To mark Earth Day (22 April), Finnish spirits brand Koskenkorva is shining the spotlight on its Climate Action vodka, an expression made entirely from regeneratively farmed barley.
It is also celebrating with a makeover of The Moodie Davitt Report desktop homepage along with an elegantly curated treatment on the mobile website.
Koskenkorva Vodka, which already has a strong presence in the Nordics and Germany, is expanding its presence in global travel retail.
The vodka represents a bold step in the sustainability journey for Koskenkorva, setting a standard and cementing Koskenkorva Vodka’s position as a circular economy front-runner in the spirits industry.
As part of its ambition of becoming the world’s most sustainable vodka brand, Koskenkorva is focusing heavily on promoting regenerative farming.
This holistic cultivation method aims to convert fields from emission sources into significant carbon sinks, mitigating climate change and protecting biodiversity.
Building a future on regenerative farming
Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Anora and the Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG), a foundation working to restore the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea. Anora’s regenerative-farming initiative forms part of BSAG’s Carbon Action Farming Platform, which includes 100 farms and over 1,000 farmers in Finland with a mission to farm more sustainably.
As part of its wider sustainability strategy, Anora will offer training to its contract farmers in regenerative farming methods and ensure that at least 30% of the barley used in its own grain spirits is regeneratively farmed by 2030. Twenty of Anora’s contract farmers currently farm regeneratively and this figure will rise by the coming summer, the company said.
Regenerative farming is a central concept for successful farming in the future. If regenerative farming was used on all the world’s croplands and pastures, up to 322 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide could be removed from the atmosphere. This is ten times the current amount of yearly global emissions.
A distillery that fully embraces circularity
Anora’s commitment to sustainability is also visible at its distillery in the Finnish village of Koskenkorva. It uses around 200 million kilograms of Finnish barley a year and operates on the principles of a circular economy, using 100% of every grain – even the husks of the barley are used to power the distillery’s own bio plant.
These circular practices mean that production at the Koskenkorva Distillery is aiming to be fully carbon-neutral by 2026. In addition, Anora aims to deliver carbon-neutral production in its own operations by 2030, without carbon compensations, as part of its ambitious sustainability roadmap.
Anora’s Communication and Sustainability Director Petra Gräsbeck commented: “Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action is a concrete example of how we can offer consumers more sustainable options without compromising on quality – in fact, it’s one of the most awarded vodkas in our portfolio.
“Through our collaboration with barley farmers who have bravely transitioned to more sustainable farming methods and Koskenkorva Distillery’s decade-long work to reduce the environmental impact of production, Anora is paving the way for a more sustainable future in our industry.”
Anora’s Global Travel Retail Director Bo Madsen added: “It’s not breaking news that consumers are increasingly climate-conscious, with product sustainability playing a pivotal role in their purchasing choices, especially with younger consumers. While many brands merely pay lip service to sustainable actions, Koskenkorva is setting a commendable example by taking proactive steps.
“This dedication is evident in the brand’s consistent recognition and popularity among environmentally aware consumers across all demographics who prioritise enjoyment without compromising the health of our planet. The performance of the brand in global travel retail speaks for itself.” ✈
