Penrhos Spirits, an independent family-run craft distillery located on Penrhos farm, proudly announced its achievement of Certified B Corporation™ status, following verification by BLab. This remarkable milestone positions Penrhos within a global movement of businesses committed to the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. To commemorate this occasion and celebrate the rescue of 1 million wonky blueberries from waste, Penrhos is launching its inaugural limited edition ‘Wonky Blueberry’ gin on September 1st.
The certification underscores Penrhos’ unwavering commitment to sustainability, a principle embedded in their ethics since the inception of their first bottle. By rescuing imperfect fruit—those wonky and irregularly shaped specimens that otherwise go unpicked from the farm—Penrhos challenges waste in food and drink packaging. Notably, it also became the first distillery in the UK to transition from glass to 100% recycled aluminium bottles, achieving an independently verified 91% reduction in packaging carbon footprint.
Founded in 2018 by fruit farmers on a Herefordshire family farm, Penrhos transformed a 250-year-old cow shed into a small-batch, copper-still distillery. The distillery prioritizes using ‘imperfectly perfect’ fruits, including wonky raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, and apples, which are grown on the farm and rescued from the waste stream. What commenced as a practical approach to utilizing surplus fruit has evolved into a full sustainability narrative: sourcing botanicals directly from the farm, utilizing natural water, ensuring minimal-waste production, and adopting a pioneering move to 100% recycled aluminium bottles since 2023, garnering accolades for innovation, sustainability, and eco-friendly packaging.
To secure B Corp certification, Penrhos’ small team underwent a rigorous assessment across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. They provided verified evidence for every claim regarding their sustainability practices—from packaging and supply chain management to employee treatment and environmental stewardship. Since its establishment, Penrhos has successfully ‘rescued’ over 1 million blueberries from the waste stream and achieved a B Impact assessment score of 86.8, significantly surpassing the median score of 50.9 for typical businesses.
Charlie Turner, co-founder of Penrhos Spirits, stated: “Achieving BCorp as a small business in the alcohol industry is a big moment for us and we hope it shows the commitment we have as a brand into sustainability and the environment at such an important time. It confirms our core sustainability credentials and it puts us – a small independent producer – alongside some of the biggest global drinks brands. We know the industry is full of green claims and this certification is an independent guarantee of our genuine commitment to our ongoing sustainability mission.”
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, commented: “Welcoming Penrhos Spirits to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
In celebration of its B Corp certification and the milestone of rescuing 1 million blueberries since launch in 2019, Penrhos is introducing its first Blueberry Gin, alongside a new initiative dubbed #SaveTheBlueberries. This campaign encourages consumers to freeze their overripe blueberries instead of discarding them, promoting the use of frozen berries as ice cubes in Gin & Tonic cocktails. According to new research by Penrhos Spirits1, UK households waste over 12,000 tonnes of fresh blueberries annually—sufficient to fill the iconic Battersea Power Station turbine hall from floor to ceiling. The limited edition Blueberry Gin will be available at the beginning of September and can be pre-ordered now at www.penrhosspirits.co.uk.