Coles supermarkets have teamed up with BrewDog Australia to make a carbon-negative beer with unsold bread called Lost Lager.

The packaging for Lost Lager is 99% plastic-free and any emissions BrewDog is unable to avoid through the production process are ‘double offset’ through tree planting schemes around the world.

Coles research shows that one in two customers care deeply about the environment and the majority want to do more, while 50% say they have changed what they buy in response to the packaging of a product.

Coles Liquor Acting General Manager Customer, Trade Planning and Insights Mia Lloyd said customers frequently told team members in Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores that they wanted to support brands that were taking action on the environment.

“Lost Lager will be hugely popular with customers given the easy-drinking style of the beer and BrewDog’s commitment to the environment and climate change,” Lloyd said.

“This is not a fleeting consumer trend, it’s a force that our customers are driving and we can already see support for brands that have moved early to embrace sustainable packaging, waste reduction or renewable power.”

Additionally, BrewDog invests in a number of significant reforestation projects, including the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor in Western Australia. This is the only emission reduction project in Australia to be certified under the prestigious Gold Standard accreditation, a globally-recognised best practice benchmark.

It’s not the first time Coles has repurposed leftover produce. Coles Liquor, Local Brewing Co and Rombola Family Farms turned excess water into sour beer to raise money to feed Australians in need last year. 

Brewed exclusively for Coles Liquor, Surplus Sour Watermelon Beer was made with three tonnes of unsold melons donated by long-time Coles produce supplier Rombola Family Farms. In place of brewer’s malt, Local Brewing Co rescued 300 kilograms of unsold Coles bread to add to the beer ferment.

Tapping into the thirst for lager

The brewer’s Australian CEO Ed Bott said the Lost Lager was a premium lager, similar in style to a German pilsner and created to deliver a craft option for Australian lager lovers.

“Lager accounts for 90% of beer consumed in Australia, and our Lost Lager connects with the premiumisation of this broad segment of the beer market,” Bott said.

Lager has been at the forefront of beer sales growth for years. With recent consumer demand shifting towards premium lager, hospitality venues and hotels have seen growing consumption.

As such, premium lager is one of the fastest-growing product segments in recent years, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% from 2019 to 2025.

“It’s still in its infancy but lager is the last bastion for craft beer and we’re confident the fresh, uncomplicated style of this beer will prove hugely popular with customers who are seeking something more from their lager,” Bott said.

“We see how engaged our Australian customers are in relation to issues such as waste and emissions reduction and while we know we can’t save the world on our own, we’re proud that we’re doing our bit here in Australia and around the globe.”

Lost Lager is priced at $55 Carton in VIC/NSW/QLD, $58 a carton in SA/NT/WA $58, $18 for a 4 pack in VIC/NSW/QLD, $19 for a 4 pack in SA/NT/WA $19. It’s available at First Choice Liquor Market stores or online http://www.firstchoiceliquor.com.au and select Liquorland stores or online at http://www.liquorland.com.au.