Food Waste Utilisation in Beer Production: Enablers and Barriers within the European Craft Beer Industry

Milica Končar

doi:10.55845/joce-2025-33215

Authors

Milica Končar Edinburgh Futures Institute, The University of Edinburgh Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2840-5934

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55845/joce-2025-33215

Keywords:

Circular Bio-Economy, European Breweries, Craft Beer with Food Waste, Food Waste Utilisation, Beer Made with Bread

Abstract

Considering the anticipated global growth of the beer industry amid climate instability and resource depletion, this study explores the emerging “bio-circular” practice of utilising food waste in beer production. Although gaining traction in the craft beer sector, a notable gap exists in the literature regarding the broader business context in which it operates.

To address this gap, the study identifies key enablers and barriers at a firm level across eight structural categories (internal and external), based on a sample of 7 craft practitioners from 4 European countries (the UK, Germany, Italy, and Belgium).

The findings highlighted two main enablers: the external factor of cooperation and partnerships, and the internal factor of purpose-driven management. While a fast-paced, competitive market presented the most substantial barrier, it affected craft beer producers, rather than the practice itself. Overall, the research suggests that no significant barriers exist to implementing the practice among viable craft beer producers.

References

Albert, A. (2021). Waste management and logistics of craft beer production. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 6(9), 278–285. https://ijisrt.com/assets/upload/files/IJISRT21SEP271.pdf

Almeida, J., Thomas, J., Murphy, K., Griffiths, R., & Bengtsson, J. (2018). Circular Brew: Life cycle assessment of waste bread-based beer [Paper presentation]. The 11th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment of Food (LCA Food 2018), Bangkok, Thailand

Baiano, A. (2021). Craft beer: An overview. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20 (2), 1829–1856. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12693

Ball, P., & MacBryde, J. (2022). Developing a framework for adopting environmental manufacturing practices: learning from breweries. Production Planning & Control, 33(8), 758–773. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2020.1834637

Basnet, M. (2022). The structure of the European beer market and its sustainability implications (Master’s thesis, Lappeenranta–Lahti University of Technology LUT). LUT University Repository. https://lutpub.lut.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/164763/Masters_thesis_Mukesh_Basnet_2022.pdf

BarthHaas. (2024). BarthHaas report 2023/2024. https://www.barthhaas.com/fileadmin/user_upload/01-barthhaas-2022/Resources/BarthHaas_Report/2024/en/WEB_BH_Bericht_2023_24_EN.pdf

Beeson, J. (2023). Toast Ale receives investment from Heineken to fund food waste mission. Just Drinks. https://www.just-drinks.com/news/toast-ale-receives-investment-from-heineken-to-fund-food-waste-mission/

Ben Rejeb, I., Charfi, I., Baraketi, S., Hached, H., & Gargouri, M. (2022). Bread surplus: A cumulative waste or a staple material for high-value products? Molecules, 27(23), 8410. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238410

Bianchi, M., Cordella, M., & Menger, P. (2023). Regional monitoring frameworks for the circular economy: implications from a territorial perspective. European Planning Studies, 31(1), 36–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2022.2057185

Boiral, O., & Gendron, Y. (2011). Sustainable development and certification practices: Lessons learned and prospects. Business Strategy and the Environment, 20(5), 331–347. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.701

Bonato, S. V., Pacheco, D. A. J., ten Caten, C. S., & Caro, D. (2022). The missing link of circularity in small breweries’ value chains: Unveiling strategies for waste management and biomass valorization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 336, 130275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130275

Brancoli, P., Bolton, K., & Eriksson, M. (2020). Environmental impacts of waste management and valorisation pathways for surplus bread in Sweden. Waste Management, 117, 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.07.043

Bressanelli, G., Visintin, F., & Saccani, N. (2022). Circular economy and the evolution of industrial districts: A supply chain perspective. International Journal of Production Economics, 243, 108348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2021.108348

British Beer & Pub Association, & Zero Carbon Forum. (2025). UK brewing sector: Climate risk and resilience. https://www.zerocarbonforum.com/news/britains-brewing-heritage-at-risk-from-climate-change-new-research

Brussels Beer Project (BBP). (2023). Carbon footprint & sustainability report. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0267/9403/3204/files/BBP_Carbon_Footprint_Sustainability_Report_2023.pdf

Brussels Beer Project BBP. (2024). Carbon footprint. https://beerproject.be/pages/what-we-stand-for Cabras, I., Higgins, D., & Preece, D. (Eds.). (2016). Brewing, beer and pubs. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137466181

Cabras, I. (2018). Beer on! The evolution of micro- and craft brewing in the UK. In C. Garavaglia & J. Swinnen (Eds.), Economic perspectives on craft beer (pp. 299–314). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58235-1_14

Callejo, J., Tesfaye, W., & González, C. (2019). Craft beers: Current situation and future trends. In New advances on fermentation processes. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90006

Cantú, A., Aguiñaga, E., & Scheel, C. (2021). Learning from failure and success: The challenges for circular economy implementation in SMEs in an emerging economy. Sustainability, 13(3), 1529. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031529

