Query Letter: How local Duluth breweries and cideries are embracing sustainable initiatives to benefit themselves & the community
Memo to myself: Some of the characters that I see in my story are going to be the brewers, creates of the business, and the people who go to these places. I want to visit all of the places I will be writing about, drink their beverages & intentionally interact with the people who are also there to bring the story alive. I want to mix the story up a bit and write it like Stephaine’s story with aspects of 1st person, but the bulk of the story being about others and not myself. I think this story is important because people are truly starting to see the importance of adopting sustainable practices within their own lives, so they should expect the businesses they frequent to do the same. I want to make it creative by hearing real voices. These are small business owners in a small enough community where people know you and want to feel a connection with their business.
Beer and cider have been a staple of many different people’s lives, and hold a strong value and significance to Northern Minnesota. Northern Minnesota is also well known for its outdoor recreation and for its residents embracing sustainable practices within their everyday lives. Combining sustainable practices with the creation of beer and cider seemingly makes perfect sense.
Microbreweries and cideries are becoming a staple within the Duluth community and along the Northshore, and many of them are upfront about the importance of sustainability within their businesses. Sustainable practices adopted by both cideries and breweries range from recyclable bottles, refillable bottles, installation of solar panels on buildings, & supplying materials locally. Many of these practices are expensive to adopt, but the payoff could help outweigh the overall cost.
In an article published by NPR, where consumers were asked if they would be willing to pay more for a beer that was sustainably produced, 59% said they would be. Respondents stated that they would be willing to pay extra for a six-pack of beer that comes from a company that producers its product sustainably, has sustainable packaging, and has equipment that helps reduce the cost of manufacturing (such as solar panels, or wastewater containers). A few of these sustainable practices that people would be willing to pay extra for already exist at a few local breweries right here in Duluth, MN.
One brewery in Duluth is very upfront about how sustainability influences their companies values and decisions. Bent Paddle Brewing Company's mission statement is “to brew craft beer with a concentration on sustainability for our business, employees, the environment and the greater community- all while “Bending the Traditions” that we encounter, for a more unique and interesting craft beer experience.” It has embraced sustainability in many aspects of its business and publishes its sustainable practices on both its official website and social media pages. They have gone beyond just embracing sustainability within their own company, to supporting and hosting fundraisers for multiple different environmental-based campaigns, such as The Campaign To Save The Boundary Waters & 1% For The Planet.
A variety of other breweries and cideries have adopted sustainable practices and have hosted fundraisers for campaigns that aim to preserve Northern Minnesota. I hope to dive deeper into the connection between these breweries and cideries and the environment. To make the story interesting, I want to see if their beliefs/practices have impacted their business in any way. I also want to see what their future goals are, and see if I can tie their business with UMD because I believe that students would be interested in going to a business that embraces sustainability.
To further this article along and to get more information on how these practices not only benefit the businesses themselves but the community. I have reached out to three breweries & one cidery here in Duluth to talk about their sustainable practices and how it plays a role in their business. Those places are; The Canal Park Brewing Company, Bent Paddle, Ursa Minor, & Wild State Cider. I have also reached out to Mindy Granley, who serves as the cities sustainability officer, to talk about how businesses embracing sustainable practices benefit the city & community. I want to see if embracing sustainability has been worth it, and how