Reduce, Reuse and Rethink

As a Canadian company, we try to reduce, reuse and rethink when it comes to shipping and recycling. It is a way to be eco-socially responsible to minimize our carbon footprint and impact on the planet.

When it comes to production, we are quite fortunate. We are able to recycle 97% of the packaging of the different ingredients we are using to make our beer jellies (namely beer cans, cartons, and plastic containers). Our organic waste is also limited, close to nil. We have put some effort into the research and development of our recipes to minimize the waste of ingredients as much as we can. And you know what, the glass jars of our beer jellies can be reused or recycle too. The loop is closed!

With Covid19, ways to do business have changed. Last year, we have made the decision to develop our website/e-commerce platform, and as a result, curbside pickup, delivery or shipping our products is now the norm.

The first decision we made was to continue to adopt sustainable business practices, waste-free packaging (made of 100% recyclable or compostable materials or intended for reuse) as one of our top priorities.

To achieve these goals, we have defined a few key parameters. The first is to be eco-friendly of course and use heavy-duty single wall boxes to ensure our products arrive intact. The second is to select different sizes of better-designed boxes to fit one to up to 8 beer jelly glass jars. The purpose is to minimize the empty space in the shipping box. As a result, we are able to reduce the amount of filler material used for each order. For bigger orders, we reuse the shipping materials from our suppliers. Our overall objective is to cut the weight of our shipping boxes as much as possible without compromising the safety of our shipped products. Our filler materials are 100% recycled kraft paper, indented kraft paper, or 100% natural and biodegradable hardwood strands.

We are not able yet to offer plastic-free shipping. Our next step will be to make all shipping materials (including tape) and labels 100% recyclable and 100% compostable. And soon we will start using kraft paper water-activated tape to close our shipping boxes.

This “green” tape is a brown/kraft paper tape that has a special natural starch adhesive that only activates when you wet it. This paper tape has been around since Thomas Edison invented it back in 1912. It’s been around for over 100 years, but most people don’t know about it and its many benefits.

Once the Starch based adhesive is activated and applied to the box, it becomes a part of the box. The tape acts as a new liner which reinforces the strength of the carton. The tape is so strong that you only have to use one strip as opposed to 3-5 pieces clear tape you see on many packages. This saves tremendously in the long run.

Finally, we are taking the same eco-friendly approach for our set of mini beer jellies in a box, or when we wrap individually our beer jellies for pick-up and delivery. Our overall objective is to create an appealing, minimalist, and eco-friendly style.

By adopting these steps, we have reduced our carbon footprint. Minimal packaging tends to reduce the cost. And when it comes to shipping, reduced weight is tantamount to decreased fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions, not to mention lowered transportation costs. We are all winners in this equation!

Every day, we are making little changes and efforts to make sure we are delivering you our products in eco-friendly way. We are proud of to be a part of a movement that takes care of our planet.

Happy International Earth Day!