Central Bureau voor de Statistiek. (2025). First fall in number of breweries since 2010 [Webpage]. Statistics Netherlands. https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2025/09/first-fall-in-number-of-breweries-since-2010

Cimini, A., & Moresi, M. (2021). Circular economy in the brewing chain. Italian Journal of Food Science, 33, 47–69. https://doi.org/10.15586/ijfs.v33i3.2123

Cipollaro, M., Fabbrizzi, S., Sottini, V. A., Fabbri, B., & Menghini, S. (2021). Linking sustainability, embeddedness and marketing Strategies: A study on the craft beer sector in Italy. Sustainability, 13(19), 10903. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910903

Colen, L., & Swinnen, J. (2016). Economic growth, globalisation and beer consumption. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 67(1), 186–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12128

Connolly, R. (2019). Case study: Transformational entrepreneurship in the UK —“From UK bread waste to global beer brand”. In T. D. Williams (Ed.), Transformational entrepreneurship (pp. 35 –56). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11524-1_3

Dall’Acua, K., Klein, M. P., Tech, B. I., Fontana, A., Crepalde, L. T., Wagner, R., de Oliveira, F. d. C., & Sant’Anna, V. (2025). Understanding the Utilization of Wasted Bread as a Brewing Adjunct for Producing a Sustainable Wheat Craft Beer. Microorganisms, 13(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13010066

Danson, M., Galloway, L., Cabras, I., & Beatty, T. (2015). Microbrewing and entrepreneurship: The origins, development and integration of real ale breweries in the UK. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 16(2), 135–144. https://doi.org/10.5367/ijei.2015.0183

Dervojeda, K., Verzijl, D., Rouwmaat, E., Probst, L., & Frideres, L. (2014). Clean technologies – Circular supply chains (Business Innovation Observatory Report). European Commission, Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry.

Dijkman, T. J., Birkved, M., Saxe, H., Wenzel, H., & Hauschild, M. Z. (2017). Environmental impacts of barley cultivation under current and future climatic conditions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 644–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.154

Dymchenko, A., Geršl, M., & Gregor, T. (2023). Trends in bread waste utilisation. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 132, 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.01.004

Eisenreich, A., Füller, J., Stuchtey, M., & Gimenez, D. (2022). Toward a circular value chain: Impact of the circular economy on a company's value chain processes. Journal of Cleaner Production, 378, 134375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134375

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2015). Towards a circular economy: Business rationale for an accelerated transition. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/towards-a-circular-economy-business-rationale-for-an-accelerated-transition

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2025). How not to fail: Avoiding 10 common pitfalls when scaling circular business models.https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/how-not-to-fail-avoiding-10-common-pitfalls-when-scaling-circular-business

European Environment Agency (EEA). (2020). Bio-waste in Europe — Turning challenges into opportunities. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/bio-waste-in-europe

Eurostat. (2023). Beer production back to pre-pandemic level. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. (2024). Global price of barley. FRED. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PBARLUSDM

Frontier Economics. (2023). Impact of recent economic trends on pubs and breweries: A report produced for the BBPA. https://admin.beerandpub.com/media/2aspcdrm/ppt-main-report-for-bbpa-impact-of-economic-trends-on-pubs-and-brewers-15-09-23-stca-compressed.pdf

Garavaglia, C., & Swinnen, J. (2018). Economics of the craft beer revolution: A comparative international perspective. In C. Garavaglia & J. Swinnen (Eds.), Economic perspectives on craft beer (pp. 1–26). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58235-1_1

Govindan, K., & Hasanagic, M. (2018). A systematic review on drivers, barriers, and practices towards circular economy: A supply chain perspective. International Journal of Production Research, 56(1–2), 278–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1402141

Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. SAGE Publications.

Heyder, M., & Theuvsen, L. (2008). Strategic management in the German brewing industry: Are there still differences between East and West? Journal of East European Management Studies, 13(1), 10–39. https://ideas.repec.org/a/nms/joeems/doi_10.1688-1862-0019_jeems_2008_01_heyder.html

Hornsey, I. S. (2003). A history of beer and brewing. Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781847550026

Iacovidou, E., Hahladakis, J. N., & Purnell, P. (2021). A systems thinking approach to understanding the challenges of achieving the circular economy. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(19), 24785–24806. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11725-9

Jones, S. (2018). 5 minutes with Rob Wilson, the boss turning bread into beer. Management Today. https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/5-minutes-rob-wilson-boss-turning-bread-into-beer/smes/article/1460762

Julkovski, D., Sehnem, S., Ramos, M., & Jabbour, C. J. C. (2022). Circular business models and the environment: Maturity levels of the circular economy and innovation in greener craft breweries. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32, Article e3311. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3311

Katz, S. H., & Voigt, M. M. (1986). Bread and beer: The early use of cereals in the human diet. Expedition Magazine. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/bread-and-beer/

Kerby, C., & Vriesekoop, F. (2017). An overview of the utilisation of brewery by-products as generated by British craft breweries. Beverages, 3(2), 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages3020024

