Anheuser-Busch and Adams Beverages Bringing More Sustainable “Low-Carbon” Michelob ULTRA Cans to North Carolina
Anheuser-Busch and Adams Beverages announced today that more than 2.5 million innovative low-carbon beer cans will hit shelves across the state of North Carolina – including in Charlotte, Lumberton, Pollocksville, and Wilmington distribution areas– beginning this month through a pilot with Michelob ULTRA, the fastest growing beer brand in the United States.
Last October, in a first for the canned beverage industry, Anheuser-Busch announced a global partnership with Rio Tinto to produce cans that are not only infinitely recyclable, but made from responsibly produced, low-carbon aluminum – reducing carbon emissions more than 30 percent per can.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint across our entire value chain and improve the sustainability of our packaging to reach our ambitious sustainability goals,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch. “With this partnership, we will bring low-carbon aluminum to the forefront with our consumers and create a model for how companies can work with their suppliers to drive innovative and meaningful change for our environment.”
“Adams Beverages is committed to doing our part to protect the environment. We are proud to be chosen as a pilot market by Anheuser-Busch to launch the Michelob Ultra Low Carbon can in North Carolina. By helping to reduce carbon emissions and promoting circular packaging with sustainable aluminum cans, we can help reduce the environmental impact of our operations to create a better, cleaner world.” – Clay Adams, President
The cans are the first in the world to be made using metal produced through a revolutionary new zero carbon aluminum smelting process. Rio Tinto supplied the metal from its ELYSIS joint venture, which is scaling up a breakthrough new technology that eliminates all direct greenhouse gases from the aluminum smelting process, instead producing oxygen.
Leveraging this metal combined with Rio Tinto’s low-carbon aluminum made with renewable hydropower and recycled content, these are the brewer’s most sustainable beer cans yet and can be identified at retail with a “low-carbon can” marking on the package so consumers know their beer can was produced with fewer carbon emissions.
“As a leader in the beer industry, Michelob ULTRA has a responsibility to our consumers and our planet to use our platform for good and lead the way in sustainability,” said Ricardo Marques, Vice President of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA. “Sustainable packaging is a key opportunity to highlight our commitment to the environment in a tangible way and we are excited to explore the opportunities to bring this to life in 2021 and beyond.”
Adams Beverages is a family-owned beverage distributor, providing service for over 80 years. They distribute in 48 counties across North Carolina and Alabama, with over 550 employees.
ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH
For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 19,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home to several of America’s most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.