News

Today, Budweiser Brewing Group, the UK arm of AB InBev, together with Rusal, the Metals segment of En+ Group (LSE: ENPL; MOEX: ENPG), the world’s largest producer of low carbon aluminium, Canpack, global manufacturer of aluminium beverage cans, and Elval - the Aluminium Rolling Division of ElvalHalcor SA (Greece), announce the launch of a pilot to produce an AB InBev beer can with the lowest ever carbon footprint.  

The pilot will see the production of five million ultra-low carbon Budweiser 440ml cans using new inert anode aluminium technology, produced using renewable electricity. The cans will carry the lowest ever carbon footprint for an AB InBev can and will be sold across UK retailers as soon as autumn 2021.

The low carbon can is the result of a partnership amongst sustainability-minded businesses who have worked together to pilot the initiative in Europe. The cans will be produced by Canpack UK using 100% renewable electricity and made out “and made out of aluminium coils manufactured by Elval”. The metal was produced by replacing the usual primary aluminum with the Allow Inerta - ultra-low carbon primary aluminium produced by Rusal with the breakthrough emission-free inert anode technology*. The cans will be filled at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I breweries in Magor, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire powered by 100% renewable electricity.

By partnering across the value chain, the can is traceable back to its source. It starts with Allow Inerta, produced with the breakthrough inert anode technology, and it is mixed with recycled aluminum. This new formula achieves the lowest ever carbon footprint for an AB InBev aluminium can, it is infinitely recyclable, and brings the future of low-carbon, sustainable packaging to consumers.

The low-carbon cans will continue to support decarbonisation through their endless recyclability. Three quarters of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today and decarbonisation is accelerating in the industry, showing consumers can trust aluminium as a circular and low-carbon packaging material.

Alongside its ambitious global sustainability goals, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I aims to brew the UK’s most sustainable beers. Since January this year, the company has brewed every single can, bottle and keg in the UK with 100% renewable electricity from its own wind turbine and two solar farms. Following a £115+ million investment, the brewer has also removed plastic rings from its entire portfolio and has met its goal of brewing with 100% British-grown barley, reducing carbon emissions and championing local agriculture. 

Ioannis Koufopanos, Sustainability Director at Elval, the aluminium rolling division of ElvalHalcor, said:

“We are excited to participate in this fascinating project. Focused on sustainability, innovation and collaboration, we contribute to the value chain of this challenging pilot. Supporting our partners for the delivery of this low carbon beer can demonstrates our strong commitment to sustainable growth towards carbon neutral and circular products. 

Steve Hodgson, Director of Sales and Marketing of Rusal, said;

“The work is a result of a partnership that stretches across the whole value chain for the first time- from the mining of bauxite used to produce aluminium, right through to the consumer enjoying a cold Budweiser. EN+’s Metals segment, Rusal, Budweiser Brewing Group, Canpack, and Elval together are shaping the future of low-carbon aluminium and sustainable packaging.” 

Mauricio Coindreau, Sustainability Director at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, said: “Like our consumers, we care about climate change, and want to make it as easy as possible for people to choose environmentally-friendly options in their day-to-day lives, whether it’s enjoying a beer brewed with 100% renewable electricity and locally sourced ingredients, or now in a low-carbon can. We’re excited about this pilot, made possible thanks to the collaboration with our partners and this amazing technological breakthrough, and we look forward to being able to roll it out even further.”  

John O'Maoileoin, Group Sustainability Director at Canpack, said:

“Although aluminium cans are one of the most sustainable packaging materials around thanks to the fact they can be recycled forever without any loss of quality, it’s been amazing to push their green credentials forward still further through real collaboration and to create a Budweiser can with a minimal carbon footprint.” 

*The inert anode technology from RUSAL, operated by renewable energy, generates one thousandth of the current average emissions for the industry. Direct and indirect smelter emissions are at 0.01, compared to 12 t CO₂/t Al for the industry average. The full cradle to gate GHG emissions of ALLOW INERTA - from bauxite to casthouse - come at a record low of 2.5 tCO₂/t Al, 85% lower than the industry average.

About Elval
Elval is the aluminium rolling division of ElvalHalcor S.A., one of the leading aluminium rolling manufacturers worldwide. For almost 50 years, Elval has been recognised as a trusted partner and innovative aluminium manufacturer, with a broad portfolio of quality products for the packaging, construction, shipbuilding, automotive, energy, industrial and HVAC&R markets. Through an established global commercial network across 21 countries, Elval exports approximately 80% of its production to more than 60 countries and offers sustainable and competitive solutions that meet the requirements of the most demanding global customers. For more information about Elval, please visit the website www.elval.com

About EN+

En+ Group is a leading international vertically integrated low carbon aluminium and hydropower producer. The Company combines power plants with a total installed capacity of 19.5 GW (including 15.1 GW of hydro power assets), and 3.8 Mt of annual aluminium production capacity (through a controlling stake in UC Rusal plc, the world’s largest aluminium producer outside of China in 2020) which is the major consumer of En+ Group’s hydroelectricity.

About Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I   

Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I is the trading name of AB InBev UK Limited, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with secondary listings on the Mexico (MEXBOL: ABI) and South Africa (JSE: ANB) stock exchanges and with American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I remains a proud part of AB InBev globally. In the UK, Budweiser Brewing Group employs 1,400 people in our three breweries in Magor, South Wales, Samlesbury, Lancashire and Enfield, North London and in our local headquarters in Central London. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest natural ingredients. We are proud to offer the UK’s leading premium beer, cider and seltzer brands, including global brands Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois®; international brands Bud Light®, Bud Light Seltzer®, Beck’s®, Leffe®, and Hoegaarden®; local champions Bass® and Boddingtons® and craft heroes Camden Town Brewery.    

We are here to champion Britain’s iconic beer culture, from barley farmers to pubs and retail; we are a founding member of the Portman Group, member of the British Beer and Pub Association and supporter of the Drinkaware Trust. We are also members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Renewable and Sustainability Energy and the All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Responsibility Group. Our Dream is to bring people together for a better world. Learn more at www.budweiserbrewinggroup.co.uk or on Twitter through @BudBrewingUKI.   

About Canpack Group

Canpack Group, part of the Giorgi Global Holdings, Inc is a global manufacturer of aluminium beverage cans and packaging solutions for the food industry, as well as glass bottles and metal closures. Headquartered in Krakow (Poland), the company employs nearly 8,000 people worldwide and has operations in 17 countries. Learn more at: www.canpack.com