ProWine Sao Paulo uses glass breakers to prevent

São Paulo, Brazil – ProWine São Paulo, the largest professional wine and spirits trade show in the Americas, broke records this year with 1,402 exhibiting brands and 15,000 attendees from 34 countries.

The event is a geo-clone of Messe Düsseldorf’s ProWein and is organized jointly by Messe Düsseldorf, Emme Brasil and Inner Group.

As part of the campaign’s “Glass is Good” programme, ProWine São Paulo is deploying a glass crusher for the first time in 2024 to destroy used bottles, combat counterfeiting and facilitate the recycling process.

“We adopted this strategy because we are committed to transforming this event into a platform that can have a positive impact, going beyond business,” said Malu Sevieri, director of ProWine São Paulo. “The Glass is Good initiative embodies how we promote A sustainable change in the glass production chain. By recycling the bottles and cullet used during the show, we reduce our environmental impact while generating income for the community of waste collectors. This creates a virtuous cycle, both for the environment and society. Benefits. We aim to strengthen this culture of social and environmental responsibility because we believe the future of the industry depends on the sustainable actions we take now.”

Prevent fraud

Cristiane Foja, executive president of Brazilian beverage association Abrabe, said the growing popularity of cocktail making and mixology has made high-value alcoholic beverages targets for counterfeiting.

“The solution to the problem of counterfeiting is to properly dispose of empty beverage bottles. If there were no improperly discarded empty bottles, there would be no counterfeit products. This is why Abrabe invested in the Glass is Good project,” Foja explained.

ProWine São Paulo’s glass crushers operate at the end of each day of the show, ensuring that empty wine bottles are destroyed and cannot be used by counterfeiters.

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Strengthen sustainable image

The glass crusher reduces CO2 emissions and makes the glass recycling process more efficient by minimizing trips to collect material from the pavilion. Sevieri explained that it was well received at the show.

“Exhibitors and attendees responded very positively to the recycling strategy… further strengthening the image of ProWine São Paulo as an innovative and conscious event. Exhibitors were particularly pleased to associate their brands with an event that promotes environmental responsibility in a concrete way, for themselves sustainable initiatives that add value,” said Sevieri. “Glass is Good is a pioneer in Brazil promoting reverse logistics of post-consumer bottles and generating revenue for waste collection cooperatives and environmentally friendly companies that process and properly dispose of recycled glass.”

Foja said the program has saved 105,000 megawatt hours of energy and recycled more than 222,000 tons of glass over the past 14 years.

ProWine São Paulo also promotes sustainable waste strategies and holds masterclasses on legal and ethical practices in the production chain.

To learn more about this event, click here.