AB InBev‘s Brazilian brewer, Ambev, is investing BRL 870 million (approximately USD 154 million) in a new sustainable glass plant in Paraná. It will have the capacity to produce bottles from recycled or broken glass, collected in partnership with local companies and organizations specializing in reverse logistics. The facility will help ensure further progress toward the company’s Circular Packaging Goal of having 100 percent of its products in either returnable packaging or made from a majority of recycled content by 2025.
The glass plant will operate with 100 percent renewable electricity or renewable purchased electricity, have the capacity to run on biofuels and use cutting-edge technology to ensure high water and energy efficiency. Expected to start operating in 2025, the new plant will produce bottles for brands such as Stella Artois, Beck’s and Spaten, and will supply Ambev breweries across several states, including Paraná.
“This new glass plant is another important step in our sustainability journey,” says Rodrigo Figueiredo, Vice President of Sustainability and Procurement at Ambev. “It will make a positive impact on several aspects of our brewing operations ecosystem. In addition to working toward our Circular Packaging Goal, the plant will play an important role in helping us meet other sustainability goals, including having 100 percent purchased electricity coming from renewable sources. We are investing deeply in the recovery to create a future with more cheers.”
Ambev’s first glass plant opened in 2008 in Rio de Janeiro. Today, it operates with the highest percentage of recycled material in Brazil and it is the country’s first facility with a 100 percent recycled glass bottle produced on an industrial scale. In addition, Ambev also operates one of the first and largest carbon-neutral brewery and malting site in the country.
The new plant in Paraná is expected to generate more income and jobs for the state. The investment announcement was celebrated during a ceremony with the governor of Paraná, Ratinho Júnior, government representatives and Ambev leaders.