Lemaire, J. (2020). Circular economy: Best practices and future perspectives for the beer brewing industry [PDF]. https://dial.uclouvain.be/memoire/ucl/en/object/thesis%3A24674.pdf

McDonagh, K., Curran, T. P., & Byrne, E. (2024). Lowering the carbon footprint of beer through waste breadcrumb substitution for malted barley: Life cycle assessment and experimental study. Cleaner Environmental Systems, 15, 100241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100241

Martin-Lobera, C., Aranda, F., Lozano-Martinez, P., Caballero, I., & Blanco, C. A. (2022). Bread as a valuable raw material in craft ale beer brewing. Foods, 11(19), 3013. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193013

Martin-Lobera, C., Fermoso, J., Blanco, C. A., & Caballero, I. (2025). Brewing with whole wheat bread to produce different beer styles. Foods, 14(10), 1697. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101697

Masi, D., Genovese, A., Acquaye, A., & Figueroa, A. (2018). Towards a more circular economy: Exploring the awareness, practices, and barriers from a focal firm perspective. Production Planning & Control, 29(6), 539–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1449246

Miralles, D. J., Abeledo, L. G., Alvarez Prado, S., Chenu, K., Serrago, R. A., & Savin, R. (2021). Barley. In V.

O. Sadras & D. F. Calderini (Eds.), Crop physiology case histories for major crops (pp. 164–195). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819194-1.00004-9

Mordor Intelligence. (n.d.). Barley market—Report, size & trends. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/barley-market

Mourad, M. (2016). Recycling, recovering and preventing “food waste”: Competing solutions for food systems sustainability in the United States and France. Journal of Cleaner Production, 126, 461–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.03.084

Ness, B. (2018). Beyond the Pale (Ale): An Exploration of the Sustainability Priorities and Innovative Measures in the Craft Beer Sector. Sustainability, 10(11), 4108. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114108

Nitkiewicz, M., & Pachura, M. (2022). Conditions of introducing circular business models into craft breweries [PDF]. PCZ Repository. https://repo.pcz.pl/info/article/PCZ1615709088df4cf6886f294582dcc9fc

Ortiz, I., Torreiro, Y., & Molina, G. (2019). A feasible application of circular economy: Spent grain energy recovery in the beer industry. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 10, 3809–3819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-019-00677-y

Purwandani, J. A., & Michaud, G. (2021). What are the drivers and barriers for green business practice adoption for SMEs? Environment Systems and Decisions, 41(4), 577–593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-021-09821-3

Rachwał, K., Waśko, A., Gustaw, K., & Polak-Berecka, M. (2020). Utilization of brewery wastes in food industry. PeerJ, 8, e9427. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9427

Rizos, V., Behrens, A., Van der Gaast, W., Hofman, E., Ioannou, A., Kafyeke, T., Flamos, A., Rinaldi, R., Papadelis, S., & Hirschnitz-Garbers, M. (2016). Implementation of circular economy business models by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Barriers and enablers. Sustainability, 8(11), 1212. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8111212

Scherhaufer, S., Moates, G., Hartikainen, H., Waldron, K., & Obersteiner, G. (2018). Environmental impacts of food waste in Europe. Waste Management, 77, 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.04.038

Statistico. (2023). U.K.: Leading beer companies, by market share. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. https://www.statistico.com/s/uk-leading-beer-companies-by-market-share

Szolnoki, G., Nelgen, S., Pensel, E., & Sperl, A. (2021). Craft beer in the land of the purity law—the German beer industry and the purity requirement in the course of time. In R. Capitello & N. Maehle (Eds.), Case studies in the beer sector (pp. 267–279). Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12- 817734-1.00017-3

The Brewers of Europe. (2023). European beer trends. https://brewersofeurope.eu/wp- content/uploads/2023/11/european-beer-trends-2023-web.pdf

Toast Brewing. (2024). Impact report 2023. https://www.toastbrewing.com/blog/impact-report

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2024). Food waste index report 2024: Think Eat Save—Tracking progress to halve global food waste. https://wedocs.unep.org/xmlui/handle/20.500.11822/45230

Veleva, V., Todorova, S., Bleau, K., Mohr, J., & Vandenabeele, R. (2024). Environmental Priorities, Drivers and Barriers in the Craft Beer Sector: Insights from Massachusetts Breweries. Highlights of Sustainability, 3(3), 275–293. https://doi.org/10.54175/hsustain3030016

Vriesekoop, F., Haynes, A., van der Heijden, N., Liang, H., Paximada, P., & Zuidberg, A. (2021). Incorporation of fermented brewers spent grain in the production of sourdough bread. Fermentation, 7(2), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation7020096

World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Observatory. (2024). Beer consumption per person, 2019 [Data set]. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/beer-consumption-per-person

WRAP. (2023). Food surplus and waste in the UK: Key facts – November 2023. WRAP. https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/uk-food-waste-food-surplus-key-facts

Yanan. (2022). Beer brewing process [Infographic]. Tiantai Brewtech. https://www.craftbreweryequipment.com/News_Blog/Beer_Brewing_Tech/Description_Of_Brewing_ Process_With_Our_Brewery_Equipment_2524.html

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/case-study-research-and-applications/book250150