Anheuser-Busch, which first introduced Budweiser Lager Beer in 1876, is taking a serious look at how the way beer is produced can help make a difference for our planet.
To highlight its commitment, the company created a special "Brewed with 100% Renewable Electricity" logo that now appears on all Budweiser sold in the U.S. Just as iguanas Frank and Louie became popular mascots for the brand, the new logo will hopefully become a recognizable mark of social responsibility.
These efforts don’t end at the logo, however. The company took its ambitious sustainability goals and joined Walmart’s Project Gigaton, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our supply chain by 1 billion metric tons by 2030.
The brewer set its own goals that it hopes to meet by 2025. Its four areas of focus are:
- Renewable electricity and carbon reduction
- Water stewardship
- Smart agriculture
- Circular packaging
"Achieving ambitious goals requires cooperation from stakeholders across the board. When you add efforts from wholesalers, suppliers and consumers to those from companies like Walmart and Anheuser-Busch — companies who are committed to the cause — you’ve got a chance to make a real difference," said Angie Slaughter, vice president of sustainability procurement at Anheuser-Busch, North America.
A major milestone was reached when the brewer announced a wind energy partnership with ENEL Green Power in 2017. Since January of this year, 50% of Anheuser-Busch’s purchased electricity has come from a wind farm at Thunder Ranch, Oklahoma. That’s enough renewable electricity to brew more than 20 billion 12-ounce servings of beer in the U.S. each year.
The Budweiser brand carries the flag for the renewable electricity goal pledged by the brewer. "When you consider the Budweiser beer volume in North America, we sell 15 million 12-ounce servings every day, and we have 15 million opportunities with each one to get customers involved in conversations over a beer," Angie said of Budweiser’s consumers. "We also want to encourage other companies to be inspired to do more. The new symbol is available for other companies to show how they’re using renewable electricity in their brands."
The wind farm hits on another shared interest between the brewery and Walmart: creating American jobs. Angie said the development of the farm is a 15-year project, and around 400 temporary jobs were created at the peak of construction. Some jobs will remain long term.
Anheuser-Busch itself is an American success story – one that began in 1860.
"We are proud to call the United States our home and are proud to continue to brew America’s best beers," said Angel Beasley, manager of trade marketing supporting the Walmart business. "It makes sense especially to amplify our American heritage with Walmart’s Made in the USA program. In fact, 98% of the primary ingredients used in the beers Anheuser-Busch proudly brews are grown in the U.S."
There are more than 18,000 employees nationwide. Budweiser’s production alone requires over 1,700 people, Angel said.
The next time you pass a Budweiser display in your local Walmart store or crack open a cold one, you’ll know that it’s more than an adult beverage – and that the company is doing more than coming up with clever commercials.
