Independent brewery, Local Brewing Co., says its $400,000 Coles Nurture Fund grant will allow it to expand production of its brewing innovation, EcoCrumb, that transforms surplus bread into beer.
The Melbourne-based brewery will invest the funds into further research and equipment, enabling it to produce 100 times the current volume of EcoCrumb, making the cost-effective bread-based grain more accessible to brewers across the country.
Local Brewing co-founder, Nick Campbell, said a hands-on approach to enhance sustainability initiatives in the brewing industry was at the heart of their craft beer movement.
100 kilograms of surplus Coles Brand bread.
(Image: Local Brewing Co.)
“We’ve been brewing with repurposed bread for our limited-edition Surplus Series beers for a few years now, rescuing more than two tonnes of Coles Brand bread from waste.
Local Brewing’s Surplus Series has rescued more than 50 tonnes of fruit and upcycled two tonnes of bread, while the spent grain from the brewing process has also been repurposed as animal feed. The brewery’s most recent Surplus Series release the Citrus Hazy Pale was crafted from 100 kilograms of surplus Coles Brand bread.
“EcoCrumb upcycles surplus bread by dehydrating and milling it down into a crumb that then substitutes the traditional grain used in brewing. Our biggest challenge has been using the bread in the short window of time before it spoils,” Campbell said.
Despite being one of the most consumed foods, every year millions of tonnes of bread are wasted worldwide due to its limited shelf life.
Coles Liquor business category manager for Beer, Nick McArdle, said EcoCrumb shows what’s possible when innovation and a mission to reduce food waste meet.
“We’re so proud to have independent suppliers like Local Brewing Co. on our shelves that are pushing boundaries in the beer industry by using excess bread and turning it into a malt substitute for beer.
“Our customers have loved the limited-edition Surplus Series, the Citrus Hazy Pale – a delicious, easy drinking-beer that’s also a product of the recent trials of EcoCrumb.
“By further investing in the development of the EcoCrumb, we look forward to seeing Local Brewing Co.’s impact scale across their range nationally, minimise food waste and best of all deliver some great tasting beer,” McArdle said.
Campbell said, “Thanks to the Coles Nurture Fund we now have the opportunity to advance our innovation by increasing its shelf life from just 48 hours to up to six months. Not only will this enable us to introduce EcoCrumb across our full range of beers but also produce a shelf-ready product on a national scale to encourage Aussie breweries to reduce their environmental footprint by using our grain substitute.”
Coles Group Chief Commercial & Sustainability Officer, Anna Croft, said the grant reflects Coles’ commitment to supporting innovative sustainability initiatives.
“Local Brewing Co.’s EcoCrumb is an outstanding example of how small businesses are finding creative solutions to tackle food waste while supporting their industries and communities,” she said.
“Through initiatives like the Coles Nurture Fund, we’re proud to back unique projects that drive innovation and help create a more sustainable future for Australia.”
The Coles Nurture Fund was established in 2015 to help small and medium-sized food and drink producers implement plans to drive sustainability and product innovation. The latest grant awarded to Local Brewing Co. brings the total financial support awarded through the fund to more than $36 million across 108 businesses.
To be eligible for a grant of up to $500,000:
- businesses must demonstrate that they are seeking funding for a project which is unique, drives innovation and provides outstanding sustainability benefits;
- applicants must generate less than $25 million in annual revenue and employ 50 or fewer full-time employees; and
- applications are open to all businesses who meet the criteria regardless of whether they are a current Coles supplier.
Applications close at 5pm AEDT on Friday, 14 February 2025. For more information or to apply to the Coles Nurture Fund, visit coles.com.au/nurturefund
