This case study illustrates how our work on impact-oriented business models at reframe.ventures can look like. It shows the space of possibilities and parts of our approach to the mission of allowing established companies to help shape a sustainable and desirable
future.
Case Study - Weckenbräu
Foto: Karten Würth
The challenge
Inefficiencies in food production place a huge burden on the environment. If food waste were a country, it would have the third-highest CO2 emissions in the world after China and the USA. Every year, an area the size of China is used to farm food that is never consumed. (FAO)
33%
of all food globally is wasted. That is around 173 kg per person and 88 million tons in total in the EU,
11 million of them in Germany alone (EU).
37%
of all baked goods produced in Germany are wasted, end up in the biogas plant, or are processed into animal feed (WWF).
inspiration
In order to contribute to solving societal challenges in an entrepreneurial manner, the wheel does not have to be constantly reinvented. Already in the Middle Ages people brewed new, tasty beer from old bread. Today, examples like the following show how the art of baking and brewing can be combined to save food from going to waste.
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The project partner
Bio Bäckerei Berger, a family-owned organic bakery from Reutlingen also saw the potential of a bread beer
and wanted to develop their own product with a positive social impact.
Impact alliances
In order to tackle societal challenges,
strong collaborations between different actors are required.
In order to build a strong and tailored-to-the-needs-of-the-project cooperation, reframe.ventures analyzed 40+ breweries from the region, made a pre-selection and held talks with the breweries of the shortlist. In coordination with the organic bakery Berger, we decided on Doc's Bier as a suitable partner for the implementation of the new bread beer. After getting to know each other, we were able to start directly with the necessary planning and technical implementation of a first prototype.
Thanks to the cooperation with the local food bank and Too Good To Go, the bakery manages that at the end of the day only 5% on average, i.e. around 10-15 kg of bread, are left over. However, in order to further increase the appreciative processing of the remaining baked goods, the development of an own bread beer as a new business model appeared to be an effective addition to the existing efforts.
Every day in Germany's bakeries there are several tons of baked goods that could not be sold - in some cases because we consumers demand that a wide selection of pastries be available even shortly before the shop closes. On the industry average, this is 17-20% of the goods produced that are never sold.
For a family bakery like that of the Bergers, to whom a sincere appreciation for food is particularly important, this industry-standard waste is not only a social but also an ethical problem.
The first prototype
Thanks to the extensive expertise and the willingness to experiment of Doc's brewery, the first brew of delicious bread beer was created within months It was initially sold in selected shops in the standard design of the brewery in order to test the new beer on the market. The first brew initially contained 7% bread and the bread gave the beer a fruity, floral taste. To our delight, the feedback was very positive and encouragement for further production.
A brand new design
With a sharper brand message and a new design, the Weckenbräu now has its own Instagram profile, which informs about brewing beer from bread and food waste.
With the new design, we want to emphasize above all that the new beer stands for future viability and change. The story of the bread beer is told on the label and further information is provided about food waste. Weckenbräu is now also available in stores, in the bakery and in Doc's Bier's online shop.
Foto: Angelo Pantazis
Foto: Austin Ban
Foto: Claude Piche
Foto: Andreas Weber
Foto: Andreas Weber
Foto: Bäckerei Berger
