When Green packaging is green… for real!
Jägermeister is set to become the first global spirits brand to launch a low-carbon emerald green glass bottle produced at industrial scale, in a landmark move for sustainable packaging. Developed in collaboration with long-term partner Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP), the new bottle combines renewable energy, high recycled content and cutting-edge technology to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
The bottles will be manufactured at NextGen Furnace, the innovative AGP’s facility in Obernkirchen, Germany: its pioneering hybrid technology uses 42 electrodes to enable up to 80% electrical heating. The solar-powered renewable electricity comes from a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Sunnic Lighthouse GmbH, and parent company ENERPARC AG, in Germany.
The new production process has already been tested in the production of amber glass packaging: based on the operating parameters of using 60% renewable electricity for glass melting and a recycled content of up to 70%, the carbon impact of amber glass packaging has been reduced by 64%. The goal is to achieve the same results for emerald glass as well, establishing a new “green” record for glassmaking industry.
“The signing of a contract for up to 14 million 70cl bottles from the NextGen Furnace in Obernkirchen is a milestone in our long-standing partnership with Ardagh Glass Packaging. The production of our green Jägermeister bottles with this new technology aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by an envisaged 64% per bottle which, if achieved, will directly contribute to our sustainability goals” explains Carsten Doliwa, Vice President Procurement at Mast – Jägermeister SE.
AGP-Europe is not concealing its enthusiasm: Joris Goossens, R&D Project Manager at AGP-Europe said that “Partnering exclusively with Jägermeister, we’re scaling innovation with impact.”
The project set with Jägermeister is part of Ardagh’s broader vision, which explores innovative production models aimed at decarbonising glass packaging and could serve as a blueprint for future industrial-scale green glass manufacturing.
As the EU moves closer to implementing new regulations under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), solutions like Ardagh’s could help fast-track compliance and future-proof supply chains. This development also sends a strong message to the packaging and beverage industries: sustainable innovation can also come from tradition, without necessarily replacing the iconic packaging of most beloved products with other materials (we are not thinking about Absolut Vodka, you are). A significant result for Jägermeister in terms of sustainability that may also have a secondary, positive impact on the product’s image, especially among younger generations, more likely to buy brands with strong values in favour of the environment and society. Last year Jägermeister began working with New York creative agency Glow to get closer to Gen Z: but maybe the best narrative to catch them is in Obernkirchen, not in the City.
