Bacardi, ecoSPIRITS and Carnival Cruise Line Partner To Reduce Single-Use Glass at Sea

HAMILTON, Bermuda, August 29, 2023 /3BL/ - Family-owned spirits company Bacardi is launching a new initiative to introduce closed-loop packaging to the cruise industry this month, through a collaboration with Carnival Cruise Line ships and innovative circular economy technology company, ecoSPIRITS. 

The three-month long pilot will determine if re-usable containers - the ecoTOTE™ 3.0SC Cruise Edition, specifically developed by ecoSPIRITS for the maritime environment – can be used to serve BACARDĺ® rum on Carnival ships, in turn reducing single-use packaging by 95 percent. The concept will be tested on three ships operating from Miami: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Sunrise.

Each ecoTOTE replaces approximately four bottles of BACARDĺ® Superior rum, and each one is used, cleaned and refilled approximately 100 times, thereby creating a closed loop system. Within this pilot phase, approximately 9,400 bottles will be replaced thanks to the ecoSPIRITS system, thereby significantly reducing waste.

“We are continuously looking for opportunities to deliver our beautiful drinks in more sustainable packaging and formats, helping us build a greener future,” said Rodolfo Nervi, VP Global Safety, Quality & Sustainability for Bacardi. “Innovating in closed loop packaging has been a top priority for us for a number of years, so launching our very first ecoTOTE for BACARDĺ on a Carnival cruise ship and seeing the doors this trial will open, is an incredibly exciting step forwards in that journey.”

The award-winning rum was selected for the pilot because it is among the most-ordered spirits across the fleet and a staple of some of the craft cocktails most popular with Carnival guests. The rum will be transferred from ecoTOTE to serving format using ecoSPIRITS’ SmartPour™ technology. New silver and red BACARDĺ-branded SmartPours will be placed in select bars on the three ships for beverage team members to serve cocktails made with BACARDĺ Superior rum.

“We are extremely proud to be working with both Bacardi and Carnival on this industry first for the cruise sector. Working with forward-thinking partners like this strengthens our collective focus on sustainable practices and our shared goal to eventually eliminate packaging waste across the industry,” said Zdenek Kastanek, Managing Director, ecoSPIRITS USA. “We could not be more delighted to be welcoming Bacardi to our portfolio of Climate Partners and, by launching in ecoTOTE format for the first-time onboard Carnival’s ships, it will send a clear message that circular packaging is the most sustainable solution for the cruise industry.”

The new collaboration will also support the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program. For each cycle of an ecoTOTE delivered as part of the pilot, a donation will fund the removal of more than two pounds of single-use plastic, glass and other man-made wastes removed from endangered marine environments.

Currently, Carnival recycles single-use glass items. Each ship in the fleet is outfitted with a recycling center, where crew members sort paper, plastic and glass recyclables. Last year, Carnival processed more than 11 million pounds of recyclables. 

“As we continue to work towards our sustainability goals, the collaborative work of our beverage team, ecoSPIRITS and Bacardi is a great example of thinking in ways that are truly out-of-the-box, or in this case – out-of-the-bottle, to develop new partnerships and practices that further our ongoing efforts,” said Zachary Sulkes, senior director of beverage operations at Carnival Cruise Line.

This latest announcement from Bacardi comes as the company continues to seek out all opportunities to reduce packaging waste across its portfolio which includes BACARDĺ rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, MARTINI® vermouth and DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky. The company is on track to achieve its target of removing all plastic from its secondary packaging and point of sale materials by the end of 2023, and last year made the pioneering move to remove the plastic pourer from its bottles in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Spain and Portugal.

To find out more about Bacardi and its ESG – Environmental, Social & Governance – commitments, including its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, visit https://www.bacardilimited.com/esg/.

ABOUT BACARDI LIMITED 

Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur. Founded more than 161 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACT: eklam@bacardi.com – Erika Lam, Brand PR Director, BACARDĺ rum

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. For over 50 years, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports and employs more than 40,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival currently operates 25 ships and is in an exciting period of growth with the addition of two ships over the next two years.

MEDIA CONTACT: media@carnival.com

ABOUT ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 21 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas where almost 2,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 27 countries worldwide by late 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change. For more information visit www.ecospirits.global.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sonya.Hook@ecospirits.global —Sonya Hook, Senior PR Manager