Coles transforms surplus peaches and bread into delicious craft beer

Coles Liquor has announced that a brand new craft beer will soon be hitting shelves, bringing with it a promise to help close the loop on food waste.

In a partnership between Coles and Melbourne beer label Local Brewing Co, a unique "sour" style craft beer will be coming to Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores this year.

The White Peach Surplus Sour is brewed using unsold supermarket bread and excess white peaches, joining its successful predecessor the Watermelon Sour, which was brewed using unsold bread and watermelons.

Coles Liquor General Manager of Merchandise Brad Gorman said craft beer fans are always on the lookout for new and creative releases, and Coles is excited to oblige.

“We work closely with the craft brewers and focus on emerging beer styles that we know have momentum behind them like sour beers or hazy pale ales, as was the case with our very popular Blood Orange Hazy Pale Ale – a collaboration between our craft brand Tinnies and Melbourne craft brewer Moon Dog,” Gorman said.

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Gorman also said he was proud to be minimising food waste by utilising a creative brewing process.

“The secret ingredient for the Surplus Sour range is that it’s closing the loop on fresh produce by finding a new use for unsold fruit and excess Coles bread, as well as forging a new route to market for fruit growers such as Cutri Fruit, which provided the white peach juice to Local Brewing Co.”

New drink for a good cause

For the white peach fruit grower Gaethan Cutri, Coles’ commitment to utilising excess white peaches signifies a generational shift among growers.

“Sustainability isn’t just about your environmental footprint, it’s also about the outlook for our agricultural business,” Mr Cutri said.

“Partnerships like this forge new revenue paths for our operation and keep a sense of excitement alive as we see our imperfect or unsold fruit transition into something new and enjoyable.”

A conscious repurposing of unsold product is not the only unique thing about Coles’ newest craft beer, as Local Brewing Co has also made a heartwarming commitment to those in need.

For every can of White Peach Surplus Sour sold, Local Brewing Co will be donating the equivalent of one meal to SecondBite, who are supporting Aussies doing it tough.

Local Brewing Co founder Sam Harris said that customers are becoming more curious about the impact of their purchases, and the launch of the Surplus Sour beer range signifies an opportunity to do something good.

“Customers want to know how our business is impacting the environment and the community, and importantly they want to feel like their purchases are having a positive impact,” Mr Harris said.

“The Watermelon Surplus Sour allowed us to scale-up our giving and we’re thrilled to launch the second sour in collaboration with Coles Liquor under the Surplus Sour brand.

“It feels like we’re playing a meaningful role in closing the loop on food waste by making an exceptional sour, and that feels like a great outcome for our customers and the environment.”

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