In order to reduce the company’s carbon and water consumption, the Scottish whisky distillery Falkirk Distillery has partnered with the Biotech company MiAlgae aiming to push circular economy and develop sustainable ingredients to be used for animal feed.
Falkirk was founded over 10 years ago and could reach a production of 200,000 liters of whisky per year. As part of the partnership, MiAlgae intends to use Falkirk’s whisky byproducts as a feedstock to grow microalgae. The microalgae will be converted into an Omega 3-rich ingredient which can be used in animal nutrition.
“Over the past ten years, we’ve invested everything into setting up the distillery and creating a magnificent, high-quality spirit,” said Falkirk’s co-founder and director Fiona Stewart. “We’re absolutely delighted to have achieved this goal and now, our next step is to become greener and to strengthen our commitment to the environment by having sustainable values embedded in our company.“
“When we first spoke to MiAlgae, it was a breath of fresh air,” she continued. “We know that they can help us to get where we want to be as we scale up and explore ways to reduce our carbon and water footprint. Whilst we offload our byproducts and reduce waste levels, MiAlgae will gain the ingredients needed to successfully manufacture its Omega 3 product, so it’s a win-win.”
Usually, Omega 3 fatty acids are made from the extraction of wild caught fish oil which causes problems in biodiversity and the environment. By using byproducts from the food an beverage industry, MiAlgae tries to avoid this method and at the same time contributes to biosecurity and the reduction of carbon emissions.
“Falkirk Distillery fits in perfectly with our strategy and values, so we’re excited to have progressed this agreement with them,” said Johann Partridge, Ph.D., operations director at MiAlgae. “What really stands out to us about the Falkirk team is their authenticity. It’s clear that they feel strongly about reducing the distillery’s overall impact on the world, and they operate at the cutting edge of a better and more sustainable whisky industry.
“It’s great to be working with an independent distillery that truly wants to make a difference, and we’re looking forward to working with them on this impactful project for years to come,” Fiona Stewart added.
The partnership between both companies is already in progress.
“Securing a sustainable future is a central priority of the Scotch Whisky industry, and the whole sector is committed to our refreshed sustainability strategy which focuses on four key pillars to tackling climate change across the supply chain: reducing emissions, using water more efficiently, caring for the land, and playing our part in the circular economy,” explained Anna Graham, who helds the position of head of environment, science and innovation at the Scotch Whisky Association. “It is always inspiring to see companies’ investment in innovative sustainable solutions that bridge a number of these pillars, such as this collaboration between Falkirk Distillery and MiAlgae, and we look forward to seeing the project’s progress as it moves forward.”
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