WILD ROSE BREWERY EMBRACES SUSTAINABILITY WITH FIRST-TO-MARKET ECO-INITIATIVE

Cardboard eco-carriers to improve recyclability and reduce CO2 emissions

CALGARY (May 11, 2022)– Calgary’s Wild Rose Brewery (“Wild Rose”) is pleased to announce the implementation of a first-to-market sustainable practice across Alberta with the introduction of cardboard eco-carriers. The new carriers will replace the plastic carriers previously used to join the brewery’s 4-packs together. As a sustainability-minded business, and with the countdown on until single-use plastics are banned across Canada, it was an easy decision for Wild Rose to explore how best to improve the sustainability of its packaging.

While Wild Rose’s former plastic carriers were technically recyclable, the brewery found that many Alberta processing facilities could not take them and that they were ending up in landfills. In many such instances, while plastic-based carriers are recyclable, they are so thin that they cannot always be effectively separated from paper and end up contaminating the whole load of recyclables they end up mixed in with. The new carriers are made from renewable, responsibly sourced, recyclable paperboard, containing up to 15 per cent recycled content, in order to improve convenience, portability and recyclability after use.

The transition to the new carriers began this spring and consumers can expect to see them in-market from now on. This eco-minded endeavour is set to reduce Wild Rose’s carbon footprint in two immediate ways. First, the change from plastic to paper will inevitably result in a higher volume of materials actually being recycled. In Canada, it’s estimated that only 9% of plastic is recycled, while 70% of paper products are recycled. The second reduction in waste will stem from the impact of transporting the carriers. The new paper-based carriers have a significantly smaller footprint than the former plastic carriers, meaning Wild Rose can order more of them less frequently. It is possible to transport a one-year supply of the paper carriers using just a quarter of the resources previously required to transport a year’s supply of the plastic carriers, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 100 kg annually.

“As a leader in the Alberta craft brewing industry, we want to pave the way for other smaller brewers to operate sustainably, so we can all keep making great beer for years to come,” says Candace Potter, Brand Manager for Wild Rose Brewery. “We also know that our consumer demographics enjoy spending time outdoors and value environmental causes that champion sustainability. At Wild Rose, we believe in doing our best for the planet and in supporting the beer-lovers who support us by doing our part to protect and preserve the environment for future generations. Whether large or small, every step towards sustainability makes a difference – the most important thing is that we continue to take those steps.”

Wild Rose believes that where there is waste, there is opportunity and hopes to set a standard for what both craft breweries and larger beer brands can and should be doing to protect the environment. Wild Rose also donates its spent grain to a local farm to be recycled as animal feed and is currently exploring other sustainability efforts. This includes a potential new wastewater treatment system which would reduce any effluents when returning water to the city treatment plant, as well as sourcing alternatives such as hemp and sugarcane film to replace the plastic stretch wraps used when shipping finished goods. The brewery is also in the process of having its utilities audited to identify any areas for sustainable improvements that could increase energy efficiencies and reduce waste. For more information about Wild Rose Brewery, please visit https://wildrosebrewery.com.

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