Green Bavaria initiative
Dutch brewer, Bavaria NV, has signed a shared transportation agreement with two other leading consumer brands, Heinz and Mars, to cut CO2 emissions as part of its drive for greater sustainability.
As part of the new green initiative, the companies will transport their products across Europe by inland waterways. The size of waterways in Europe makes transport by barge a sustainable solution if the volumes being shipped are large enough.
Mike Teague, managing director, Bavaria UK, said: “In recent years, Bavaria has undertaken a range of measures to reduce emissions associated with transportation. We send our beers across Europe by train and were the first brewer in Europe to switch our distribution fleet to trucks that meet the low-emission Euro 6 standard.”
Beer going to the UK is shipped in 45ft containers aboard river barges that head to the Port of Rotterdam every day. By sharing the barge, the full load will ensure the environmental impact of distribution is significantly reduced for all three companies.
“We have to accept that the more we sell in the UK, the more we have to ship from Holland. There’s no substitute for the natural mineral water we use from the spring under the brewery, so we do everything we can to ensure our beers are sustainable. And that includes the shipping methods,” Mr Teague added.
Bavaria says it hopes to see other European brewers and manufacturers do the same to ensure sustainability.
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