Distilleries

Belvedere’s Beautiful Sustainability

Poland’s Belvedere Vodka is paving the way for a more sustainable and beautiful future

Sep. 2021Written by Seth JosephPhotos provided by Belvedere


The Belvedere Vodka distillery
Hands holding live plants, with roots and dirt attached
Hands holding grains
Polish rye plants waving in the wind
Stills used at the Belvedere Vodka distillery
Bottles of Belvedere Vodka on an assembly line
A man putting the finishing touches on a bottle of Belvedere Vodka
Belvedere Vodka bottle next to other glassware

Belvedere has made incredible strides in environmental sustainability. From 2012 to 2017, they cut their carbon emissions by 42 percent. In 2018, theirs was the first spirits distillery to receive a European Commission grant for a biomass capture facility on site this year to produce renewable energy and reduce energy-related CO2 emissions by 80%. The plan is for Belvedere to become fully energy carbon neutral in 2022.

Beginning in 2023, all Belvedere product innovations will be produced through organic farming techniques. The company has begun rigorously working on organic certifications and the transition to organic farming, with the goal of ceasing the use of pesticides within the next 10 years.

Belvedere’s rye is exclusively supplied from local sources. The distillery has cultivated long-term relationships with growers in the community, as well as other local institutions. Belvedere co-founded the Foundation for Local Environmental Protection organization, and began the Raw Spirit Program in partnership with the Technical University of Lodz, to promote the sustainable growth of Polish rye.

Polish rye is the main ingredient in Belvedere Vodka (along with water). Maintaining the health and durability of sources for their grain is of the utmost importance to Belvedere.

The water used in Belvedere Vodka is sourced from an artesian well and purified through a four-column continuous distillation process, which comprises 11-stages itself. The result is a neutral water perfect for the rye flavor to shine through.

Belvedere Vodka contains zero additives. It is 100% sugar free, gluten free, kosher and all natural.

Sustainable packaging is another key area for Belvedere. They are actively auditing vendors throughout the supply chain vendors to ensure they abide by a 100% green code of conduct. Belvedere’s goal is to reduce plastic use by 50% and to use up to 50% of recycled plastic by 2025. In the meantime, they are working toward a milestone of eliminating 100% of single-use plastic by 2022.

Belvedere has also implemented new eco-friendly designs for all new products and point of sales materials, with a commitment to reduce the quantity of secondary and packaging material, achieve 90% recyclability for all materials, and have long-life solutions rather than one-time use.

In 1910, the history of vodka took a sharp turn in the small Polish community of Żyrardów, with the construction of the distillery which would eventually produce one of the most recognizable names in modern spirits: Belvedere Vodka. Production began in 1993, shortly after the fall of communism in Poland, and the brand would quickly rise to become a fixture on cocktail menus and in-home bars. Belvedere has built a reputation as the world’s Super Premium vodka, thanks in part to a strict adherence to exacting Polish distilling requirements, but also inclusion of only the best possible ingredients in the distillation process.

From the artesian water supply to the locally sourced rye, Belvedere Vodka is made with a total commitment to quality. That commitment extends to all aspects of the process, with an eye toward sustainability for both the business and the planet. The company is laser focused on making positive changes and providing industry leadership in three key areas: green energy, organic farming, and sustainable packaging.

Belvedere is leading by example and showing other brands that it is possible to run an environmentally sound operation and still produce a world-class product. Take a look through these photos for a sneak peek at the Belvedere process, and to learn more about how they do it.

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