Sending cava from Catalonia to Germany by train reduces CO2 emissions by 92%

Rail transport also reduces economic cost by 24% and allows better product control

Freixenet HQ with Montserrat mountain behind on October 16, 2017 (by Gemma Sánchez)
Freixenet HQ with Montserrat mountain behind on October 16, 2017 (by Gemma Sánchez) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

December 23, 2021 01:55 PM

Using trains rather than trucks to send cava from Catalonia to Germany reduces CO2 emissions by 92%, according to a recent study. Freixenet, one of the biggest cava manufacturers, has sent over 11,100 liters of the beverage to the European country.

The 1,434 km-route done mainly by train, except for around 100 km, goes from Freixenet’s HQ in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, near Barcelona, to Alsheim, south of Frankfurt.

CO2 emissions results "give hope," said Gloria Martí, who is in charge of Freixenet’s environmental impact. She highlighted that the company "exports over 80% of its product, and we’ll keep studying this option to reduce our footprint."

The study has also proven useful in terms of controlling product needs, as the company has rolled out a traceability system, temperature monitoring during the shipping, and electronic documentation, bringing about a 24% reduction in administrative expenses.

In Catalonia, the cava industry is one of the gastronomy sectors’s biggest. However, wine in the territory is also popular in terms of testing and there has been a remarkable growth of organic wines in Catalonia.

To learn more about it, listen to our podcast from September 4, 2021.