wholesalers, and venues interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS global network of closed loop service can get in touch via email at info@ecospirits.global. For more information on the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator, please contact eve.mignot@ecospirits.global
About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, financial advisory, and risk advisory services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500® and thousands of private companies. Our more than 345,000 professionals deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable society and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150 countries and territories. Our organisation has grown tremendously in both scale and capabilities, yet our shared culture and mission—to make an impact that matters—remains unchanged. This is evident not only in Deloitte’s work for clients, but also in our WorldClass ambition, our WorldClimate initiative and our ALL IN diversity and inclusion strategy.
For more information, please visit:
www.deloitte.com/sg
About Avallen Calvados
Avallen is the delicious moment when flavour and sustainability converge! Every bottle of Avallen made removes 2.73kg of CO2e from the atmosphere without external offsetting, protects biodiversity through traditional production methods and supports bee-protecting organisations. Avallen represents a young, fresh and more apple-filled future for spirits, with the health of our planet at its core.
For more information, please visit:
www.avallenspirits.com
About Roots Gin
Roots Gin is a crisp and robust ‘London Dry’ style gin produced on the estate at the Elemental Distillery in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. Roots Gin is made in small batches from individually sourced ingredients and all fully traceable, from root to cup.
For more information, please visit:
www.elementaldistillers.com/roots-dry-gin/
About Nàdar Spirits
Nàdar Gin harnesses the power of nature and science to create this world-first spirit. With a carbon footprint of -1.54 kg CO2e per 700ml bottle, Nàdar Gin is at the forefront of fighting climate change and biodiversity loss, the biggest challenges humankind has ever faced.
For more information, please visit:
www.arbikie.com/nadar-gin
ecoSPIRITS to Launch in Germany, as European Expansion Accelerates
MUNICH 10 October 2021 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for Germany with InnovativeDrinks, a new spirits import and distribution company founded by spirits industry executive Hans-Knud Reiss. Starting in December 2021, ecoSPIRITS Germany will be the fourth European market to offer closed loop spirits service, following launches in the United Kingdom, France and Norway.
As the Europe’s largest economy, and home to a population of more than 83 million, Germany was a natural choice for ecoSPIRITS continued expansion in the region. An economic engine for the European Union, Germany has also cemented its status as a global leader on the environment over the past three decades. On topics ranging from fossil fuels taxation to the promotion of green infrastructure and sustainable transportation, the German government has regularly set global benchmarks in its policies and actions. ecoSPIRITS Germany’s launch of closed loop spirits packaging technology is in line with the country’s broad commitment to circular economy principles.
The Black Forest, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Bar Convent Berlin, one of the world's premier bar shows
Street scene in Munich
Hans-Knud Reiss, Founder, InnovativeDrinks
Founded in early 2021, InnovativeDrinks is led by Reiss, who was the German on-trade sales director for a global spirits major for more than 10 years. After a period in the United States, and inspired by the boom in craft spirits there, Reiss returned to Germany in 2020 with a vision of developing a premium craft spirits distributor focused on upscale gastronomy. The ecoSPIRITS technology will be a cornerstone of InnovativeDrinks’ drive to make independent spirits more widely available and more affordable in the German market.
“We are all experiencing the consequences of climate change.
It is time to question how we do things – and what we can do differently to reduce our CO2 footprint. In their undisputed role as trendsetters and opinion leaders, bartenders and F&B-operators have a special responsibility as a sustainable role model. We at InnovativeDrinks are pleased to be able to offer the HoReCa industry a solution with ecoSPIRITS that almost eliminates the CO2 footprint and packaging waste at the bar. And that without taking anything from the bar experience away from the guest. A perfect drink – without a guilty conscience. What more do you want?”
