FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Nothing does more damage to the climate and global biodiversity than the production of food. In fact, 80% of deforestation, 70% of freshwater use and approximately 25% of

greenhouse gas emissions are the result of food production. But one third of all food is completely wasted, and few foods represent a bigger problem than fresh bread. 

Almost 50% of UK bread is wasted, and that’s where Toast come in: providing surplus bread with a much needed second act. 

Inspired by a visit to the Belgium-based Brussels Beer Project, where beer was brewed using an ancient process of fermenting bread, Toast launched in 2016, as the first UK supplier of bread-based beers.

Toast is a real team effort, produced in partnership with the bakery industry and brewery partners across our shores. 

MUCH NEEDED DOUGH

While Toast’s main aim is to produce great tasting beers, using surplus bread, they influence wider systemic change by donating 100% of their profits to charity. They also combat the waste crisis by spreading the word. After all, in their own words, “what better way to start a conversation than over a cheeky pint?”

When we sought a beer supplier to cater to our climbing community, we wanted to work with an organisation that wanted to leave the world in a better state than they found it. 

Toast fit the bill, and all their beers passed the taste test. We know. We checked. 

AGAINST THE GRAIN

Here’s how it works: Toast gets hold of heel ends which aren’t used by the sandwich industry, and surplus loaves which aren’t sold by bakeries. This bread is then dried and crumbed to replace ¼ of the malted barley used in the brewing process to create beer. The company also shares an open-source recipe so that homebrewers can get in on the act of fighting food waste by brewing delicious beer at home. And they collaborate with other like-minded breweries to help them brew with surplus bread too. Their theory of change is this, if all UK beer was produced using 10% surplus bread, the 20 million slices of bread wasted daily could be halved.  

Cheers to that. 

Follow Toast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at @toastale, and to find out more about everything they do, visit their website: www.toastale.com