Rodolfo Nervi, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, Global Safety & Quality at Bacardi (R) is behind the ecoSPIRITS partnership.

Bacardi has expanded its partnership with ecoSPIRITS through a new global licensing agreement that will broaden the deployment of circular packaging solutions across its spirits portfolio.

The agreement builds on a collaboration that began in 2023, when Bacardi became the first spirits company to introduce circular packaging in the cruise industry through a pilot with Carnival Cruise Line.

Under the new agreement, Bacardi will gain access to ecoSPIRITS’ full circular technology platform, including ecoTOTE, SmartPour, ecoPLANT and the CircularONE software platform, creating opportunities to expand reusable packaging across additional brands, channels and sectors.

The companies said the initial cruise pilot, which featured Bacardí Carta Blanca rum, has eliminated more than 130,000 single-use glass bottles and reduced packaging waste by more than 82,000kg while demonstrating the viability of circular packaging in high-volume cruise operations.

The new agreement also formalises a closer technical collaboration between the two companies. Bacardi contributed to the development of the ecoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition, a reusable container engineered specifically for maritime environments with enhanced corrosion resistance and compliance with US Public Health hygiene regulations.

“Our collaboration with Bacardi began with a bold idea: bringing circular packaging to the cruise industry for the first time. Since then, we’ve demonstrated what this model can deliver in a complex, high-volume environment,” said Paul Gabie, CEO of ecoSPIRITS.

“This new global agreement marks an important next step in our collaboration and creates a framework to explore broader future opportunities together across additional channels and sectors. The technical collaboration we’ve built with Bacardi also shows how brand owners and technology partners can work together to accelerate the transition away from single-use glass.”

Rodolfo Nervi, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, Global Safety & Quality at Bacardi, added: “At Bacardi, Good Spirited is about making better choices for both people and planet, while continuing to grow our business the right way.

Bacardi became the first spirits company to introduce circular packaging in the cruise industry in 2023 through a pilot with Carnival Cruise Line.

“Expanding our work in circular packaging builds on real progress we’ve already made to reduce waste across our portfolio and reflects our ambition to keep raising the bar. This agreement shows how collaboration and innovation can help accelerate positive change at scale.”

The partnership supports Bacardi’s wider Good Spirited sustainability programme, which includes increasing the use of reusable, recyclable and biodegradable packaging, removing plastic pourers from bottles and eliminating plastic from secondary packaging and point-of-sale materials across brands including Bacardí rum, Grey Goose vodka, Patrón tequila, Martini vermouth and Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky.

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