Pints to profits: The European startups giving beer waste a second life
23 sep. 2025
15:09
Your last pint could mean profits for a new cohort of European startups.
From the UK to Estonia, early-stage ventures are turning beer waste into everything from leather and chocolate to renewable energy.
We’ve dug into seven brewery waste upcyclers – many of which are now looking for funding to scale up.
From the UK to Estonia, early-stage ventures are turning beer waste into everything from leather and chocolate to renewable energy.
We’ve dug into seven brewery waste upcyclers – many of which are now looking for funding to scale up.
Globally, around 40 million tonnes of brewery waste is produced each year – enough to fill around 50 average-sized football stadiums. As we drink more beer, that waste is expected to pile-up even further.
That’s a big problem – or a lot of feedstock depending which way you slice it (or drink it).