Boulevard Brewing creates closed-loop beer bottle source

artist rendering of Boulevard lightweight bottle 2

After realizing Kansas Citians were throwing 150 million pounds of recyclable glass into area landfills each year, including some 10 million empty Boulevard bottles, the brewery formed Ripple Glass, a glass recycling company, to help completely close the loop in glass bottle consumption. 

"Consumers are interested in environmentally friendly products, and we strive to be more environmentally responsible as a company every day," says Jeremy Ragonese, director of marketing for Boulevard Brewing.
Jeff Krum, Boulevard's chief financial officer and principal of Ripple Glass, adds: "Boulevard Brewing started Ripple Glass because, despite strong local and regional demand for cullet, there was no meaningful collection or recycling of glass in the Kansas City area."

Ripple Glass built a state-of-the-art processing plant and developed a metro-wide collection network with the help of area businesses, community organizations, area citizens and businesses and large companies, including Boulevard Brewery Co.'s bottle supplier Verallia, which use recycled glass. 

"Boulevard Brewing started Ripple Glass because, despite strong local and regional demand for cullet, there was no meaningful collection or recycling of glass in the Kansas City area," said Jeff Krum, Boulevard's chief financial officer and principal of Ripple Glass. "With the help of area businesses, community organizations, area citizens and businesses, and large companies like Verallia who use recycled glass, we were able to dramatically increase glass recycling rates in Greater Kansas City."

artist rendering of Boulevard lightweight bottle 1

Once the recycled glass (which is called cullet) is processed at Ripple, Verallia purchases amber cullet, much of which originated in beer bottles, including those used by Boulevard, to manufacture more amber ECO Series beer bottles to be sold back to Boulevard. "It's a great way to close the loop, protect the environment, and even save money on the manufacturing of future glass beer bottles," said Krum. "We are glad to be working alongside Verallia in this effort."

Verallia expects to purchase 2,000 tons of cullet from Ripple Glass in 2011 and more in future years as glass recycling rates continue to increase. Currently, Verallia uses an average of 29 percent of recycled glass to manufacture new glass containers for beer, wine, food, beverage, and spirits industries.

"Our goal is to produce new glass containers with 50 percent recycled content by 2013," says Joseph R. Grewe, president and CEO of Verallia North America. "The relationship with Boulevard Brewing and Ripple Glass not only helps us reach that goal but allows us to support an important customer in its efforts to reduce costs and environmental impact."

Boulevard Brewing has distribution of its beer in 19 states and currently bottles seven unfiltered wheat beers and five seasonal beers in Verallia's ECO Series lightweight bottles.

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