Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky arm of Pernod Ricard, is piloting a low-carbon fertiliser project with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of whisky production.
The company, known for brands like Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s, is partnering with its distilling wheat supplier, Simpsons Malt, to trial Nutramon Low Carbon fertiliser with select farmers within the Chivas Brothers Wheat Growers Group.
Developed by OCI Global, Nutramon Low Carbon is produced using certified biogas, resulting in up to 50% fewer carbon emissions compared to traditional fertilisers. This is expected to lead to a 15%-20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the barley and wheat grown for distilling.
The initiative will assess the fertiliser's impact on crops harvested between August and October 2024. The wheat and malted barley from these trials will be used in Ballantine’s blended Scotch.
The trial marks a step in Chivas Brothers' ongoing efforts to make whisky production more sustainable as about a third of the company’s emissions come from growing and processing barley and wheat.
Over time, Chivas Brothers and Simpsons Malt plan to expand their use of green fertilisers, including those made with green ammonia.