The launch of ecoSPIRITS Germany will see ecoPLANT No. 022 sited in Karlsruhe, a city in southwestern Germany. To start, spirits in ecoTOTE™ format will be available through select wholesalers and distributors in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hessia, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria with nationwide distribution rolling out over the course of 2022.
ecoPLANT No. 022 will be located in Karlsruhe, Germany
The ecoPLANT 2.0 is ecoSPIRITS' latest generation technology
The launch of ecoSPIRITS Germany will see new brand partners join the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program. The first locally-produced white spirits available in ecoSPIRITS’ closed loop technology will be Sash & Fritz Vodka, an award-winning German vodka produced from 100% German wheat and spring water from the Ore Mountains, and Wild Child Berlin Dry Gin, a craft German gin made from handpicked juniper berries, Calabrian citrus, bergamot and other botanicals. Stork Club Rye Whiskey, a 100% German rye whisky with a loyal following in the craft bartending community, will become the first rye whiskey in the world to join the ecoSPIRITS network. Sash & Fritz Vodka, Wild Child Berlin Dry Gin and Stork Club Rye Whiskey will remain available through their existing channel partners, but now in the low carbon, low waste ecoTOTE™ format.
Peter Steger, CEO, Sash & Fritz GmbH
“With our two brands, Sash & Fritz German Vodka and Wild Child Berlin Dry Gin, we have always been eager to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. The well-thought through ecoSPIRITS system is a great opportunity with many positive factors, which we have been aiming at for a long time. For one we can offer our products with more sustainability, secondly this means we can reduce our waste, energy and production costs, subsequently the pricing of our products are more competitive and thirdly not only does this underline our commitment, it raises awareness for our planet and is in line with our growing environmentally conscious customer base.”
Co-founders Bastian Heuser & Steffen Lohr, Stork Club Rye Whiskey
“We at Stork Club are very excited to be the world’s first rye whiskey available in the ecoTOTE format! Our distillery is located in the middle of a nature reserve and our partnership with ecoSPIRITS is the first step in our process of becoming carbon-neutral over the coming years. We love the concept of ecoSPIRITS and believe it can have a huge impact on the hospitality industry reducing waste and the CO2 footprint of spirits.”
Dan Walker, CEO, True Believers
At the same time as the launch of ecoSPIRITS Germany, InnovativeDrinks will take on exclusive distribution of the True Believers portfolio of affordable craft pouring spirits, including Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges Gin, Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky, and Arquitecto Tequila and 100% Agave Spirit.
“As the world emerges from the pandemic, it has become clear that the European region will lead our market expansion for the True Believers portfolio in 2022. With Germany being Europe’s largest spirits market we could not be more excited to be partnering with an experienced industry veteran like Hans-Knud Reiss and his new distribution company Innovative Drinks to pioneer bringing sustainable craft pouring spirits to the market via the ecoSPIRITS distribution technology.”
With a commitment to the environment deeply rooted in German culture, news of ecoSPIRITS Germany has been warmly welcomed by the on-trade community. A number of leading venue partners will join the ecoSPIRITS network as soon as closed loop service is available, including the multi award-winning Spirits Bar in Cologne and longstanding Munich cocktail institution, Zephyr.
Dominique Simon, Owner, Spirits Bar, Cologne
Spirits Bar, Cologne
“Finally a sensible solution that addresses our bottle problem. No guest sees two-thirds of the bottles of our pouring products, as we process them directly in the kitchen. We have been looking for larger containers for these products for a long time and, with ecoSPIRITS, we have the perfect solution, sustainable and practical!“
Lukas Motejzik, Owner, Zephyr Bar, Munich
Zephyr Bar, Munich
“Even when running a small bar like Zephyr, you can see the necessity for a sustainable way of selling spirits. The daily walk to the glass disposal bin with a box full of empty bottles is the perfect reminder. Most of the nice shiny bottles don’t make it into the backbar, they are turned into infusions or premixes anyway. For me, ecoSPIRITS provides a practical solution for any hospitality business. We’re very happy to see their launch in Germany.“
ecoSPIRITS closed loop service will be available in Germany from December 2021. Bars, restaurants, hotels, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in Germany can get in touch via email at germany@ecospirits.global or welcome@innovativedrinks.de
About InnovativeDrinks
Established in 2021, InnovativeDrinks is certainly still one of the newcomers on the German market. The founder himself is no stranger to the industry: Hans-Knud Reiss is certainly one of the old hands. The trained hotel specialist headed sales in HoReca & wholesale for a well-known international spirits company for over a decade as Sales Director On trade. After a four-year stay in the USA and inspired by the positive developments in the craft spirits market, he decided to found InnovativeDrinks GmbH, a sales company for premium spirits for upscale restaurants and specialist retailers. The company is based in Karlsruhe, Germany.
