Beverage Industry Benchmarking

When performance is measured, performance improves

BIER conducts an annual quantitative and qualitative benchmark study that examines water and energy use in the beverage sector. These sustainable benchmarking studies provide insight into water stewardship practices and energy efficiency performance.

Collecting the Data

To establish the data set for our benchmarking report, BIER member companies provide facility-specific metrics related to total water and energy usage, beverage production, beverage product mix, facility type and facility location. Results are then normalized, categorized by facility type (bottling, brewery, distillery and winery), and analyzed. The basis for analysis are the water and energy use ratios, which are indicators of how efficiently a facility uses water and energy for beverage production.

Sustainability Benchmarking – Continuing Progress

The 2023 benchmarking study includes facility-level data for 2017, 2020, and 2022 from 14 BIER members and two partner contributors. The study shows improvements in water, energy, and emissions intensity ratios by 8%, 11%, and 22% respectively. Continued progress is represented through a variety of facility categories, production volumes, and geographic locations – showcasing that the beverage industry continues to improve business performance while proactively reducing environmental impacts worldwide.