Sustainability & Purpose-Driven Brands: Beyond Greenwashing to Commercial Success
How do purpose-driven drinks brands balance environmental impact with commercial viability? Insights from MAFFEO DRINKS with Stephanie Jordan (Avallen), Rob Malin (When in Rome), and Sebastian Barnick (Pleasant Land Distillery) on packaging innovation and scaling sustainably.
The drinks industry's approach to sustainability has shifted from marketing buzzword to business imperative, but the path from purpose to profit remains challenging for most brands.
Through conversations with Stephanie Jordan from Avallen, Rob Malin from When in Rome, and Sebastian Barnick from Pleasant Land Distillery, we explored how genuine purpose-driven brands navigate the complex balance between environmental impact and commercial viability.
Their experiences reveal both the opportunities and obstacles facing brands that put sustainability at their core.
Purpose-Driven Origins
Stephanie's journey with Avallen demonstrates how authentic sustainability missions can lead to unexpected category discoveries. We discussed how her search for the most sustainable spirit production method led through extensive research into agricultural practices, ultimately pointing to apples grown in traditional Normandy orchards.
These mosaic habitats proved not only regenerative but also incredible for absorbing carbon dioxide while requiring minimal water intervention.
Entering the Calvados category wasn't a marketing-driven decision but rather a genuine commitment to finding the most planet-positive approach to spirits production.
Rob Malin's approach with When in Rome took a different angle, focusing specifically on packaging impact reduction.
We explored his discovery that single-use glass bottles represent 50 percent of the wine industry's climate impact, leading to his focus on alternative packaging formats like bag-in-box, cans, and paper bottles. His motivation stemmed from understanding that bulk wine shipping already happens extensively, with 95 percent of Australian wine sold in the UK arriving in bulk and being bottled locally, yet the industry remains reluctant to acknowledge this sustainable practice.
Sebastian's perspective from running a carbon-neutral contract distillery revealed how purpose-driven operations can support multiple brands simultaneously.
His facility operates entirely on renewable energy while helping other founders build sustainable production methods from the ground up. We discussed how his approach involves educating clients about long-term business sustainability rather than just environmental metrics, ensuring both ecological and financial viability.
Packaging Innovation Leadership
The conversation around packaging alternatives revealed three distinct approaches to solving the same fundamental problem. Stephanie's work with Avallen involved pioneering multiple formats, from the lightest possible glass bottles to partnership with EcoSpirits for bulk refillable systems in the on-trade. We explored her development work with Frugal Pack's paper bottle, essentially a bag-in-bottle system that's 95 percent cardboard with a food-grade plastic pouch, requiring significantly less water and energy for both production and shipping.
