
Producing novel non-plant biomass feedstocks and bio-based products through upcycling and the cascading use of brewery side-streams.

Producing novel non-plant biomass feedstocks and bio-based products through upcycling and the cascading use of brewery side-streams.
What is CHEERS?
CHEERS is an EU-funded project led by Mahou San Miguel with a consortium of 11 partners from 5 countries.
The CHEERS project aims to revalorise under-utilised or waste by-streams from the brewing industry for subsequent conversion into five high value-added industrial bio-products through a biorefinery approach.
The initiative proposes to achieve a reduction in the resource use and environmental impact of the beer production chain and aims to cover wider impacts on biodiversity and agricultural land use.
What is CHEERS?
CHEERS is an EU-funded project led by Mahou San Miguel with a consortium of 11 partners from 5 countries.
The CHEERS project aims to revalorise under-utilised or waste by-streams from the brewing industry for subsequent conversion into five high value-added industrial bio-products through a biorefinery approach.
The initiative proposes to achieve a reduction in the resource use and environmental impact of the beer production chain and aims to cover wider impacts on biodiversity and agricultural land use.
CHEERS will develop sustainable transformation processes using innovative biological platforms inspired by nature, which will be validated on a demonstration scale at Mahou San Miguel’s brewery.
CHEERS will develop sustainable transformation processes using innovative biological platforms inspired by nature, which will be validated on a demonstration scale at Mahou San Miguel’s brewery.
The strategy
CHEERS offers a modular solution where bio-based industries can configure their optimal combination by selecting from 5 novel biotechnological routes that generate 5 bioproducts for industrial applications, with attractive market opportunities: insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine and caproic acid.
All CHEERS value chains are based on new bioprocesses and innovative biofermenters combined with sustainable transformation processes, which will be validated at a demonstration scale in an industrial brewery. Ultimately, each value chain will achieve a minimum 45% reduction of the carbon footprint.
The Strategy
CHEERS offers a modular solution where bio-based industries can configure their optimal combination by selecting from 5 novel biotechnological routes that generate 5 bioproducts for industrial applications, with attractive market opportunities: insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine and caproic acid.
All CHEERS value chains are based on new bioprocesses and innovative biofermenters combined with sustainable transformation processes, which will be validated at a demonstration scale in an industrial brewery. Ultimately, each value chain will achieve a minimum 45% reduction of the carbon footprint.
An integral solution for the valorisation of all by-products and side-streams via 2 novel bio-based production platforms (insect and microbial) and 5 bio-based products.

INSECT
Upgrading of bagasse into 200L insect protein drinks.


MICROBIAL
Conversion of CO2 and wastewater into 490 kg/y of caproic-rich fatty acids mixture for feed.

Conversion of CO2 into 50kg/y chlorine for sanitizing products.

Conversion of biogas into 20kg/y of ectoine for cosmetic products.

Conversion of biogas into 482 kg SCP/y for pet food production.

An integral solution for the valorisation of all by-products and side-streams via 2 novel bio-based production platforms (insect and microbial) and 5 bio-based products.

INSECT
Upgrading of bagasse into 13.5 ton/y of insect protein drinks.


MICROBIAL
Conversion of CO2 and wastewater into 700 kg/y caproic acid for feed.

Conversion of CO2 into 50kg/y chlorine for sanitizing products.

Conversion of biogas into 20kg/y of ectoine for cosmetic products.

Conversion of biogas into 482 kg SCP/y for pet food production.

The bioconversion and cascading of biomass from secondary streams offered by CHEERS is intended to be a starting point for other fermentation industries to improve feedstock efficiency, sustainability, and their overall competitiveness.
The bioconversion and cascading of biomass from secondary streams offered by CHEERS is intended to be a starting point for other fermentation industries to improve feedstock efficiency, sustainability, and their overall competitiveness.
Latest news
Exploring Oportunities for Implementation of CHEERS Technologies
CHEERS is a European project that seeks to give a new value to the underutilised or residual secondary flows generated during the brewing process, converting them into five highly valuable and competitive bio-based products [...]
Participation at LCM 2023 and ZHAW’s LCSA approach
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of a Biorefinery for the Valorisation of Brewer's Spent Grain.In 2021, Europe produced a staggering 34 billion litres of beer. Each cubic meter of beer yields 0.2 [...]
CHEERS at C*Sci 2023: Using citizen science to improve industry practices
The Citizen Science Association’s (CSA’s) C*Sci conference celebrated its 10th year at the end of May this year (22-26th). Held at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, it provided myself and Luigi Ceccaroni [...]