We packed our bags again to participate in the largest trade fair for the bar and beverage industry, the Bar Convent Berlin 2023.
The German capital and more than 12 thousand visitors from around 90 countries (BCB 2022 data) await us once again to share our smooth, balanced, and well-made tequila and the sustainability philosophy behind our brand.
On this occasion, in addition to our flavor and innovative packaging, we want to share the projects we are working on to reduce our carbon footprint in each step of our production and distribution chain… New presentations and innovations are on the way!
See you from October 9 to 11 at the Exhibition Center Berlin, stand A1710. Let’s meet and talk about tequila and sustainability!
For questions and more information, please contact:
AliasSmith AB, Omar Corona +46 8309855, omar@aliassmith.se
This is probably as good as a Monday will ever get! Margaritas competition and tacos. What better plan!
The best margarita with Buen Vato will be awarded next August 28 in Cinco, Aarhus, Denmark. The judging will be based on taste, creativity, ability to complement and enhance the Buen Vato character, presentation (cocktail look and storytelling), and a sustainability aspect.
After crowning the ultimate Buen Vato, we will have tacos with a unique cocktail menu prepared by Cinco.
See the details of the event and register at the following link:
More than 40 degrees of temperature in many of our countries already seems to be common news every summer. These rising temperatures are just one of the many effects of environmental damage caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities. A reminder that governments, industries, and individuals must do something to stop the damage to the planet. A reminder also for us, as a brand in the tequila industry, to continue looking for options to reduce our carbon footprint at every stage of our production and distribution process.
On average, Tequila at 40% alcohol volume produces 3 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per liter. The raw material (agave crops) does not play an important role here as it only contributes 1/10 of the total GHG emissions. On the other hand, the processing of raw materials and packaging is the main contributor, representing approximately 2/5 and 1/5 respectively. The use of fossil fuels (mainly fuel oil) and heavy glass bottles are the causes of these high contributions.
As our commitment is to drive change in the tequila industry, Buen Vato has worked to find lighter packaging options. Our next step is to start a project to reduce carbon emissions from the main source of tequila production, fossil fuels for the cooking and distillation process, and we believe biofuels are a great option.
But… what are biofuels?
Biofuels have become an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, since they are produced from renewable biomass sources, such as plants, animals, and food waste, have lower pollutant emissions, and are fully biodegradable. Biofuels also release carbon dioxide; however, a higher amount of carbon dioxide is typically captured during the cultivation of renewable biomass and/or during biofuel production, making them “carbon-negative fuels.” The challenge is the production capacity to meet current demand.
There are mainly two categories of biofuels, first and second generation. First-generation biofuels are produced from edible biomass, such as corn, sugarcane, and oilseeds. Hence, crop production for first-generation biofuels competes with land use for food production, limiting availability. Second-generation biofuels were developed to overcome this limitation, using non-edible biomass available in greater amounts (for example wood and waste) as feedstock. One of these feedstocks is “used cooking oil”, which can be used to produce biodiesel to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel.
We know that it is not an easy process, but once again we are willing to work on it. That is why we are in the phase of searching for experts in the biofuels field, ranging from suppliers, consultants, and researchers, who can guide us to face the challenges of implementing a plan to reduce the impact of the fossil fuels at the distillery by up to 90% using biofuels that come from used cooking oil. So, we hope in a while to announce this great news.
References:
Pleanjai, S. Gheewala, S. Garivait, S. “Greenhouse gas emissions from production and use of used cooking oil methyl ester as transport fuel in Thailand”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 17, pp. 873-876, 2009.
Buen Vato. Carbon emission in the Tequila industry: something we have to think about. 2022.
Ciao! A memory of wonderful days, meeting new friends who share our interest in sustainability at the Roma Bar Show, the Italian event dedicated exclusively to the beverage industry and the world of mixology.
With the Palazzo Dei Congressi as a backstage, from 29 to 30 May we were in the Mexican Village presenting our great flavor to the visitors, sharing the philosophy of our brand, and talking about sustainability with our speech on carbon emissions in the industry and the challenge that will revolutionize the industry.
The public has chosen us! Buen Vato obtained Gold Medal in this competition where consumers judge spirits, unaffected by industry bias. “This pragmatic and refreshing model of evaluation provides an honest stage for feedback and recognition where top brands showcase their achievements”, SIP Awards.
The qualification of the products is carried out in a completely blind tasting, where consumers value the spirits’ aroma, taste, and finish. So, we are very happy that consumers have preferred the aroma and flavor of Buen Vato to award it gold among mixed tequilas.
