Sponsored by Steel Keg Association
Why should a restaurant care about sustainability?
Dan Vorlage: Operators’ first priority is making their business sustainable. That means making efficient use of finite resources like capital, labor and materials. Steel kegs are remarkably efficient through the beer supply chain because they deliver bulk beverages and are highly reusable. It’s added value that this efficiency also means kegs are environmentally sustainable.
You call steel kegs the “original reusable container.” Why?
DV: Reusability is a big deal. Millions of people are changing their behavior because of reusability. They now carry reusable steel water bottles because they know they’re eliminating single-use plastic bottles from waste streams and they’re also saving money. Steel kegs work the same way for bar and restaurant operators…Kegs presently remove about half of all single-use beer containers from the bar / restaurant waste stream each year in the U.S. alone, that’s approximately 6 billion containers! Converting the other half to draft removes a combined 12+ billion single-use containers. That’s a goal worth raising a pint to, and we’re encouraging others to join in.
What are the sustainability/reusability benefits of steel kegs for the average restaurant operator?
DV: The Steel Keg Association commissioned Deloitte, whose sustainability consulting practice is one of the most respected in the world, to conduct an ISO-14040 framework Life Cycle Analysis comparing reusable steel kegs to single-use containers. Based on this study, the average sports bar saves over 13,000 pounds of single-use packages from landfill each year and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 5,000 kg of CO2 equivalents by focusing on draft from reusable steel kegs. That's because, given the infrastructure and other challenges associated with recycling, the majority of single-use containers are not recycled. The more any operator uses reusable steel kegs, the more good they can do.
For operators, what are the economic benefits of serving beer from steel kegs?
DV: It’s exciting that reusable kegs deliver both economic and sustainability advantages…a bar can do well financially while doing good for the planet! Deloitte conducts countless LCA’s each year globally for companies of all sizes and in all industries and they helped us understand that if something has a sustainability/carbon footprint advantage (which kegs have), it’s an indication of economic advantage. As an example, draft beer served in bars and restaurants deliver approximate 80% contribution margins — some of the best margins in their operations. Given the financial pressure bars and restaurants are under, the healthy economics reusable kegs deliver are more critical than ever.
Operators are always talking about the “customer experience”, how do kegs fit in?
When you think about it, a tap line up is the marquee for beer and sets the stage for this unique, fresh, consumer experience. Consumers feel close to the source when they see draft beer pouring. It’s not a surprise because brewers will tell you steel kegs deliver their beer the way they intended. It’s the freshest, most flavorful beer available. We’re also seeing more and more operators leverage their draft systems to serve beyond beer products more efficiently… wine, cocktails, non-alcohol products and more.
What’s the story behind the Steel Keg Association?
DV: As bars and restaurants battled through the pandemic and continue to face its aftershocks and other challenges, things like efficiency, sustainability, and customer experience have become more important than ever. The leading companies in the global keg supply chain came together and recognized that there’s an opportunity to help decision makers at bars and restaurants see steel kegs in a new light. When we talk with them about the sustainability, efficiency and freshness benefits reusable steel kegs deliver, they have this “a-ha” moment: They see that reusable steel kegs have a more important role to play in their operations, helping them to achieve their economic and environmental sustainability goals. So we’re expanding our marketing efforts and providing resources on our website (activation tools like coasters and table tents) to help bars and restaurants tap into the full potential of steel kegs.
About the Steel Keg Association
The Steel Keg Association is a marketing-focused non-profit organization, on a mission to help increase the volume of beer and other beverages served from stainless steel kegs. The Association’s founding members represent a diverse collection of leaders in the global steel keg supply chain: BLEFA GmbH, Disptek, Hillebrand Gori, Micro Matic, MicroStar Logistics, Schaefer Container Systems, and THIELMANN. To learn more or get involved, email [email protected] or visit www.steelkegassociation.org.
