Bacardi Circular Economy Initiative Diverts Fruit Waste from Bars

Bacardi’s 42Below Vodka brand’s circular economy initiative collects used lemons, martini olives, and other fruit waste from bars, turns it into liquid soap and sends it back to the bars for free. The project has diverted 400 kilograms of fruit waste from landfills since it launched in December 2016, creating 20,000 sachets and 400 bottles of liquid soap. The beverage company says it is the “world’s first soap made from recycled cocktail lemons, and probably the odd martini olive.”

The initiative has been a boon to participating bars, saving them money on soap and reducing their waste generated.

Customers in the bathrooms where they use the soap see posters that explain the process. This circular economy initiative will also likely translate to increased loyalty and sales for the bars themselves.

42Below has signed up a several bars in Australia and New Zealand to participate in the project. No word on if the initiative will expand to the US or Europe. But it is one of several global environmental sustainability efforts pursued by Bacardi in recent years.

Source: Environmental Leader