Leading Global Keg Supply Chain Companies Form New Steel Keg Association, Shine a Light on Circularity
Posted: April 29, 2022
Houston, TX / April 29, 2022 / –Stainless steel kegs’ reusability and 30+ year lifespan make them the ideal circular choice for bars and restaurants. This fact makes steel kegs a vital part of the beverage industry and is the catalyst for the formation of the new Steel Keg Association.
“Most people have never thought of kegs as the ultimate reusable containers… when you choose draft from steel kegs, you’re making the most sustainable choice by removing single-use packages from recycling and landfill streams,” said Dan Vorlage, Executive Director of the newly formed association. “Take beer enjoyed in bars and restaurants in the U.S. as an example. Kegs presently remove about half of all single-use beer containers from the bar / restaurant waste stream each year, 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.”
“The BevPros, a member of the UN Global Compact, has been an advocate for sustainability and environmental stewardship for many years,” stated Scott Moorad, CEO of The BevPros Keg Solutions & Supply Chain Services and SKA Founding Board Member. “Our EcoBev product management solution has executed thousands of projects over the past 20 years recycling product and packaging while generating renewable energy. The sustained and increased use of kegs aligns with our mission to support brewers of all sizes get their products to market, while supporting their sustainability goals. It is a natural fit for us to fully embrace and promote the Steel Keg Association and its mission.”
The Steel Keg Association’s marketing programs are supported by a new ISO-14040 framework Life Cycle Analysis from Deloitte. Kyle Tanger, Managing Director in Deloitte’s U.S. sustainability practice, says “Steel kegs are truly one of the best examples of reusability and circularity, with decades of reuse potential. In the U.S., compared to single use containers, steel kegs save over 400,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and keep roughly 500,000 tons of packaging out of landfills each year.”
Prabh Hans, VP of Domestic Services for The BevPros who served as an early contributor to the Ellen MacArthur Foundations work on building Circular Economies, also sits on the Board. Hans shared “The Association’s goal of educating about the upside of beer in kegs and expanding keg use into other beverage categories is needed especially as we come out of the last two years of on premise closures”.
The Steel Keg Association’s education programs will also highlight that steel kegs drive superior economic benefits for bars and restaurants. Additionally, marketing programs will showcase how consumers and brewers appreciate the uniquely “fresh” draft beer experience.
TheBevPros will leverage its domestic and global networks to promote the Steel Keg Associations efforts first in the U.S. beer market, expanding to the U.K. and Western Europe later in 2022.
About TheBevPros
The BevPros, formerly Hillebrand Gori, now a DHL company, has provided global beverage logistics services for over 178 years. The company is recognized as an industry leader in providing keg sourcing, tracking, return logistics, and refurbishment services to brewers throughout the world, enabled by its extensive distributor and supply chain networks.
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, The BevPros, MicroMatic, MicroStar Logistics, Schaefer Container Systems and THIELMANN. To learn more or get involved, email info@steelkegs.org or visit www.steelkegassociation.org.