Buen Vato is a tequila that values taste and sustainability with the same reverence. We work on improving in each stage of our process in order to reduce our carbon emissions, but also to offer quality and a great flavor and experience to our consumers.
In 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created and adopted by all United Nations (UN) Member States as an urgent response to global environmental damage and its huge consequences as high temperatures, floods, extreme droughts, species extinction… and the list is long.
This call for action, as it is named by the UN, is halfway, so it was the moment to evaluate its progress. Unfortunately, as it was expected, the results are not positive, according to the General Assembly Economic and Social Council´s report of progress (on May 2023), many of the SDGs are moderately to severely off track and it is necessary to accelerate the implementation of the goals.
Coming back to the route to get closer to the goal in 2030 requires a rescue plan, the meeting calling to make it could be in September, and the commitment of all social actors, not only governments. As an industry, we have a big responsibility.
United Nations (UN). Sustainable Development Goals.
What about the spirits industry?
According to the Mario Molina Centre and the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT), on average, Tequila at 40% alcohol volume produces 3 kg of carbon emissions (CO2e) per liter. The greatest contribution to the emissions comes from the consumption of fossil fuels for steam generation in the production of tequila, followed by the indirect emissions from the production of the glass bottle and the transportation and distribution of the tequila to the consumer. In the agricultural phase, the largest contribution comes from the use of nitrogen fertilizers.
Mario Molina Centre and the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT).
In 2022 Mexico produced 651 million liters of tequila and exported 416 million, which means, approximately, a carbon footprint of 1,953,000 tons of CO2e in total, and 1,248,000 tons of CO2e only for the tequila that was exported.
In Sweden, the monopoly for alcoholic beverages Systembolaget has implemented some initiatives to move us closer to the SDGs. For example, the DKI Dryckesbranschens Klimatiniciativ (The beverage industry’s Climate Initiative), where the participants report in a joint tool to measure, monitor and target their climate impact. Currently, 86% of Systembolaget’s sold volume is reported. The results are shocking. Packaging materials (61%) and freight transport (26%) are the largest emission item for importers of beverages. The situation could look similar in the rest of the world.
DKI Dryckesbranschens Klimatiniciativ.
Buen Vato´s commitment
Buen Vato was born in 2020 due to the necessity of acting right now. Our first focus was to solve two of the biggest problems for the environment in the industry: packaging and transport. That´s why we became the world’s first tequila sold in a 94% recycled paperboard bottle, with 84% fewer carbon emissions per bottle. We also decided to bottle as close as possible to the final consumer, so with this measure and the lighter packaging we reduce 0.52 kg/CO2 per liter of tequila.
To produce our tequila, we consider quality and sustainability. In 2019 we started hand-to-hand work with Destilería La Santa Rosa in Mexico, one of our providers who previously failed three audits of Amfori BSCI, a set of principles or standards that enables companies to monitor, engage, get empowered, and receive support to put sustainable trade at the heart of their business and improve social performance at their supply chain. With our support and more than 1000 hours invested, they finally approved it. So, it´s not a coincidence that Buen Vato is produced in this distillery.
Besides to continue searching for innovative and sustainable packaging options, and monitoring compliance with the code of conduct in the distillery, we plan to lower the impact of the fossil fuels at the distillery by up to 85% using biofuels that came from used cooking oil, right now we are searching for expert support from universities and for suppliers. We also wish to have a circular distillery, reusing our waste as a source of renewable energy, instead of disposing of it in the environment. Is this thinking big? Maybe, but by thinking big Buen Vato is a reality.
And the rest of the chain?
As we said all actors are important to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. For example, as an investor or importer, you can support small producers to implement sustainable practices and better conditions like a code of conduct for their employees, it is a contribution to the industry but also to society.
As a consumer, conscious shopping, not just in the spirits industry, is an important step. In the case of tequila, people traditionally rate tequila because of its raw material, production process, taste, and other parameters that are important, but what about also considering the environmental and social impact?
Luckily there are global efforts to have better results for a better world in 2030, small and big brands implementing Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and projects, and more informed consumers trying to make better decisions. But the goal is high and requires everyone’s commitment and effort. The rescue plan belongs to everyone.
References
Mario Molina Center; CRT, “Sustainability Strategy for the Agave-Tequila Production Chain”, Mario Molina Center, 2016.
United Nations; UN. General Assembly Economic and Social Council. Advance Unedited Version. United Nations, 2023.
With 96 points, our tequila won a gold medal at the International World Spirit Competition.
120 of the world’s leading spirits experts tasted and judged 4,100 entries from 98 countries, so we are very proud that our flavor has been recognized, awarded, and described as: “Beautifully floral, bursting with sweet grassy aromas and delightful savoury tones. Seductively viscous, the palate reveals notes of toasted corn and a whisp of smoke, paving the way to an elegant finish, with a lingering citrus zing. Superb!”
