Imperial Beach Clean Up by Cerveza Imperial and Surfrider Foundation Kicks Off Investment in Area Water Initiatives

In honor of World Ocean Month, Costa Rican-based Cerveza Imperial, the world’s first and only water positive beer, partnered with Surfrider Foundation San Diego to host a dedicated beach clean up at Imperial Beach this past Saturday, kicking off a series of events to mark the beer company’s investment in the area. At the event, more than 100 volunteers collected 74 lbs. of trash and 9 lbs. of recycled trash in less than two hours. Cerveza Imperial has chosen San Diego as one of two markets along with Denver for its re-launch.

To further spread its water positive concept of “giving more than it takes,” Imperial has partnered with Surfrider Foundation San Diego, California Surf Museum, Aaron Chang, and various clean-up events throughout San Diego County to help fund and support efforts to restore and sustain San Diego’s clean water initiatives.

“We have committed to a revolutionary concept of being the world’s first and only ‘water positive’ beer, a unique approach that allows us to return more fresh water to the environment than we use,” said Gisela Sanchez, Cerveza Imperial’s corporate affairs director. “Imperial analyzed its entire water footprint in sourcing, brewing and transporting our beer to understand our total water impact. We looked for ways to not only reach water neutrality by reducing and compensating the water we use but to actually improve upon the availability of fresh water in Costa Rica.”

As a result, San Diegans are helping to save the environment by drinking Imperial products, Sanchez said.

To accomplish its water positive mission, Ceveza Imperial has adopted the following four-step process of measure, reduce, compensate and create positive value in achieving a positive water footprint:

• Measure. Analyze and measure the entire production water footprint including all suppliers and water used in the distribution process.
• Reduce. Once a benchmark is established, the operation team develops processes that reduce water usage in the brewing, fermenting and packaging process, achieving an average 44 percent reduction in water usage over the last nine years while increasing production 70 percent.
• Compensation. The third step is “offsetting” water being used in the production process and supply chain by “returning” water to the eco-system for water use. Cerveza Imperial protects more than 600 hectares (1,482 acres) of the Costa Rican tropical forest that are critical in trapping rainwater, recharging the natural water basins and protecting the quality of the water by reducing runoff.
• Create Positive Value. Cerveza Imperial partners with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to improve access to fresh water, conserve fresh water, clean fresh water, and sustain fresh water.

This water positive designation has been bestowed on Imperial by ISO14046 international guidelines and reviewed by the Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainable Design center in Mexico and will be verified each year by the Institute of Technical Standards of Costa Rica.

“We take seriously our commitment to support the tropical forest and local communities in Costa Rica,” Sanchez said. “Our partnerships with Surfrider Foundation San Diego, California Surf Museum and our alliance with Aaron Chang are no different. We are proud to make an investment in the well-being of the San Diego community and carry the water positive message to this beautiful area.”

For more information, please visit www.imperialbeer.com. Event photos available here:http://bit.ly/2rii8b0

About Cerveza Imperial

Cerveza Imperial, Costa Rica’s, most popular beer, is a product of FIFCO, Florida Ice and Farm Company S.A., founded in 1908. FIFCO is a Costa Rican food and beverage company and has a portfolio of more than 1,500 products, including beer, spirits, wine as well as a nonalcoholic portfolio of juices, water, carbonated soft drinks, milk, amongst other. FIFCO operates under a triple bottom line business strategy, reporting its economic, social and environmental results through the Integrated Report following GRI Standards and Integrated Reporting methodology.

About the San Diego Chapter of Surfrider Foundation

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 500,000 supporters, activists and members, with more than 80 volunteer-led chapters and 60 clubs in the U.S., and more than 400 victories protecting our coasts. The San Diego County Chapter is one of the largest and most active U.S. chapters of the Surfrider Foundation. Learn more at SurfriderSD.org.