The primary focus of sustainability in beverage production: saving resources and energy

Wise use of raw materials, Process optimisation and sensible water treatment and minimised use of plastic via sustainable packaging is the key to sustainability in beverage production.

Right now, in autumn 2020, under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, hygiene and health shape consumers’ perception and actions. However, sustainable products with resource-friendly production remain important to people, as well.

In a study by the Fraunhofer Institute ISI in Karlsruhe on the fifty trends influencing Europe’s food sector by 2035, approximately fifteen of them are closely connected to sustainability. According to this study, “sustainable production and value chains” save between €280 and €470 billion a year. The Institute also considers “strict waste legislation” to be an influencing factor in the future development of the sector. The waste legislation of the European Union currently demands that manufacturers must intensify recycling and re-use of recycled material for packaging in future.

Questions of sustainability are already an integral part of the world of food and beverage manufacturing – with consumers also demanding solutions. According to a study by market research group Mintel, 44% of US-American millennials say that environmentally friendly brands best portray the personal values of their generation. The key players in the industry see two starting points. One is a direct approach: How can the manufacturing of beverages and liquid food be made sustainable? The other is an indirect approach: How can the packaging and selling of these products make it as simple as possible for the consumers themselves to regularly protect the environment.

Raw materials as a starting point for sustainability