ROTTERDAM 26 September 2023 ecoSPIRITS has appointed one of the leading producers of quality cocktail liqueurs in the world as its Licensed Operator for the Netherlands and Belgium. De Kuyper Royal Distillers will be the new Licensed Operator for ecoSPIRITS Benelux, initially bringing closed loop spirits to the Netherlands market. A range of De Kuyper’s spirits and liqueur brands will be available in low waste ecoTOTE format from January 2024. This partnership also paves the way for the expansion of closed loop service across the Benelux region, with ecoTOTEs expected to be deployed to venues in Belgium from early 2024.

A selection of De Kuyper’s most popular brands will be available in ecoTOTE format from January 2024.

De Kuyper Royal Distillers has been distilling for more than 325 years and is one of the world’s leading liqueur producers. The family-owned business has its own distillery in Schiedam in the Netherlands where it creates premium cocktail liqueurs using natural botanicals and handcrafted distillates and extracts. For five years in a row the company has been awarded the coveted title of ‘Liqueur Producer of the Year’ by the prestigious International Spirits Challenge. De Kuyper also has a 100% subsidiary company, Team Products, which is an internationally-renowned independent producer of spirits, cream liqueurs, advocaat, and flavoured liqueurs. It also produces private label and third party products for brands, distillers and producers all over the world.

De Kuyper has been distilling for more than 325 years and has created many spirits and liqueur brands.

De Kuyper firmly believes that sustainability is critical to the success of the company and society as a whole. As a family business passed down through generations, De Kuyper is committed to upholding this tradition. The company has demonstrated a strong commitment to social and environmental activities with sustainability projects underway throughout the value chain in areas such as responsible consumption, responsible sourcing, sustainable production, employee well-being, and community involvement. In each of these areas, De Kuyper strives to implement sustainable and innovative solutions and collaborate with partners and stakeholders. ecoSPIRITS aligns perfectly with these ambitions and by establishing this partnership, De Kuyper can promote an innovative closed-loop distribution system that eliminates packaging waste and reduces carbon emissions.

The Netherlands is one of the highest-earning nations of the world and growth expectations for the hospitality industry in 2023 and 2024 are looking positive. The spirits market in the Netherlands is projected to grow by 4.07% resulting in a market volume of US$1.87bn in 2027, according to a report by Statista*. The report also notes that by 2027, 47% of spending and 17% of volume consumption in the spirits market will be attributable to out-of-home consumption in bars and restaurants. ecoTOTEs will initially be deployed to the country’s capital city, Amsterdam and its second largest city, Rotterdam, which has a vibrant and varied nightlife scene.

*Statista Market Insights (August 2023) ‘Industries & Markets Market Insights Report’ Spirits Report, The Netherlands.

Venues in Rotterdam will be the first to receive spirits delivered in ecoTOTE format; the city has a vibrant nightlife scene.

De Kuyper’s Team Products plant in Middelharnis is well regarded as a ‘best practice’ production location and It is also centrally located to serve the Benelux region. For these reasons, Middelharnis was identified early on as the preferred location for ecoPLANT™ No. 045, which is a 2.0S model for processing spirits. ecoSPIRITS Benelux will initially deploy closed loop service to venues in Amsterdam and Rotterdam from the ecoPLANT based at Middelharnis. De Kuyper’s production site in Middelharnis has recently extended its qualifications to include the BRC 9 AA audit, which is the highest level BRC qualification.

Among the first brands to go into ecoTOTE format from the De Kuyper stable of brands will be Peachtree, which is the best-selling peach liqueur in the world. The lighter, lower-proof liqueur, which has the taste and smell of ripe peaches, is a key ingredient in cocktails such as Sex on the Beach or the Fizzy Peachtree. Also launching soon in ecoTOTE format is Rutte 100% Grain Vodka and Rutte Dutch Dry Gin, which is distilled from 100% organic botanicals including celery and angelica. And completing the launch collection is De Kuyper Triple Sec, which can be mixed with tequila to create the popular Margarita cocktail, or with cognac to create the Sidecar. This Triple Sec is made by mixing several citrus distillates, which are made by De Kuyper in copper pot stills.

De Kuyper Triple Sec, Rutte Dutch Dry Gin and Peachtree peach liqueur will be among the first brands to go into ecoTOTE format.

Mark de Witte, CEO, De Kuyper Royal Distillers

“We are very excited about our cooperation and partnership with ecoSPIRITS. This innovative low carbon and low waste distribution technology takes us a decisive step further towards achieving our sustainability goals as one of the industry’s main drivers. In collaboration with ecoSPIRITS we will make a significant difference by reducing our eco footprint and inspiring other brands and customers to join us on our sustainable journey.”

Iain McPherson, Sales Director, EMEA, ecoSPIRITS

“I am thrilled that De Kuyper Royal Distillers will be the Licensed Operator for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. De Kuyper’s reputation for high quality products is well-known and the longevity of the company is testament to its innovative approach and consistent desire to improve. De Kuyper is clearly passionate about eliminating the unnecessary carbon emissions and packaging waste associated with the wine and spirits supply chain, and it is fantastic that the company has put its trust in ecoSPIRITS’ closed loop packaging as a revolutionary technology.”

Bars, hotels, restaurants, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in the Netherlands can contact Iain McPherson, Sales Director, ecoSPIRITS EMEA, at [email protected], For more information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Senior PR Manager at [email protected].

About De Kuyper

De Kuyper Royal Distillers is a family-owned liqueur and premium botanical-base spirits company founded in 1695 by Petrus De Kuyper. The company is headquartered in Schiedam near Rotterdam (NL). De Kuyper Liqueurs is the global market-leading brand in cocktail liqueurs. De Kuyper is both the owner and the producer of a number of world-famous liqueurs such as Peachtree, Heering, Kwai Feh, Acqua Bianca, Muyu, Dutch Cacao, Mandarine Napoléon, Bébo and the botanical-based spirits of the Rutte gin and genever. De Kuyper has been awarded “Liqueur Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Competition (ISC) five years in a row (2019-2023). Mark de Witte is the company’s global CEO.

Media contact for De Kuyper Royal Distillers: Yvonne Naber, Global PR, [email protected].

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 21 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. More than 1,500 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology, including Michelin-starred restaurants, World’s 50 Best and Asia’s 50 Best bars and iconic hotels. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 27 countries worldwide by early 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.

For more information, visit https://ecospirits.global/.