Sustainability is not something we talk about, all the time - we prefer to just get on with things, applying a sustainability-minded approach as our norm. 

In saying that, we’re doing some pretty great things; sustainability is baked into our pizzas, poured into our pints, and built into our spaces. So, if you’re reading for inspiration, or to see what sustainability-by-standard operations can look like at a London bar and pizzeria; read on!

Brewing Better

Since 2020, our Crate core range beers (Lager, IPA, Session IPA, Pale Ale) have been brewed by our partners at Purity Brewing, on one of the most sustainable brew kits in the world. Thanks to heat exchange and steam recapture technology, the system saves 65% more water and energy than the industry average.

Here’s what that means in numbers: each pint of Crate beer uses just 2.8 pints of water to brew, compared with an industry norm of 8. Brewing by-products like grain, hops, and yeast are repurposed as animal feed and fertiliser, while wastewater is naturally filtered through a wetland system before returning to the nearby local river.

Purity’s sustainability leadership was recognised by being awarded Best Green Business at the SIBA Business Awards, and we’re proud to have them as trusted brewing partners.

Eco-Conscious Partners and Ingredients 

We also love working with other brands doing great things in the eco-sphere. All of our pizza dough is made with Wildfarmed regeneratively farmed flour, the wheat of which is grown in ways that improves soil health, supports ecosystems, and protects farmland.

Our pizza and snacks are served on award winning, seaweed based Notpla trays; which are fully biodegradable. Our menu is also plant-forward; with most of our pizzas being vegetarian, with vegan alternatives and vegan beers available. 

In the bar, we have wine on tap from Sustainable Wine Solutions, who also offer a bottle swap initiative to reduce waste. Our new soda cocktails are canned by Get The Drinks In, who use 100% renewable energy and food-grade CO₂ that is captured onsite via an anaerobic digester (a sealed, oxygen-free tank where micro-organisms break down organic waste). 

We also produce small batch and seasonal beers hyper-locally in Queens Yard - unique brews that reduce transport emissions, minimise waste, and keep flavours exciting. Our warehouse fleet is also fully electric, minimising the transport footprint created when moving stock from cool-store to taproom. 

Zero Waste Hospo: Silo & Flux

Upstairs from our Hackney Wick taproom, is sister restaurant Silo — the world’s first zero-waste restaurant. The Silo system, simply put, works around having no bin / nothing going into landfill. Through fermentation, closed-loop systems, repurposing, curated menus, and working with like-minded suppliers, they’ve built a zero-waste food experience that’s as tasty as it is intentional and inventive. 

Just down the road from our Hackney Wick taproom is Flux, our sister fermentation factory and brainchild of the Silo team. There, the transformational microbe, koji, is manufactured in large quantities. Koji is the secret ingredient to deeper flavour, and has the power to transform surplus ingredients into flavoursome products like soy sauce, miso, sake and fish sauce — showcasing the ways that food waste can be transformed into culinary treasures. Flux allows us to localise the creation of koji and it's products. No international shipping. No unnecessary emissions. Just fresh koji, made close to home.

Beyond the Pint

Sustainability at Crate isn’t limited to food and drink. When we first opened in Hackney Wick back in 2012, we built our bar with the help of the local creative community, up-cycling waste materials into furniture and finishings. A railway sleeper bar front, light fixtures from mattress springs, and a seat made from a decommissioned dough-mixer are a few stand-outs. 

Upstairs in Silo, you can find a recycled cork floor, ceiling insulation that is surplus wool and table tops made with plastic waste from the medical industry.

Our spaces give new life to reclaimed and repurposed materials, bringing character to our spaces and saving perfectly good materials from going to waste. Our simple, pared-back physical setting and look is part of our DNA, and we’ve carried the same influence into our new Wood Wharf bar and pizzeria. 

Looking Ahead

We’re not perfect, but we’re committed - and we know there’s always more to do. The hospitality sector continues to see calls for transparency and accountability when it comes to the environmental and social impacts of our offers, and we're proud to be part of a wider trend in the hospitality industry that is moving towards a more sustainable future.