Waste Not, Want Not: Strange Nature Introduces Hospitality Recycling Programme As Part Of Sustainability Journey

Award winning gin brand Strange Nature has dialled up its commitment to sustainability, launching a nationwide hospitality recycling programme that enables its exquisite bottles to be reused and refilled time and again.

From honest ori-‘gins’, Strange Nature is a true grape-based gin that is completely traceable from grape to glass. Salvaged from a rather delectable by-product it is created from 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc using innovative, spinning cone technology.

The alcohol is gently extracted from the process of making Sauvignon Blanc while preserving the distinctive flavours and aromas of the wine. The result is a pure, clean white spirit, which rather than being discarded, is then naturally distilled with a single botanical, juniper, to deliver a gin that naturally goes against the grain.

Strange Nature’s newly launched recycling programme enables hospitality partners to have empty bottles collected by company. The bottles are then taken down to the bottling line in Marlborough where they are washed and refilled, before making their way back out to bars and restaurants around the country.

“Strange Nature has always had an ethos of sustainability and traceability, paying homage to our origins and offering environmentally conscious consumers a product that shares their values,” says Rhys Julian, General Manager of Strange Nature Distillery.

“Our hospitality recycling program is one of the steps we’re taking to ensure we live up to Strange Nature’s intention to minimise environmental impact. We want to make it easier for our on-premise customers to make sustainable decisions for their businesses and their customers. We know we’re not perfect in our practices, but we’re committed to the journey and continuous improvement, and early feedback from our customers is positive about the steps we’re taking.”

Gaining momentum and making an impact here and overseas only 12 months since launching, Strange Nature has already been internationally recognised boasting a several accolades including 2022 - Innovation Award at the New Zealand Spirit Awards, 2022 - Gold Medal at the international Gin Masters Competition in London and 2022 - Special commendation for design and packaging at The Drinks Business Awards in London.

Rhys added, “crafting the strangest gin on the market from a small pocket of Sustainable Winegrowing NZ™ certified land in Marlborough was a serendipitous moment. Born in a vineyard which is audited on its practices related to soil, water, plant protection, waste, people and climate change means sustainability is the forefront of our approach. We know precisely where each bottle of spirit comes from with a gin that’s entirely traceable – and it’s an exciting time for the brand as customers are falling in love with our product, packaging and story.

“Positively, we’re seeing significant growth here at home in both hospitality and retail, whilst Strange Nature is also capturing the imagination of buyers in Australia and North America. We’ve recently achieved national listings across Australia with distribution in 260 Dan Murphy stores, complemented by listings in two international airport duty free retailers in Australia from January 2023.

Continuing this momentum, Strange Nature will be available in six key US states from April 2023 including New York, Georgia, California, Texas, Florida and Colorado and we have plans to expand further in coming months.”

How Strange Nature tastes

Strange Nature is naturally flavoured, bearing all the quintessential notes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is famous for - part tropical and zesty with hints of fresh pineapple, candied grapefruit and a touch of kaffir lime and blood orange; and part savoury and herbaceous - piney juniper, blackcurrant leaf and fresh green pepper.

The perfect serve

• Over ice: less is more with this gin! To really maximise all the unique flavours of this premium grape gin, taste it neat or over ice.
• With soda: simple yet effective. Load up a highball glass with ice and a spritz of carbonated water; garnish with a lime wedge. Or, for a refreshing alternative, try with East Imperial Grapefruit Soda.
• With tonic: an absolute classic. A generous pour of gin over lots of ice, topped off with a premium tonic (like East Imperial Tonic), a lime wedge and a sprig of rosemary or thyme.

Participating on-premise venues have the chance to win one of three strange experiences to Marlborough to visit the home of Strange Nature Distilling with winners drawn in early 2023.

More information can be found at Strange Nature Gin.

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