COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Beginning September 1, 2019, the pioneering liquid yeast and fermentation company, White Labs, is making a strong statement by shifting all of its production at its Copenhagen manufacturing facility to organically certified yeast. These offerings confirm the company’s dedication to reducing the environmental impact of its manufacturing practices, leading the way for others in the craft beer industry.
“As a business, we feel obligated to continually consider our impact on the environment,” said Troels Prahl, managing director at White Labs Copenhagen ApS. “We have a desire to secure ecological diversity in the food systems we depend on, especially when it comes to farming barley, which is the main agricultural ingredient we use when propagating yeast. This shift to producing organic liquid yeast is not to increase profits, but rather make a powerful statement. We all must consider our environmental impact and unite farmers, suppliers, brewers and consumers alike, to constantly try to improve our processes for a greener future.”
Manufacturing 100% certified organic yeast is an important first step to minimizing the impact on the environment and White Labs Copenhagen hopes to lead the way in sourcing ingredients with a responsible environmental footprint. The availability of these organic strains means brewers now have the opportunity to produce beers across a wide range of beer styles using 100% organically certified liquid yeast produced under tight certification rules and with a responsible environmental footprint.
Under the new organic certification, White Labs Copenhagen’s process, documentation, and internal controls are held to specifications and compliance of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration which enforces the EU organic law. As part of the organic manufacturing process, the company sources locally produced organic malt extract to create the all-malt wort in which the yeast is propagated using the patented FlexCell™ process.
Along with producing certified organic yeast, the company also has programs in place across all facilities to save water, reduce power use, improve waste handling and up-cycle waste streams, among other things.
To demonstrate the urgency of companies taking the initiative to better the environment, White Labs Copenhagen is selling the yeast for the same price as their conventional product. The organic strains can be identified by their green label, the certified organic logo designations of the EU, USDA and Denmark as well as the addition of an “O” following the WLP strain number.
Currently, all 25 organic yeast strains produced by White Labs Copenhagen are only available to European customers. Orders can be placed by emailing orderscph@whitelabs.com. Those located outside of the European territory who are interested in obtaining organic yeast from White Labs Copenhagen can email orderscph@whitelabs.com and the team will follow up as they work to expand their shipping territories for organic yeast.
For a complete list of organic strains, please visit whitelabs.com/europe.
About White Labs Copenhagen
White Labs Copenhagen, ApS is a subsidiary of international yeast and fermentation company, White Labs Inc. White Labs Copenhagen, ApS produces yeast for European professional brewers, distillers and winemakers, while also serving as a site for innovative and scientific discoveries in the field of microorganisms and fermentation. The company stretches the limits of science to set new standards in purity and freshness. From the industry’s first pitchable liquid yeast to a complete revolution in the way it’s propagated and packaged, the White Labs innovative spirit is tireless. For more information on White Labs and its various products and services, please visit whitelabs.com.