Sustainability In Cider Making

Joseph Hopwood, from Vitikit, gives his thoughts on sustainability and why it is something not to be ignored in the cider industry.

Sustainability probably isn’t the first thing you think of when thinking of cider. However, as we continue into the 2020s, it’s hard to escape sustainability as an ever important issue. The world of cider indeed has it’s part to play in making the world we live in more sustainable. This latest article will cover what sustainability is, what you could do as a cider maker to help and why it is becoming increasingly trendy to do so.

Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. At first, you might think of the environment but sustainability in fact covers the issues in society and economics as well.

Assessing The Environmental Impact Of The Cider Making Process

When considering the impact of a product – in this case cider and how it is produced using cider making equipment – you must consider the whole life cycle. That includes material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, usage and disposal and everything else in between. This is a lot to think about but taking little steps and engaging in some thought can reduce the impact your cidery has on the environment.

You will be pleased to know that cider as a product is one of the most sustainable alcoholic beverages, with the worst being spirits. The orchards used to produce cider are an important part of the ecosystem and help protect biodiversity, with insects, invertebrates, and small mammals calling the orchards home.

The largest impact from cider will come from processing the cider and the packaging used. Packaging is by far the largest of these two. Common packaging methods such as aluminium may be recyclable but it’s initial extraction is emission intensive, and uses up natural resources. An alternative would be using either recycled aluminium or glass. These represent an easy and simple way to reduce the carbon footprint attached to a cider.

Moving With The Times – Sustainability & Eco-Friendliness

The subject of sustainability is becoming an increasing concern to the consumer, with 32% being highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. This is now a significant part of the market and to ignore the opportunity to engage with sustainability is no longer an option for many of the larger cider producers. Indeed, there are opportunities for cider makers of all sizes to stand out and show off their sustainable credentials. This is increasingly important in a market where their is a variety of choice on the shelf.

An initial step companies frequently take is sustainability reporting. This acts as a method to quantify the emissions and other measurables relating to the environment, alongside how the company plans to tackle the issue of sustainability going forward. This should not be used as just a tool to look good but rather a genuine effort to reduce the environmental impact of an organisation, although often the latter is a key motivator for many companies.

It’s clear there is no one size fits all to solving sustainability, but through progressive steps across the cider making industry, the impact on the planet can be reduced without losing focus on still producing great tasting cider. Interested in reading more articles from our team? Head to the Vitikit news or the V-Brew news sections for more.