The Problem- Despite a strong desire to implement sustainable manufacturing practices and waste reduction initiatives, most of the 15,000 US craft brewers, distillers and vintners don't have the time or money to spend on energy efficiency or other green projects. Yet, their livelihood depends on clean and plentiful water, abundant grain, hop and grape harvests, and other scarce and natural resources.

The Solution- EcoDrinker.com, a lending based crowdfunding portal, is being established as the go to platform to raise funds to finance sustainable manufacturing initiatives and energy efficiency projects for craft breweries, brewpubs, micro distilleries and wineries. EcoDrinker.com will be a blockchain based web marketplace for environmentally conscious fans of craft beer, wine and small batch spirits to search for and fund projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints for their favorite producers.

Projects posted by breweries, wineries and distilleries to the marketplace can vary in scope and scale, ranging from single purpose projects such as equipment upgrades, to comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits. A typical 20,000 square foot brewpub can realize up to $51,000 per year in reduced utility costs with an $85,000 comprehensive retrofit. A 25,000 bbl microbrewery can see a $200,000 per year cost avoidance for a $500,000 investment in equipment upgrades, water and waste management systems, and HVAC replacement.

Project owners will use incentives and rewards, in addition to the potential environmental benefits, to differentiate their projects from others to attract lenders. Once a campaign is funded, the committed crowdfunders will issue an unsecured loan under the terms of a smart contract. Repayment on the crowdfunded loans is made from realized savings generated by the projects. Using historical utility data, a usage baseline is established for each project, and repayments are based on targets agreed to by the project owner and the crowd.

EcoDrinker.com will have three primary and three secondary revenue streams. Primary sources of revenue are 1) fees tied to each successfully funded campaign, 2) fees tied to role as “servicer” (collecting funds from borrowers, tracking the data, managing accounts, etc…) 3) advertising. Secondary revenue streams are derived from 1) interest earnings on balances held at EcoDrinker.com, 2) aggregated information and data sales, and 3) carbon offsets.

Crowdfunding through EcoDrinker.com is an ideal way for craft manufacturers to raise funds for environmental projects. It adds no stress to the balance sheet, requires no upfront out-of-pocket costs and enables them to engage their customers in new and different ways. Effective crowdfunding efforts require bridging the emotional and the rational motivators in the individual. Craft brewers, vintners and distillers have been successful at this for years. Distributed risk enables campaign owners to reach across a broad lender base, asking each to loan small dollar amounts to projects.

Let’s make a difference- Crowdfunding through EcoDrinker.com will enable the craft liquor industry, leveraging the latest technology and equipment, to be on the cutting edge of energy efficiency, sustainable manufacturing, and innovative financial solutions while minimizing waste, reducing energy costs, engaging with their consumers and removing the most common obstacles to green initiatives, money and time.

For questions, please contact Daniel at daniel@ecodrinker.com or 917-885-0587