Why sustainable drink suppliers are vital for UK hospitality venues
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Sustainability is a hot topic in hospitality, and with good reason. Customers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their choices and looking to visit venues that share their values. In this blog, we’ll explore why choosing sustainable drink suppliers is a smart move for UK hospitality venues.
As a British family cider maker, now entering our fifth generation, we’ve understood the importance of working in partnership with nature for over 120 years – and as the cider maker adding more growth than any other producer, we’re proof that environmental sustainability can offer economical sustainability too.
As consumer demand for products that are as good for the environment as they taste in the glass increases, we’ve taken steps to ensure our cider is not only delicious, but also crafted with the future of our planet in mind.
Reducing packaging and increasing range and visibility
Sustainability doesn’t have to mean higher costs for hospitality venues. In fact, sustainable choices often drive efficiency and profitability. Our Thatchers Fusion font, for example, offers three different fruit ciders from a single keg and tap. Not only does this save valuable bar space and reduce time spent switching between products, but it also brings fruit cider out of the fridge and on to the bar.
Switching to draught fruit cider helps venues cut their carbon impact too. Just one keg of cider can save up to half a tonne of carbon by eliminating the energy and emissions tied to producing and transporting glass bottles. That’s a big win for the environment — and a streamlined solution for busy venues looking to serve up more with less.
Nothing’s wasted
Even the apple left over after pressing is used for green energy or as feed for local cattle. We’re constantly reviewing our packaging too, from being the first to replace plastic rings with sustainably sourced card in 2016, to using lighter cans and saving the equivalent of a whopping 5.9 million cans a year. We’ve even changed the way we wash our kegs and fruit, reusing and recycling water to save consumption, and have switched to electric forklifts and LED lights.
100% Green electricity
Sustainability is woven into every part of our process. Our ciders are made using 100% green electricity, including power generated from our 3,500 solar panels. These solar panels generate clean, renewable energy, significantly reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Our new automated warehouse system connects directly to production, reducing vehicle movements, saving energy, and further minimising our carbon footprint.
Regenerative Farming
Being a farming family, we understand the importance of protecting the environment for future generations. That’s why we can spend up to three years regeneratively farming land, using nitrogen fixing plants and grazing animals to add nutrients back into the soil, before even planting our first tree. Healthy soil grows healthy trees, and that gives us the best quality apples, for the best tasting cider.
The orchards act as a carbon sink, locking up 182 tonnes of CO2 every year, and as the orchards aren’t ploughed, that carbon stays locked in. Next year we will be planting another 13,000 trees, which like all our orchards, will also be home to wildflower meadows and bees.
Carbon reduction
In the mill, new technology has been installed which captures all the CO2 created in the fermentation process and then reuses it as bubbles in the cider, closing the loop on carbon in our production process. This closed-loop system ensures that no carbon dioxide is wasted, making each pint a little more eco-friendly. Every bubble counts when it comes to reducing our impact on the planet.
Offering an optimistic solution to concerned customers
We know that customers care deeply about the environment, but they also want to feel empowered and optimistic about the impact of their choices. When you choose a supplier like Thatchers, you can reassure your guests that they’re enjoying a sustainable product without compromising on quality. Offering products that are sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly gives venues a positive story to share with their customers, helping to build brand loyalty and trust.
At Thatchers, we believe sustainability should be at the heart of every hospitality venue. By choosing sustainable drinks suppliers like us, you’re not only reducing your environmental footprint but also tapping into a growing demand for eco-friendly products. Together, we can raise a glass to a greener, more sustainable future — one pint of cider at a time.