According to the IWSC, this is more than a competition, “It is a global wine and spirits community, focused on people and expertise”, with the mission to champion the best wine and spirits from around the world. In the competition, the IWSC recognizes Tequila as a popular category that grew during the pandemic, with people’s interest in enjoying it at home, and its versatility in terms of flavors and cocktail recipes.
This result motivates us to continue working on our product and our entire sustainability project behind the brand.
Buen Vato values taste and sustainability with the same reverence, and the 4,5 stars over 5 that Difford´s Guide gave to this Tequila Blanco is proof of this.
This global authority on drinking culture highlighted the raw material and process of Buen Vato, as a tequila made of agave harvested in the Valley of Tequila, cultivated without herbicides and pesticides by a 5th generation tequila maker family, cooked in an autoclave (pressure cooker), slowly fermented without any accelerator and distilled in stainless steel pot stills.
Difford´s guide also described the reason because Tequila Buen Vato is not 100% agave, mainly that to minimize the environmental impact, Buen Vato is bulk shipped in tanks at 55% alc./ vol. and it is bottled in Europe using paperboard bottles.
“Although this tequila cannot claim to be “100% agave” it still stands up well when compared to many tequilas that are. And with its sustainable credentials, Buen Vato is an attractive well preposition for bars”, Difford´s guide.
Read the article here: https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/7698/buen-vato-tequila
Sustainability is at the center of many discussions. Luckily! Because minimizing the negative social and environmental impact of corporations but also of daily activities needs to be a priority.
Even the drinks that we consume have a carbon footprint, but Buen Vato is convinced that it is possible to enjoy alcoholic beverages in the most sustainable way possible. So here are three simple tips or ideas to enjoy sustainable cocktails.
Check the products that you buy
The first step is to do conscious shopping. Today is easy to check the labels of the products and get information about the producers. Such as all that we buy, it’s important to verify if the products, like spirits, are responsible to the environment and the society in their production and distribution processes and with their packages. Does this take longer? Maybe, but the world needs it.
Zero waste cocktails
Fruits and vegetables can give interesting notes to our cocktails, and we can sustainably use them. Avoid exotic fruits and use local and seasonal products. Use the whole product, from the leaves to the skin, and buy some of them that people discard because they don´t look perfect. Another tip is to use dried fruits and herbs or fermented drinks to avoid perishable ingredients.
Fewer residues, please!
In recent years we have seen the devastating effect of residues on the environment. Fortunately, people use fewer and fewer straws in their drinks. Avoid elements like paper umbrellas or napkins, you can be creative in your cocktail’s decoration with fruit waste, for example. Although we can recycle, it´s better don´t generate residues.
So, enjoy your sustainable cocktails, and let’s raise your glass and say: Here’s to change!
According to The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, nearly 1 in 10 children are subjected to child labour worldwide, and almost half of them are in hazardous work that is detrimental to their health and development. In the least developed countries, the situation is worse, more than one in four children are subjected to child labour.
The main reason for child labour is poverty, when the families have financial challenges because the caregiver falls ill, loses their job or the money isn´t enough for the basic needs. It compromises the physical, mental, social, or educational development of children and it can lead to bigger consequences like slavery and sexual or economic exploitation.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the percentage of children and adolescents in child labour decreased from 10.8% in 2008 to 7,3% in 2016, says the International Labour Organization, ILO, in its technical note in 2020. However, there are still around 10.5 million children and adolescents in child labour, an alarming number that could be higher after the pandemic.
As a society, we must be aware of our direct and indirect responsibility for child labour. The companies are committed to verifying the working conditions of all those who intervene in our business chain, and as consumers, we must choose the products of companies that are responsible and contribute to the community.
Buen Vato is against child labor, all illegal practices, and unfavorable conditions for workers. We vowed to only work with producers who share our values, ensuring their working conditions of the required modern humanitarian standards. We have invested over 1700 hours, over four years, helping Buen Vatos´ distillery in Mexico (Destilería La Santa Rosa) understand the code of conduct and still meet with them every week to ensure standards are being maintained.
Improvements include contracts for all workers and a labour union plan, onsite doctor visits, contractual human rights policies, and ongoing guidance on ethical business practices. “We’re very proud of the CSR projects we’re involved in within Mexico, which improve the lives of the employees and their families,” explains Mayra Zapata, Buen Vato co-founder, and CSR manager.
References:
International Labour Organization, ILO. “Impact on the labour market and income in Latin America and the Caribbean”, 2020.
