Adnams brews food waste game-changer in Suffolk

Southwold-based brewery and hospitality business Adnams, together with project partner Bio Capital, has been given the green light for the redevelopment of a plant originally built in 2010.

No updated costs have been given for the scheme but Adnams says that waste from across the county and from the brewery’s own operations will be collected at the facility from 2026.

The project will significantly strengthen the local circular economy and comes ahead of new legislation requiring all local authorities to collect food waste from residential homes. It will mean Suffolk will for the first time have a fully self-sufficient in-county solution for its food waste.

Once complete, the facility will process up to 49,000 tonnes of food waste per year, delivering an estimated annual carbon saving of almost 34,000 tonnes of CO₂e.

The plant will produce around 31 GWh of renewable gas (biomethane) each year, which is enough to heat approximately 3,000 local homes. Injected into the national grid, it will also help to provide heat for local businesses, including the Adams distribution centre and brewery.

The plant will also deliver further circular economy benefits by supplying green fuel for Adnams’ own HGV fleet and sustainable CO₂ that will be used for brewing operations on-site.

For Adnams, this forms part of a long-held ethos on sustainability, which has seen the firm secure three Queen’s Awards for its efforts in this area.

Confirmation of the project follows a period of consultation with the local community, at which Bio Capital, the UK’s largest producer of green energy using food waste, joined Adnams in outlining the intention for the major sustainability initiative.

Jenny Hanlon, CEO of Adnams, said: “Securing approval for this hugely significant sustainability project in our county is a really exciting step for Adnams, and for Bio Capital.

“We have always placed great emphasis as a business on climate and community, so we’re very much celebrating the fact that our site will be redeveloped and will soon be helping homeowners on their own journey to achieving net zero.

“There are so many long-term benefits to the local economy – including job creation – and we’re pleased to have a role in positioning Suffolk as a leader in the renewable energy sector.”

Jake Harrison, Chief Operating Officer at Bio Capital, added: “It is great to get this decision and to be partnering with Adnams on this vital project, which reflects our shared commitment to sustainability and renewable energy.

“This anaerobic digestion facility represents a major step forward in reducing carbon emissions, generating renewable energy from food waste, and supporting Suffolk’s climate goals. Bio Capital is looking forward to commencing construction of the new facility and, together, accelerating the shift towards a greener, more sustainable future for the region.”