Every year, we use around 100,000 tons of winter wheat in the making of Absolut Vodka, purchasing at least 10 percent of the available wheat harvested at roughly 400 farms in the region surrounding our distillery. This puts a big responsibility on our shoulders, which calls for a clear concept of how to help improve the sustainability tied to the cultivation of wheat, including goals, requirements and guidelines for our partnering farms.
To further strengthen and develop our wheat cultivation concept and the entire cultivation system in our region, we have participated in trials and experiments over the last decades. In collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and together with suppliers, wheat variety specialists, and an independent advisory organization, the trials have varied in topics: from the development of an optimal fertilization strategy, to biodiversity and cover crops.
Coffee is the main ingredient in Kahlúa. It’s also an ingredient associated with high risks related to working conditions and environmental factors, so making sure we source it in a sustainable way is really important for us.
Each year, we use around 150 000 coconuts in order to create the iconic flavor of Malibu. A majority of them are grown in the Philippines, the world’s second-largest producer and exporter. The supply chain is both complex and labor-intensive, and farming and processing are resource-intensive.
Malibu and Kahlúa use roughly 500,000 tons of sugar from sugar cane each year, which is by far the largest agricultural ingredient for both drinks, used both in the production of alcohol and as a flavoring. The cane comes from a variety of locations, taking up almost 10,000 acres of land for cultivation, an area nearly the size of two Manhattans.
Keeping in mind that distillation by nature is an energy-intensive activity, we are very proud to be able to say that our distillery in Åhus is known as one of the most climate and energy-efficient in the world, with an energy consumption per liter of alcohol distilled of 60 percent less than that of the average distillery. Nonetheless, we have made a commitment to make a carbon-neutral product and achieve full sustainability certification for the cultivation of wheat by the year 2030.
Every year, we use around 100,000 tons of winter wheat in the making of Absolut Vodka, purchasing at least 10 percent of the available wheat harvested at roughly 400 farms in the region surrounding our distillery. This puts a big responsibility on our shoulders, which calls for a clear concept of how to help improve the sustainability tied to the cultivation of wheat, including goals, requirements and guidelines for our partnering farms.
Having full traceability within our value chain is a key requirement for Malibu and Kahlua and we have been mapping the ingredients used in our products for several years.
