FDBusiness.com

Molson Coors (UK & Ireland) has committed to divert all production waste away from landfill for each of its four UK breweries by the end of 2012. Increasing costs and the drive for a more sustainable business has led Molson Coors to focus on the efficiency of its resource usage and maximise the value extracted from its raw material supplies.

In the UK, Molson Coors has over 2,000 employees and breweries in Burton on Trent, Alton and Tadcaster. It has a market share of over 20% of the UK beer market. Its portfolio includes Carling, the UK’s best selling lager for three decades, Coors Light, Grolsch, Worthington’s, Caffrey’s, Corona, Cobra and a range of speciality beers.

Molson Coors’ 2010 Global CR reporting shows the UK & Ireland business has decreased waste to landfill by a massive 27% in recent years and the business is intent on reusing and recycling wherever possible. In fact, waste improvements have saved 1,348 tonnes of waste to landfill in the last year; equivalent to the waste from 428 homes in one year. The business now has its sight on zero production waste to landfill.

Molson Coors (UK & Ireland) has also saved over £60,000 in landfill tax over two years by diverting waste from landfill. By-products from the brewing process are also put to beneficial uses, with spent grains going to farmers for animal feed and excess yeast going to the production of Marmite. The brewer is collaborating and sharing best practices with industry bodies such as the UK IGD Efficient Consumer Response Food and Packaging Waste working group, and by signing up to WRAP’s Courtauld Commitment to support the industry in reducing overall supply chain waste.

“As Britain’s biggest brewer we have to be aware of our environmental impact and we want to set out our achievements across the business and some of our next goals for the coming years,” explains Lee Finney, supply chain director of Molson Coors. “Achieving our goal will have commercial and environmental benefits both now and in the future. Reaching zero production waste to landfill across our breweries not only requires excellent inventory management but innovation and collaboration too. In addition, many of the by-products of the brewing process are valuable resources for farmers and food producers, as well as being a potential energy source.”

Other highlights from Molson Coors UK & Ireland’s environmental performance include: the reduction of carbon emissions by 5% between 2008 and 2010; an 11% improvement in energy efficiency in the last three years; and saved 650 million litres of water since 2005-2009 with plans in place to save 1 billion litres by 2012 (from 2005 levels) in the UK, equivalent to about a 30% saving. UK beer miles in 2010 were reduced by 2.6m km and newly designed tear drop trailers help reduce petrol consumption and cost. Part of this success has been through an innovative partnership with Asda.