For more information, please visit www.innovativedrinks.de
About Sash & Fritz GmbH
Inspired by the royal friendship between Csar Alexander I of Russia (Sash) and King Friedrich III of Prussia (Fritz), Peter Steger founded Sash & Fritz GmbH in 2014 in Berlin. Now seven years later, it is a well-established company with two brands and distribution channels around the globe. Sash & Fritz is German vodka combining Russian tradition with German precision and perfection. Only the best, carefully selected ingredients are processed into top-quality vodka in a carefully thought out manufacturing process. The careful quintuple distillation and gentle quintuple filtration thus guarantee the pure, unique flavour of Sash & Fritz. The result is a multiple worldwide gold award-winning premium vodka. In 2018, Steger created his own gin, Wild Child Berlin Dry Gin. Also having won many gold medals in various international competitions, Wild Child is all about a great gin, with a homage to ‘freedom of mind and spirit’ and with that to the city of Berlin.
For more information, please visit www.sashundfritz.de/en/
About Stork Club Rye Whiskey
Germany’s first rye whiskey distillery was founded in 2016 by Steffen Lohr, Sebastian Brack and Bastian Heuser. The Stork Club distillery is located merely 60km south of Berlin in the middle of a nature reserve. Locally grown German rye, pure water from the nature reserve and the thrive to experiment with Europe’s pristine grain are the ingredients for one of Europe’s most awarded rye whiskeys.
For more information, please visit https://stork-club-whiskey.com
About True Believers
True Believers was conceived as an innovation unit within the Proof & Company group. Its aim is to offer a range of craft spirits that bridges the gap between economical pouring brands, which often fall short in meeting modern consumer preferences for craft credibility, and super premium craft spirits, which are generally priced out of reach for house pouring programs. To date, True Believers has released four spirits brands, including Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges London Dry Gin, Arquitecto Blanco Tequila, and Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky. True Believers brands were developed individually to serve as a versatile archetype of its category, produced with authentic craft values by highly-regarded distillers. The range is price-positioned to be accessible to pouring programs for better bars and available in the ecoSPIRITS low-carbon, low-waste spirits distribution system.
For more information, please visit https://truthinspirits.com/
Rosewood Hong Kong Partners With ecoSPIRITS, Reducing Single Use Waste Through Climate Friendly Cocktails
HONG KONG 15 September 2021 Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is deepening its commitment to sustainability through a partnership with ecoSPIRITS that will reduce single use glass, starting with their flagship property in Hong Kong. This collaboration will see the ecoSPIRITS low carbon, low waste technology used in the property’s eight bars and restaurants and celebrated in a special menu of ecoCOCKTAILS that will be available throughout the landmark hotel.
Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a highlight of the Kowloon waterfront and the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. The hotel embraces a sustainability ethos through Rosewood’s Verdes® Responsibilities, which commits to elevated hospitality without compromising the natural environment. The ecoSPIRITS technology, with its elimination of single use glass and dramatic reduction in carbon footprint of spirits, is a natural fit.
Rosewood Hong Kong’s beverage programs, including its acclaimed Darkside Bar, are led by Director of Bars, Arkadiusz Rybak, an award-winning bartender and manager who brings to the team extensive experience working in Conde Nast’s ‘Hot List’ hotels and in Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Hong Kong. His talented team at Rosewood Hong Kong include Francois Cavelier, Bar Manager and Simon Rossi, Beverage Manager at the Darkside Bar.
