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Molson Coors has launched its new sustainability report |
Molson Coors is aiming to undercut its brewing rivals on water management by unveiling new efficiency targets that go further than those set by Heineken and Anheuser-Busch InBev.
In a new sustainability report, Molson Coors said that by 2025 it wants a water-to-beer ratio of 2.8 hectolitres. This would mean Molson Coors uses 2.8 hectolitres of water for every hectolitre of beer produced.
At 4.42 hectolitres (not including its US unit MillerCoors), Molson Coors's current water-to-beer ratio is the highest of the three leading global brewers. However, its new target is below the 3.5 hectolitre ratio that Heineken is aiming for across its breweries by 2020, and a 3.3 hectolitre goal set for water-stressed areas. A spokesperson for Heineken told just-drinks that the brewer's 2016 ratio was 3.6 hectolitres, while the company has already achieved its target for water-stressed areas.
Last year, AB InBev reduced its global water ratio to 3.14 hectolitres, beating its own target of 3.2 hectolitres.
Launching the sustainability report, called the Beer Print, Molson Coors CEO Mark Hunter said it will "raise the bar for beer" not just in water management but in other areas including carbon emissions and recycling.
Hunter said the company wants to reduce its absolute carbon emissions by 50%, while 12 of its manufacturing sites now boast no landfill waste.
"These achievements mark real progress in our sustainability drive," Hunter said.
A spokesperson for Carlsberg told just-drinks that the brewer aims to go even lower than Molson Coors, with a water-to-beer ratio of sub-2 hectolitres. It plans to reach 1.7 hectolitres by 2030.
A number of beverage companies are unveiling new sustainability drives. This week, The Coca-Cola Co said it was launching a new strategy on packaging waste in partnership with its Western Europe bottler, Coca-Cola European Partners.
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