What are you drinking? Sustainable cider, of course
Asahi has reached a sustainability milestone now its Cornish Orchards cider is powered by 100% renewable energy sources. db finds out more. The post What are you drinking? Sustainable cider, of course appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Asahi has reached a sustainability milestone now its Cornish Orchards cider is powered by 100% renewable energy sources. db finds out more.
In what signals a marked achievement sees its cider farm in Duloe, southeast Cornwall being run without the use of any fossil fuels without any offsetting.
Speaking to the drinks business, about the cider brand’s achievements, Asahi UK corporate affairs director Ben Jenkins said: “At Cornish Orchards our fundamental focus is on quality – ranging from having the best ingredients, to attention to detail and craftsmanship throughout the whole cider-making process.”
Additionally, he highlighted how being open with consumers assisted with a show of transparency that people really craved and gives the brand amplified meaning.
Jenkins explained: “The story behind the product is really important – where it comes from and how it’s made – and we pride ourselves on Cornish Orchards having an authentic back-story, where everything has a purpose”.
To achieve renewable production, the main project for Cornish Orchards involved installing a combined air and water heat pump system to replace the diesel boiler used to generate hot water. The heat pump, which is powered by electricity, was bought directly from a solar farm in Somerset. This, according to Asahi, covers the vast majority of the 94% reduction in emissions it was aiming for with Cornish Orchards. To remove any remaining use of fossil fuels, Cornish Orchards has now also switched the small amount of diesel used for some farm equipment and boosting heat in colder months to HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) – a plant-based biofuel.
Highlighting the importance of the changes, Cornish Orchards head cider maker Chris Newton added: “When making our cider, the things we prioritise most are quality and authenticity. We aim to make the best-tasting cider with quality ingredients that our drinkers can trust. For me, this goes hand in hand with sustainability; true quality should transcend the product itself and include the positive impact it can have to the planet."
Newton assured: "We take an honest approach with everything we do; we do not use any apple concentrate when making our cider, and now we don’t use any fossil fuels either! Our founder’s ethos was to 'do simple things, with natural ingredients in a way that is kind to the environment' and that still stands true today.”
Flagging the fact that the move all points in the right direction for the brand, Jenkins also described how there was a lot of good practice when cidermaking that could be highlighted and this, along with Cornish Orchards being focused on sustainability means that such endeavors are also good hallmarks for showcasing the cider's premium credentials.
He told db: “There are many examples of this throughout the cider making process - from how we select and press our apples, to fermenting the cider naturally with fresh Cornish sea breeze. We equally see sustainability as a marker of quality, under our banner of producing cider in harmony with nature; which in-turn we rely upon for the core ingredients of our product,”
Asahi is now also looking to help to revive Cornish nature by planting four acres of woodland (capturing seven tonnes of CO₂ a year), with an additional 21 acres planned. To build upon this activity, its Cornish Orchards brand has also become "Partners in Pollination" with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust as one of its Reserve Guardians, supporting the work across the Trust’s nature reserves to boost pollinator populations.
As an additional boost, the team at Cornish Orchards has also created a wetland to clean water and provide a new habitat for different species and has built boxes for the bees and houses for the swallows with which they share the farm.
Noting how the company has shown dedication towards achieving its sustainability goals, Asahi UK sustainability manager Sam Goodenough highlighted how "the team has worked hard over the years to make the farm a haven for nature, from woodland planting to organic certification at the site, and now we have applied that same mindset to our cider making".
He admitted: "We’ve learnt a lot on the journey, and we are excited to be taking this new leap forward in sustainable cider production.”
The next goal for Cornish Orchards is to grow and reach a wider audience of cider drinkers. In a bid to appeal to more conscientious consumers, Asahi has just launched a new advertising campaign for the brand under the banner of ‘Cider You Can Trust’ and, with this activity it hopes to reach six million consumers and 58% of all cider drinkers, showing that it is not resting on its laurels.
In what signals a marked achievement sees its cider farm in Duloe, southeast Cornwall being run without the use of any fossil fuels without any offsetting.
Speaking to the drinks business, about the cider brand’s achievements, Asahi UK corporate affairs director Ben Jenkins said: “At Cornish Orchards our fundamental focus is on quality – ranging from having the best ingredients, to attention to detail and craftsmanship throughout the whole cider-making process.”
Additionally, he highlighted how being open with consumers assisted with a show of transparency that people really craved and gives the brand amplified meaning.
Jenkins explained: “The story behind the product is really important – where it comes from and how it’s made – and we pride ourselves on Cornish Orchards having an authentic back-story, where everything has a purpose”.
To achieve renewable production, the main project for Cornish Orchards involved installing a combined air and water heat pump system to replace the diesel boiler used to generate hot water. The heat pump, which is powered by electricity, was bought directly from a solar farm in Somerset. This, according to Asahi, covers the vast majority of the 94% reduction in emissions it was aiming for with Cornish Orchards. To remove any remaining use of fossil fuels, Cornish Orchards has now also switched the small amount of diesel used for some farm equipment and boosting heat in colder months to HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) – a plant-based biofuel.
Highlighting the importance of the changes, Cornish Orchards head cider maker Chris Newton added: “When making our cider, the things we prioritise most are quality and authenticity. We aim to make the best-tasting cider with quality ingredients that our drinkers can trust. For me, this goes hand in hand with sustainability; true quality should transcend the product itself and include the positive impact it can have to the planet."
Newton assured: "We take an honest approach with everything we do; we do not use any apple concentrate when making our cider, and now we don’t use any fossil fuels either! Our founder’s ethos was to 'do simple things, with natural ingredients in a way that is kind to the environment' and that still stands true today.”
Flagging the fact that the move all points in the right direction for the brand, Jenkins also described how there was a lot of good practice when cidermaking that could be highlighted and this, along with Cornish Orchards being focused on sustainability means that such endeavors are also good hallmarks for showcasing the cider's premium credentials.
He told db: “There are many examples of this throughout the cider making process - from how we select and press our apples, to fermenting the cider naturally with fresh Cornish sea breeze. We equally see sustainability as a marker of quality, under our banner of producing cider in harmony with nature; which in-turn we rely upon for the core ingredients of our product,”
Asahi is now also looking to help to revive Cornish nature by planting four acres of woodland (capturing seven tonnes of CO₂ a year), with an additional 21 acres planned. To build upon this activity, its Cornish Orchards brand has also become "Partners in Pollination" with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust as one of its Reserve Guardians, supporting the work across the Trust’s nature reserves to boost pollinator populations.
As an additional boost, the team at Cornish Orchards has also created a wetland to clean water and provide a new habitat for different species and has built boxes for the bees and houses for the swallows with which they share the farm.
Noting how the company has shown dedication towards achieving its sustainability goals, Asahi UK sustainability manager Sam Goodenough highlighted how "the team has worked hard over the years to make the farm a haven for nature, from woodland planting to organic certification at the site, and now we have applied that same mindset to our cider making".
He admitted: "We’ve learnt a lot on the journey, and we are excited to be taking this new leap forward in sustainable cider production.”
The next goal for Cornish Orchards is to grow and reach a wider audience of cider drinkers. In a bid to appeal to more conscientious consumers, Asahi has just launched a new advertising campaign for the brand under the banner of ‘Cider You Can Trust’ and, with this activity it hopes to reach six million consumers and 58% of all cider drinkers, showing that it is not resting on its laurels. 
