A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE S E C O N D A R Y V E N D O R S C A N H E L P D I S T I L L E R I E S E S TA B L I S H A S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y S T R AT E G Y
WRITTEN BY RICH MANNING
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racticing sustainability is a noble goal for a distillery. Putting it into practice poses challenges, especially for a fledgling brand. The legion of moving parts involved with distillery operations — labor, accounting, marketing, and even making distilled spirits on occasion — carry the potential to interfere with the ability to come out swinging with a viable sustainability plan. While a sustainable concept may be placed at the forefront during the business plan stage, it may quickly fall by the wayside as other aspects of distillery operation take priority. Fortunately, incorporating sustainability doesn’t have to be some grandiose scheme. All it can take is utilizing vendors and other distilling-adjacent companies with well-established sustainability strategies and plans. These connections can provide distilleries with the building blocks for sustainable narratives that are legitimate and not exercises in “greenwashing.” At a time when corporate social responsibility matters to the consumer more than ever, it’s not a stretch to say linking up with sustainably focused vendors carries the potential to boost a distillery’s bottom line.
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PROVIDING INFLUENCE For a craft distillery, using a vendor or periphery service emphasizing sustainability can provide them with an opportunity to turn good intentions into actionable strategy. There are also unique opportunities for the vendors in this relationship. Oftentimes, they see new partnerships as a way to expand their ability to spread the word on the importance of eco-friendly practices. This mutual benefit is a key driving force behind the partnerships created by Southern Distilling Company in Statesville, North Carolina. As a contract distillery, their mission is to build brands as they start. This development is not strictly designated to distillate quality. “Our story is the brand’s story too,” explained Southern Distilling’s founder and CEO Pete Barger. “Since sustainability has always been central to our ethos, it’s also
central to our brand partner’s story. How we do things is also how they do things. We’re not preaching to our clients, but we’re demonstrating its importance. When they see the importance, it then becomes their ethos.” In Southern’s case, this shared narrative includes elements ranging from utilizing energy efficient facilities to using regenerative agricultural techniques. Partnered brands can choose to trumpet these techniques, which can be a more essential strategy to consider as the focus on sustainable practices continues to increase. “We’ve never made a huge deal of our sustainability. It’s just what we do,” Barger stated. “But, it’s certainly now more important for brands to be more vocal on the topic.”
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