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Emersons brewery sells beer from a taproom, where consumers can bring their own bottles for filling. Some of the tap beer being poured ends up as wastage. Applied Management student Shanaye King worked with Emersons on a waste reduction project.
Shanaye interviewed staff and observed them at work to identify the contributing factors. She also looked at the sales data to quantify the wastage. Shanaye recommended that staff be selected for cellar door sales, a dedicated team who were passionate about the product and could provide high consistency in pouring. This team should be trained in filling techniques, for example holding the bottle closer to the tap to reduce the head on the beer, and avoiding overfilling (pricing allows for some head).
She also recommends that Emersons invest in a carbon dioxide purging flagon filler. This fills the customer's bottle with carbon dioxide first, which is then released as the bottle fills with beer. The carbon dioxide stops the head forming and delivers a fresher longer lasting product. Shanaye calculated the the saving in waste would more than cover the cost of the equipment in the first year of operation, however it is slower which some customers may not like.