COPENHAGEN 22 October 2024 Local Spirits, ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operator for Denmark, has signed an agreement with Scandic Hotels Denmark – the Danish division of the largest hotel chain in the Nordics region – to supply its range of ecoTOTE format spirits and liqueurs to the hotel group’s properties across the country. Most of the company’s hotels in Copenhagen have already made the switch to closed loop spirits packaging, with a total of 27 outlets across Denmark expected to transition over the coming months. Scandic Hotels Denmark’s partnership with Local Spirits includes both pouring spirits and liqueurs, which will be featured as Danish-made and organic spirits on drinks menus alongside details of the sustainability-focused partnership with ecoSPIRITS. The new collaboration will help Scandic Hotels Denmark eliminate more than 95% of the packaging waste associated with its most popular spirits pours, while also supporting its ambition to forge new relationships with local and organic producers.
Local Spirits will supply spirits and liqueurs in ecoTOTE format to all Scandic Hotels in Denmark.
In March 2023, the Danish drinks company, Local Spirits, started working with ecoSPIRITS as its licensed operator for Denmark. The company is focused on environmentally-friendly products and practices, and it distributes predominantly local and organic spirits to the on and off-trade sectors. Local Spirits sells and distributes more than 300 products from 25 different Danish producers, as well as a few international craft brands. It has 20 different spirits SKUs available in ecoTOTE format, which it supplies to more than 100 outlets across Denmark.
Scandic Hotels has 27 properties across Denmark and it is focused on supporting local companies and producers.
Scandic Hotels has the largest and widest network of hotels in the Nordic market, supported by 19,000 employees. The company started in 1963 in Sweden and it now has 280 hotels in operation (and under development) in six countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Poland. Scandic Hotels’ Danish arm comprises 27 outlets, representing a total of more than 5,900 rooms, and of these, many of the Copenhagen-based sites have already started taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format. One of the first to start using the ecoSPIRITS closed loop packaging system was the centrally-located Scandic Spectrum, which has around 600 rooms and the restaurant Ansvar, which is famed for its celebration of ‘green cuisine’. Scandic Hotel Denmark’s venues outside of Copenhagen, such as Scandic Aarhus City and Scandic Kolding, have also started using the ecoSPIRITS system.
Scandic Hotels in cities such as Copenhagen and Aarhus (pictured above) are taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format.
Scandic Hotels is Denmark’s only hotel chain to be certified by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, one of the world’s toughest environmental certifications. By moving to closed loop packaging, Scandic Hotels Denmark will avoid 60-90% of the carbon emissions and eliminate more than 95% of the packaging waste associated with the packaging and distribution of its most popular spirits pours.
The group is also participating in the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program, a program established by ecoSPIRITS and sustainability pioneer, Green Steps Group. Under the program, one tree will be planted for every ecoTOTE delivered to a Scandic hotel in Denmark, jointly funded by ecoSPIRITS, Local Spirits and the spirits brand partners.
In addition to its commitment to a more sustainable future, Scandic Hotels Denmark has a focus on supporting local suppliers and Danish-made produce. Scandic is now the first major hotel chain in Denmark to use Local Spirits as its main supplier, with the majority of the spirits (up to 15 SKUs in total) packaged in ecoTOTE format, including the hotels’ house pour spirits. This includes the hotels’ house pour gin, which is the small batch Local Spirits Distilled (LSD)’s Organic Gin, made in Denmark using organic botanical ingredients. Also on the list is the Danish double malt whisky, Stauning HØST (“harvest”), which is popular as a base for whisky-based cocktails. House pour liqueurs, such as the uniquely-named Bad Boy Coffee Liqueur from the Danish producer, Bad Company Spirits, will also be delivered in ecoTOTE format, for cocktails such as the espresso martini.
The hotels will take several Danish-made and organic products from Local Spirits, including LSD Organic Gin, Stauning HØST whisky, and Bad Boy Coffee Liqueur.
“I am pleased that we are expanding the collaboration with Local Spirits to all of our 27 hotels. Our experience shows that bartenders and guests greatly appreciate the quality of the products and local storytelling – it creates joy, both to prepare and to enjoy tasty and organic cocktails. In addition to this, by taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format we are eliminating the need for several thousand single use glass bottles, which makes this collaboration even more exciting. It is in Scandic’s DNA to take responsibility when it comes to even more sustainable transformation and hotel operations, and I hope that our collaboration with Local Spirits can lead others to make similar choices.”
“The fact that Denmark’s largest hotel chain has selected us as the main supplier of spirits is a huge recognition of our work with local and organic producers, and our use of environmentally-friendly and CO2-saving delivery solutions. We are proud that Scandic is placing its trust in us because this will hopefully pave the way for more people to open their eyes to local and organic premium spirits and to ecoSPIRITS’ circular delivery solution, as reuse is clearly preferable to recycling when it comes to glass packaging,”
“Jeppe, Martin, and the Local Spirits team are focused on working with like-minded players in the hospitality sector. By using the ecoSPIRITS system for several local and organic spirits, Scandic Hotels Denmark will soon see a significant reduction in packaging waste and CO2e, alongside the practical benefits of using ecoSPIRITS in its operation. Karsten and the Scandic team’s commitment to an environmentally-friendly operation is real and contagious. The transition to circular requires every partner to contribute to the closed loop, and I’m thankful that Local Spirits, its brand partners, and Scandic, recognise the efficiencies of ecoSPIRITS.”
For more information about Scandic Hotels, please contact Anna Kirstine Mouritzen on annakirstine.mouritzen@scandichotels.com. For more information about Local Spirits, please contact Jeppe Rasch Christensen on jeppe@localspirits.dk. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Head of Communications sonya.hook@ecospirits.global.
About Scandic
Scandic is Denmark’s and the Nordic region’s largest hotel chain. Scandic is also Denmark’s only Swan-labelled hotel chain. The certification means that the hotels meet a number of strict requirements relating to – among other things – water and energy consumption, waste, food waste, chemicals, biodiversity and ecology. The Nordic Ecolabel requires constant improvement and development towards a more sustainable hotel operation – a journey that has been part of Scandic’s DNA since 1993.
For more information, visit: www.scandichotelsgroup.com.
About Local Spirits
Local Spirits is a Danish distributor of local, organic spirits and currently sells over 300 products from 25 different Danish producers. Almost 50% of the range is organic, and most bestsellers are not only sold in bottles but also in CO2 – and price-saving packaging formats that make it possible to use local and organic products on a larger scale. Local Spirits uses a circular delivery solution that replaces traditional glass bottles with reusable units – ecoTOTEs from ecoSPIRITS.
For more information, please visit www.localspirits.dk.
About ecoSPIRITS
ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in 27 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 3,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow in 2024. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.
For more information, please visit https://ecospirits.global/.