Ska Brewing is first North American brewery to implement CanCollar® Corsair™ for plastics replacement in its packaging
Ska Brewing has never been keen on plastic packaging, but recently identified an alternative that supports its sustainability goals.
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing has completed the installation of a CanCollar® Corsair™ provided by WestRock. Ska is the first craft brewery in North America to implement this automation solution, which will enable the company’s transition from plastic rings to a fiber-based solution for its multipack product wraps.
Ska has never been keen on plastic packaging, but recently identified an alternative that supports its sustainability goals.
Enter WestRock, a global paper and packaging leader dedicated to sustainability whose portfolio includes solutions for craft and artisanal beverage producers. The company’s CanCollar® Corsair™ machine automatically applies various CanCollar® paperboard-based multipack formats to 24-pack trays of product, which gives Ska the ability to package all of its canned brand offerings — including four-packs and six-packs — using a solution that reduces plastics consumption by up to 95 percent when compared to alternative plastic multipack options.
“The CanCollar, which promotes circularity, will immediately reduce the amount of plastic Ska contributes to the environment by approximately four tons per year,” says Ska Brewing COO Steve Breezley. “This contributes to a reduction in overall waste and the carbon footprint associated with the shipping and storage of our products. The innovation, ethos and ethics behind this solution are what we’re all about.”
The installation of the CanCollar® Corsair™ is one of Ska’s ongoing, never-finished efforts to build a more sustainable future,” says Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “We saw the opportunity to implement this fiber-based CanCollar and we’re jumping on it. We hope it will become the industry standard moving forward.”
From the choice of aluminum cans over bottles and the recycling of bowling alley lanes and old denim in the tasting room design, to the reduction of water consumption in the brewhouse and so many other initiatives to reduce waste, Ska Brewing has been a thought leader paving the way for environmental innovation over the course of its nearly 28 years in business. The brewery would love to share these strategies with anyone who asks.
Beer lovers can look for all of Ska’s canned brand offerings to sport recyclable fiber collars applied by the CanCollar® Corsair™ on shelves starting in April.
Media inquiring about Ska Brewing or their sustainability objectives can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. Questions about WestRock can be directed to Robby Johnson at robby.b.johnson@westrock.com.
ABOUT SKA BREWING
Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
ABOUT WESTROCK
WestRock (NYSE: WRK) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, with more than 50,000 teammates in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Our integrated packaging capabilities offer end-to-end solutions to help customers address their greatest challenges.
Sleeping Giant and Boulder Beer Announce Partnership; New Manufacturing, Sales, and Marketing Relationship to keep Colorado’s First Craft Brewery On Shelves
Sleeping Giant will be manufacturing Boulder’s brands and taking over distribution and marketing of the Boulder-based institution’s beers in the marketplace.
DENVER, CO— Sleeping Giant, the first dedicated contract brewing company in the Western United States, announced today a new partnership with Boulder Beer Company that keeps Boulder beers in distribution without interruption. Sleeping Giant will be manufacturing Boulder’s brands and taking over distribution and marketing of the Boulder-based institution’s beers in the marketplace.
This news comes after Boulder Beer’s announcement in October 2019 to discontinue its widespread distribution and operate solely as a brewpub. This is still Boulder’s plan, with the new addition of Sleeping Giant as a manufacturing, sales, and marketing partner. Sleeping Giant approached Boulder after this announcement to discuss possibilities, and the two breweries quickly worked together to keep Boulder’s brands on shelves.
Going forward, Boulder Beer Shake, Mojo, Buffalo Gold, Hazed & Infused, Spaceman, and Due East will be brewed and packaged at Sleeping Giant, where state-of-the-art lab and brewing equipment will ensure the quality and consistency of Boulder’s brands and this 40-year-old namesake of Colorado beer.
“This is an exciting time for Boulder Beer,” says Gina Day, Boulder Beer Company Owner. “We are thrilled to have the brand continue its legacy and to continue to supply our loyal customers through retail markets.”
“For Sleeping Giant, this partnership was an amazing opportunity on multiple levels,” adds Matthew Osterman, President & Founder of Sleeping Giant. “We couldn’t be more proud to work with such an iconic brand, the first craft brewery in Colorado. Further, our new relationship will allow Sleeping Giant to better understand the distribution, sales, and marketing side of the business. Developing this expertise will allow us to assist our contract brewing clients, and provide yet another value-add service to our portfolio.
For more information about this new partnership between Sleeping Giant and Boulder Beer Company, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT SLEEPING GIANT BREWING COMPANY
Sleeping Giant is the first dedicated contract brewing company in the Western United States. Catering to the craft beer community, Sleeping Giant offers a cutting-edge QA/QC program, approachable brew lengths, a variety of packaging options, and personalized customer service that sets it apart. Since the company was founded in 2015, it has supported the brewing and packaging needs of dozens of breweries across the country and grown to be Colorado's fourth largest independent craft brewery. Sleeping Giant made the 2019 INC 500 list and was also named a Colorado Companies to Watch this year. Learn more at sleepinggiant.com.
ABOUT BOULDER BEER COMPANY
Founded in 1979, Boulder Beer Company has been a pioneer in the craft brewing industry for 40 years. From their early days brewing in “The Goatshed” north of Boulder, to brewing and packaging for a regional audience out of their European-style brewhouse on Wilderness Place, to their recent move to scale down and focus on their brewpub operation, to now partnering with their friends at Sleeping Giant to keep the brands alive at the retail level, Boulder Beer’s passion for innovation and sustainability has seen them to their milestone 40th Anniversary and will continue their legacy in Boulder and the craft beer industry for years to come. For more information on Boulder Beer Company, contact Tess McFadden at tmcfadden@boulderbeer.com and follow @BoulderBeerCo on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.