INDUSTRY NEWS
New global ambassador for Reefton Distilling
REEFTON DISTILLING Co. has appointed Jason Clark to the newly created role of Global Brand Ambassador for the West Coast craft spirits company. Clark has over 20 years’ experience in hospitality, working in a variety of GM, marketing and luxury spirit ambassador roles, and has a passion for educating trade and consumers through designing creative solutions and programmes to drive brand awareness, raise profiles and accelerate sales growth through unique event activations. Founder and Chief Executive Patsy Bass said: “The appointment of Jason confirms our commitment to ensuring we drive trade and consumer engagement, through the pursuit of education, while providing unique and authentic brand experiences.” Clark was due to return to New Zealand in January after seven years in the UAE and UK working with some of the most admired brands in the luxury spirits category. Reefton Distilling’s range includes award-winning Little Biddy Gin and Wild Rain Vodka, as well as tayberry and blueberry liqueurs. The company says it is in a growth phase and is building capacity at a senior level, investing in the expansion of the domestic market and positioning the brand in key international markets. 12 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022
Asahi Beverages unveils sustainability targets ASAHI BEVERAGES has announced a new sustainability agenda that covers climate change, sustainable packaging, the circular economy, supporting local farmers and more. The company says the agenda introduces new targets while incorporating previously announced ones, helping to protect the planet and build a more sustainable business. The targets include: • Sourcing 100% of purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2025. • Zero waste to landfill at manufacturing sites or warehouses by 2030. • Reducing scope 3 CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 and to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Asahi says it is engaging its suppliers to help reduce CO2 emissions beyond its own business operations. • All packaging to be 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. • Transition to 100% eco-friendly materials for PET Bottles by 2030. (Eco-friendly means either compostable, bio based or 100% recycled content. ) Asahi Beverages employs more than 3,500 people across 26 manufacturing and corporate sites in Oceania, including 400 in New Zealand, with employees directly engaged in helping guide how the business achieves its targets through internal ‘think tanks’. Asahi Beverages says it is already committed to taking an industry-leading sustainability position by shifting Asahi Beverage NZ’s vehicle fleet from diesel and petrol to hybrid; using 100% recycled PET for Cool Ridge water (sold in New Zealand and Australia); and supporting New Zealand growers by purchasing barley locally. It is forming a JV to build a PET recycling plant in Albury, NSW that will process the equivalent of around one billion plastic bottles and be Oceania’s largest when it officially opens in coming months. Asahi Beverages says that this will help the business to achieve its target of developing partnerships to collect and repurpose more plastic for recycling by 2025. It is also installing at the Yatala Brewery in Queensland the largest solar project at any brewery in Oceania, helping to achieve the target of sourcing all electricity from renewable sources by 2025. In New Zealand, Asahi Beverages NZ is also a proud supporter of Sustainable Coastlines (through Phoenix Organics) with staff regularly taking part in beach clean-ups.