Companion Series

15th October 2021

Companion Series

In a couple of weeks time the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). Bringing together world leaders to agree how we will meet the targets set in the Paris Agreement and set the ambition to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2050.

To put pressure on global governments, we’ve formed a coalition of 25 breweries from across the UK and Ireland, releasing an open letter calling on world leaders to make concrete commitments to tackle the climate emergency at COP26. Read it in full below and here.

The letter highlights reducing food waste as a key opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. One third of carbon emissions are from our industrial food system, and it’s responsible for 80% of deforestation.

The industrial food system is failing us. 

We need rapid, large-scale reductions in emissions to limit warming to 1.5°C, and a global goal to half and reverse nature loss.

All 25 breweries – including Guinness and Adnams – have signed the open letter and created a brand new beer using surplus bread, exclusively for the Companion Series bundle of beers.

We’ve been brewing with bread since 2015 and wanted to spread the loaf and support the circular economy at this critical time. So supplied pre-prepared surplus ‘crumb’ to all our partners and shared expertise using this ingredient that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Two Toast beers are included in the case: a Juicy IPA collaboration with Zero Hour, Business Declares and Race to Zero, and a Coffee Porter collaboration with Cafédirect.

The case also includes gifts from Cheeky Panda, Divine Chocolate, Emily Snacks, Liberation Nuts, teapigs and Traidcraft, and an exclusive pint glass from Festival Glass.

£26 from each Companion Case sold is invested in conservation and regenerative agriculture projects. 

We’ve partnered with two important organisations: Rainforest Trust UK will protect 3.25 million trees in threatened tropical rainforests, and Soil Heroes will support more UK farmers to replenish the health of soils, sequestering 360 tonnes of CO2 as well as holding more water and improving biodiversity. 

With this limited-edition Companion Series we will raise over £65,000 for these projects.

We raise a Toast to our brewing buddies for taking part and being #COPCompanions:

Adnams, Beavertown, Bedlam Brewery, Better World Brewery, Brixton Brewery, Five Points Brewery, Fyne Ales, Guinness, Harbour Brewery, Hepworth Brewery, Ignition Brewery, Meantime, Northern Monk, Orbit, Sambrooks, Signature Brew, Stroud Brewery, Tap Social Movement, Tooth & Claw Brewing, Unity BrewIng Co, Utopian Brewery, Wild Card Brewery, Windsor & Eton Brewery and Wold Top Brewery.


Here’s to tackling the climate and nature crisis together, over a beer.

Cheers!

 _______

 

DEAR WORLD LEADERS,


We are a coalition of 25 breweries who’ve come together to call on you to respond to the global climate and nature crisis.

Our message is simple. We are in a climate emergency. According to the latest IPCC report, global temperatures are set to rise by more than 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels over the next 20 years. We face worsening wildfires and flooding, loss of habitats and species, and threats to lives and livelihoods. There’s no time to waste.

One of the fastest and most equitable measures to tackle the crisis is to reduce food waste. Food systems are responsible for one-third of GHG emissions and 80% of deforestation. However one-third of the world’s food is never eaten, which means the land and resources used and greenhouse gases emitted in producing it were unnecessary.

We need you, our global governments, along with businesses and groups with the power to influence the food system, to come together and change the status quo.

We're taking a stand.

Led by Toast Ale, we’ve created the Companion Series. This limited-edition collection of beers uses surplus bread to prevent food waste and reduce demand for natural resources. It will raise £65,000 for conservation and regenerative agriculture organisations so we can protect 3.25 million trees in threatened tropical rainforests, and sequester 360 tCO2 in agricultural soils (which also store more water and support biodiversity).

We’re competing businesses but we are uniting because the climate and nature crisis is bigger than us all. The word ‘companion’, from the Latin ‘com’ (together with) and ‘panis’ (bread), represents the need for collaboration. To solve this systemic problem, we need systemic change, and that needs everyone who can to co-operate and work together.

Now we're laying down the gauntlet for you.

At the Glasgow COP26 climate talks, you had a once in a lifetime opportunity to protect people and nature from the effects of the global climate crisis. We now need you to find a way forward - to agree robust and wide-ranging targets to halt further warming, and co-operate in taking action to meet them.

HERE’S TO TACKLING THE CLIMATE AND NATURE CRISIS, TOGETHER.

Toast Ale, Adnams, Beavertown, Bedlam Brewery, Better World Brewery, Brixton Brewery, Five Points Brewery, Fyne Ales, Guinness, Harbour Brewery, Hepworth Brewery, Ignition Brewery, Meantime, Northern Monk, Orbit, Sambrooks, Signature Brew, Stroud Brewery, Tap Social Movement, Tooth & Claw Brewing, Unity BrewIng Co, Utopian Brewery, Wild Card Brewery, Windsor & Eton Brewery, Wold Top Brewery.

#COPCOMPANIONS