FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, 4 April 2022

Images here

FOUR PILLARS ANNOUNCED AS AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL GIN DISTILLERY 

Four Pillars Gin has announced it is the first carbon neutral gin distillery in Australia as it unveils a $7 million dollar upgrade to its Healesville headquarters in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.  The expanded distillery door is set to open to the public by the end of April. 

This certification, under Climate Active, is only awarded to businesses that have reached a state of achieving zero net emissions. Climate Active is an Australian government initiative and is one of the most strident carbon neutral programs worldwide.
 

Not only will all Four Pillars gins bottled onsite be certified carbon neutral, the business operations of Four Pillars has also achieved carbon neutral status by being included in the boundary of the Lion Australia’s organisation certification last year (Lion is a partner of Four Pillars).
 

It is a significantly complex and costly undertaking to make actual products certified carbon neutral, alongside the production facility itself. Four Pillars has been working with Climate Active and consultants Ndver Environmental for more than a year to achieve this accreditation, which takes into account all elements of the gin’s journey beyond the distillery door. 
 

“This is a landmark day for Four Pillars and our commitment to sustainability,” said Four Pillars co-founder and distiller Cameron Mackenzie.
 

“From the very first day we distilled gin we have tried to recycle, re-use and replenish our environment and give back to the community. We cannot give more to the community than assure it that our gins tread carefully on our planet especially in this time of climate crisis.
 

“Our journey to carbon neutral began with the simple idea of reusing oranges for marmalade, giving spent botanicals to pigs for feed, putting solar panels on our roof and of course offsetting what can be an energy intensive production process by carefully purchasing mainly domestic carbon credits.
 

“To be honest, we are doing no more, or less, than what should be expected of a business that is lucky enough to be based in the magnificent natural surrounds of the Yarra Valley.”
 

The soon-to-launch Four Pillars distillery, named Healesville 2.0, has seen more than a 1000sqm expansion of the original site and is set to become a new benchmark for craft gin distilleries worldwide. The new site is directly adjacent, and wholly connected, to the original Four Pillars home on Lilydale Road, Healesville and has been designed by Melbourne’s award-winning and sustainability-led Breathe Architecture. 
 

In addition to Four Pillars’ commitment to an emissions reduction strategy, the business is dedicated to achieving broader sustainability wins which were instrumental during the planning and build of Healesville 2.0.

2/…

The construction has used materials including recycled and upcycled concrete and bricks, pineapple ‘leather’ upholstery and even building ‘waste’ has been carefully used and given a second life. Furniture is all locally sourced, solar power panels clad the roof, and internal and external landscaping includes plantings of local natives and botanicals, many of which will be used in future gin distillations. 

Gin will also be ‘piped’ directly into the main bar through featured copper pipes to reduce glass waste plus bottled tonic usage will be massively reduced, replaced in the most part by tonic in kegs. These two initiatives alone will see the site save 29 tonnes of glass per year. 

The whole site, incorporating the old and new buildings, will be enclosed by a copper ‘veil’ made from 1650m of raw copper tubing, giving Healesville a stunning new landmark as well as working as a natural heat exchange to reduce energy consumption. 

Ongoing sustainability programs include re-using the one tonne of spent botanicals produced each week in our Made from Gin food range or as mulch for local gardens. 

Healesville 2.0 will place Four Pillars, the two-time winner of the IWSC International Gin Producer of the Year, on the global distillery destination map and is set to open to the public by the end of April 2022. 

For further information about Climate Active and to see the full rundown of Four Pillars carbon reducing activities please visit www.climateactive.org.au

Four Pillars Distillery

2 Lilydale Road

Healesville, Victoria 

Open from late April, seven days a week 

Sun – Thurs: 10.30am – 5.30pm

Fri – Sat: 10.30am – 9.00pm

1800 374 446

www.fourpillarsgin.com

@fourpillarsgin

For more information:

Eilis Grainger

eilisgrainger@liquidideas.com.au

0481 454 350

Sally Lewis

sallylewis@liquidideas.com.au

0410 311 501 

Ends.

About Four Pillars Gin

Four Pillars Gin was established in 2013 in the Yarra Valley on the outskirts of Melbourne and has become one of the world’s benchmark distilleries and Australia’s number one craft spirit. Four Pillars was awarded International Gin Producer of the Year in 2019 and 2020 by the IWSC, and the World Gin Awards 2022 Icons of Gin Distiller of the Year and Brand Innovator of the Year.

Four Pillars makes a range of gins headlined by its original Rare Dry Gin, Olive Leaf Gin, Spiced Negroni Gin, the cult favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin and the world’s most-awarded Navy Strength Gin. Four Pillars’ home remains in Healesville in the Yarra Valley where the Distillery is located, with a second home, a world-class Laboratory, in Sydney’s Surry Hills. 

Four Pillars was founded by Cameron Mackenzie alongside drinks industry veteran Stuart Gregor and creative brand strategist Matt Jones in 2013.

In late April 2022, Four Pillars will unveil its newly expanded distillery, gin garden and hospitality experience, directly adjacent to the original home on Lilydale Road, Healesville in the heart of the Yarra Valley. 

Notes for editors

Images – credit Anson Smart 

1. The copper bar is the centrepiece of Beth’s Bar and is complemented by warm blackbutt timber throughout
2. Gin taps pour the gin piped straight from production radically reducing glass wa
3. Copper pipes carry gin straight from production to the main bar
4. Co-founder, distiller Cameron Mackenzie and production team in their new bottling area
5. An organic wall made of recycled brick creates a display of gin in the Gin Shop
6. Breathe Architecture render of distillery exterior with copper veil 
7. Co-founder, distiller Cameron Mackenzie in front of still in distillery mezzanine 
8. Co-founders Cameron Mackenzie, Matt Jones and Stuart Gregor in front of bar in distillery mezzanine 
9. Four Pillars core range – Olive Leaf Gin, Rare Dry Gin, Bloody Shiraz Gin, Spiced Negroni Gin