To bring the hotel’s beverage sustainability principles to life, and to celebrate the partnership with ecoSPIRITS, Arkadiusz and his team developed a range of special low waste cocktails, including the signature Eco Negroni. A special ecoCOCKTAILS Menu, printed on sustainable compostable paper which is embedded with tree seeds, is now available throughout the hotel. Guests can take the menu home and plant it in soil — as the paper composts away, all that is left behind is new life and zero waste.
The making of a climate friendly cocktail with Widges Gin and Tried & True Vodka
A fresh take on the White Negroni, which is traditionally made with gin, dry vermouth, and gentian liqueur, this sustainable serve is made with a base of Widges London Dry Gin that is delivered in ecoTOTE™ format, Mancino Bianco Vermouth, and two house-made infusions to take the place of gentian liqueur, each made with upcycled ingredients that might otherwise have been thrown away. A sophisticated and herbaceous tipple is garnished with a green lime gel made with oxidized lime juice that is stabilized with natural and alternative preservatives to give second life to juice that would otherwise go down the drain.
Arkadiusz Rybak, Director of Bars, Rosewood Hong Kong
“By using the ecoSPIRITS at Rosewood Hong Kong we are able to reduce our glass bottle waste tremendously. Not only do we minimize waste, but we also reduce the amount of storage required for spirits. In addition, we give back through ecoSPIRITS Forest Program initiative. Overall, ecoSPIRITS allows us to seamlessly operate at a high-volume beverage program and care for our environment.”
In addition to significantly reducing their glass and packaging waste with ecoSPIRITS, the Eco Negroni is prepared without ice. To conserve this resource-intensive ingredient, the cocktail is batched and bottled in the back-of-house and kept chilled for service. Overall, the Eco Negroni eliminates 30g of C02 emissions per serve by reducing single use glass waste.
The Eco Negroni. No single use glass
Darkside Bar at Rosewood Hong Kong. One of Asia's 50 Best Bars
Clear Bitter, a Sustainable Gentiane Substitute
Low waste, housemade infusions to take the place of gentian liqueur, a traditional aperitif that originates from the French Alps. To recreate the wintery backbone of gentian liqueur, the Rosewood Hong Kong beverage team creates an infusion called Clear Bitter, made with leftover lemon peels, dandelion, and gentian root mixed with Tried & True Vodka delivered in ecoTOTE™ format. To balance and brighten the Clear Bitter infusion, the team makes a citrus infusion from leftover lemon peels, coriander seeds, and buddha hand leaves that is also infused in Tried & True Vodka. Together, the Clear Bitter and Lemon Buddha’s Hand Liqueur take the place of gentian liqueur and create substantial carbon savings!
Beyond the Eco Negroni, Arkadiusz and his team are using the ecoSPIRITS technology across the property’s bars and restaurants to further reduce waste and beverage costs. The partnership between ecoSPIRITS and Rosewood Hong Kong is eliminating thousands of single use glass bottles per year, reducing Hong Kong’s landfill waste and saving 550g of carbon emissions per bottle eliminated.
To further supplement this impact, ecoSPIRITS, its spirits partners and Rosewood Hong Kong are planting one tree for every ecoTOTE™ ordered by the hotel in the endangered Kalimantan rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia. This reforestation commitment increases the sustainability impact per serve, including for the Eco Negroni, to 150g per cocktail. Rosewood Hong Kong’s Borneo reforestation and C02 impact is made available to hotel guests through the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program’s unique ‘proof of planting’ digital interface.
Through this partnership, and the exquisite cocktails, Rosewood Hong Kong and ecoSPIRITS hope to inspire others to incorporate sustainable principles into their beverage and hospitality. Elevated beverage experiences without compromising the natural environment are now possible.
About Rosewood Hong Kong
Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a new centre of gravity on the Kowloon waterfront — the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. On passing the gate and traversing the cobblestoned drive, the urban din falls away, revealing lush topiary and a serene forecourt that commands the harbour. A warm welcome heralds a stay of unparalleled comfort and distinctive hospitality at the Hong Kong luxury hotel.
For more information, visit: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/ or follow @rosewoodhongkong on Instagram.