OPERATOR

by MELISSA DOWLING and KYLE SWARTZ

Sustainability is no longer just an ethical consideration ; it ’ s a strategic necessity , says Maria Pearman , principal and leader in the food and beverage practice at national advisory and accounting firm GHJ . Data show that investing in sustainability is a business-critical priority this year for many organizations , and consumers have shown a willingness to spend more money on premium sustainable goods .

“ The opportunity for utilizing sustainability as a business practice comes when environmental impacts are reshaping the food industry worldwide and driving transformative changes in supply chains ,” says Pearman . “ Businesses that want to compete must address the shifting landscape or be left behind .”

Cruise line and hotel chains in particular tend to pay attention to their environmental impact . For instance , Norwegian Cruise Line introduced its Sail and Sustain program a few years ago . The program features zero-waste cocktails made with ingredients that would have otherwise gone to waste , such as coffee grinds , banana and orange peels .

Its newest ship , Norwegian Prima , launched in 2022 and includes the brand ’ s first sustainable cocktail bar . The Metropolitan Bar offers responsibly crafted , zero-waste cocktails prepared with surplus ingredients , a fully sustainable spirits menu and biodynamic wines .

Holland America Line this past September started a global fish program that engages a network of 60 ports to source and serve 80 types of fresh fish on board in all restaurants , going from port to plate in less than 48 hours . It was the first cruise line to serve 100 % fresh , certified sustainable Alaska seafood on board its ships in Alaska .

PARING DOWN PACKAGING

Carnival Cruise Line this past August partnered with spirits brand Bacardi on a new initiative to introduce closed-loop packaging to the cruise industry . The program will determine if reusable containers — the ecoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition , specifically developed by ecoSPIRITS for the maritime environment — can be used to serve Bacardi rum on Carnival ships , in turn reducing single-use packaging by 95 %.

The concept is being tested on three ships operating from Miami : Carnival Celebration , Carnival Horizon and Carnival Sunrise . Each ecoTOTE , which replaces about four bottles of

Carnival Cruise Line recently tested the ecoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition packaging to see if it can be used to serve Bacardi rum on Carnival ships and reduce single-use packaging by 95 %.

Bacardi Superior rum , is used , cleaned and refilled approximately 100 times , thereby creating a closed loop system .

The collaboration will also support the ecoSPIRITS Oceans Program . For each cycle of an ecoTOTE delivered as part of the pilot , a donation will fund the removal of more than 2 lbs . of single-use plastic , glass and other man-made wastes removed from endangered marine environments

“ As we continue to work towards our sustainability goals , the collaborative work of our beverage team , ecoSPIRITS and Bacardi is a great example of thinking in ways that are truly out-of-the-box , or in this case – out-of-the-bottle , to develop new partnerships and practices that further our ongoing efforts ,” said Zachary Sulkes , senior director of beverage operations at Carnival Cruise Line .

Bacardi also worked with YOTEL Miami on its Sustainable Sips menu , which will be a permanent fixture in their cocktail program . The menu features liquor from Bacardi ’ s portfolio in alignment with Bacardi ’ s eco-friendly initiatives — from sustainably sourced botanicals to pioneering a fully biodegradable bottle .

Given the post-Covid surge in ordering to-go , bars and restaurants might want to invest in sourcing sustainable packaging , Pearman says . “ This is an easy way to incorporate sustainable practices into their business and has great visibility with consumers .”

City Winery , which offers a culinary and cultural wine experiences and live entertainment , in fall 2022 launched a reusable bottle program . Customers can take wine to go , return the bottle to be washed and sanitized , then receive a $ 5 credit towards the next bottle .

In addition to stainless-steel kegs and tap bars for direct sale wine to consumers by the glass , City Winery buys and plants trees to offset the only carbon emissions it creates during its annual grape delivery , among other environmental initiatives . The Re-Wine program started with City Winery ’ s 14th location opened in New York ’ s Grand Central Terminal

2023 Sustainability Guide 8