Sunshine Coast brewery Brouhaha has partnered with Melbourne company Ecogrip to launch the first 100 per cent Australian recycled plastic can carrier.
Four packs of Brouhaha’s core and seasonal range are now going out to bottle shops and homes encased in the locally made and manufactured packaging that for the first time bypasses imported alternatives.
Director of Ecogrip Jonathon Buntz said the idea for 100 per cent localised packaging was crystalised in 2020 when global supply chains were disrupted by the pandemic, highlighting the reliance on imported goods.
“Even if that plastic is recycled in the country of origin, fundamentally we’re still importing plastic. We are also under-utilising our own waste in Australia and a staggering 30,000 tonnes of plastic is finding its way into our waterways and oceans each year,” he said.
“We wanted to create a solution that avoided virgin materials, increased the market life of post-consumer goods, closed the recycling loop and reduced reliance on these external supply chains.
“The end result is a smarter packaging solution that keeps all manufacturing processes on shore and environmentally accountable. We are proud to say that Brouhaha was the first brewery to come on board and look forward to a long partnership in the future.”
Brouhaha director Matt Jancauskas said until last year North American recycled plastics were the only can carrier options available to distribute product to his national customer base.
“There’s a misconception that when we pick up a recycled product that we’re buying into a greener and more environmentally friendly vision, when in fact we’re unfortunately missing the full picture.
“By bringing in recycled plastics from overseas, we’re not utilising the surplus of our own waste that we have available to use, nor are we addressing the wastage and contribution to landfill and the flow on environmental impacts in our own backyard.
“Our partnership with Ecogrip allows us to utilise resources in a more considered way, with conscious packaging that combats Australia’s plastics crisis. It also means that as a brand, we’re staying true to our local supply chains and commitment to sustainable practices.
“We’re using an all white Ecogrip can carrier that is most easily recognisable by the infrared waste sorters in Australian plants, as materiality and transparency is another barrier that can obstruct our efforts to recycle.”