The Brewery Industry Plays a Vital Role in the Economy and Society

The brewery industry is a major driver of economic growth and social engagement in Europe accounting with around 10,000 active breweries across the continent and generating over 2 million jobs, accounting for 1% of total EU employment. Furthermore, one job in brewing creates an extra 17 jobs in related industries including agriculture, packaging and hospitality. In economic terms, the beer sector contributes over €40 billion in tax revenues annually, supporting national and local economies. Beyond its financial impact, brewing plays a vital role in European culture and tourism, with beer festivals, craft brewing movements, and traditional brewing methods attracting millions of visitors each year. As consumer demand for local and sustainable products grows, the brewery sector continues to evolve, reinforcing its essential role in both economic development and social cohesion in Europe.

How the Circular Economy Can Transform the Brewery Industry Towards Sustainability

The circular economy promotes a system where resources are continuously repurposed, waste is minimized, and natural ecosystems are regenerated. For the brewery industry, adopting circular economy principles can reduce environmental impact, improve efficiency, and enhance productivity. Below are outlined two key aspects to integrate circular economy practices into brewing:

1. Upcycling Brewery By-Products

Breweries generate large volumes of by-products, including spent grains, hops, and yeast, which are rich in proteins, fibres, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Instead of discarding these resources, they can be repurposed into valuable applications such as: animal feed, Nutritional supplements and Sustainable materials.

Revalorizing brewery by-products supports economic growth while reducing food waste, which accounts for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions[1]. Additionally, with the upcycled food products market projected to reach $97 billion by 2031[2], breweries have an opportunity to generate new revenue streams while promoting sustainability.

2. Efficient Resource Utilization through Energy Recovery

Brewery waste—such as organic food scraps, spent grains, and residual yeast—can be converted into bioenergy through biogas production or composting. This process provides breweries with a renewable energy source, reducing dependence on fossil fuels. On average:

• 1 ton of food waste can generate 100–150 cubic meters of biogas, producing 2.5–3.5 MWh of electricity[3]
• Breweries can use biogas to power operations, reducing costs and environmental impact

By integrating these circular economy strategies, breweries can enhance sustainability, increase efficiency, and contribute to a more resilient and environmentally responsible industry.

About CHEERS

The CHEERS project (GA No. 101060814) funded by the European Union under the topic “HORIZON-CL6-2021-CIRCBIO-01” aim to develop a new biorefinery concept inspired on nature biodiversity (insect and microbial platforms), to sustainably and efficiently upgrade underused or waste side-streams such as bagasse, wastewater, CO2 and CH4 from bio-based industries into innovative bio-based products: insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine and caproic acid.

The beer company MAHOU is project coordinator and exploitation leader jointly with 11 partners of 5 European countries, including technology suppliers, end-users and research entities.

About Innovarum

Innovarum is a technical consultancy providing support to innovative projects on the agri-food sector and bioeconomy. Innovarum has solid experience in reaching target audiences via professional D&C campaigns and developing and implementing Open Science plans, to facilitate knowledge exchange and co-creation.

Innovarum will support communication and dissemination actions to ensure the project reaches the bio-based sector and creates a long-lasting impact (WP7). Learn more about the project partners here.