CO2BREW

CO2Brew is a Canadian company founded in 2022 that provides engineered carbon dioxide (CO₂) recovery systems for small to medium-sized craft breweries. The company spun out of the Avatar Studio program in 2022 and was co-founded by CEO Kent Swanlund and COO Karen Ngo. The leadership team, which includes professionals with backgrounds in process engineering and the energy sector, aims to decarbonize the brewing industry.

The core of CO2Brew's offering is a proprietary carbon capture and scrubber system that recovers high-purity liquid CO₂ released during the fermentation process. This allows breweries to reuse the captured gas for their own carbonation needs, creating a self-sufficient supply of beverage-grade CO₂. By implementing this technology, clients can reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, lower operational costs by offsetting the purchase of industrial CO₂, and mitigate supply chain disruptions. The business model is designed to be accessible to craft brewers without requiring large upfront capital investment. Furthermore, the system enables breweries to potentially create new revenue streams by selling excess CO₂.

In July 2024, CO2Brew announced the closing of an $800K pre-seed funding round led by Avatar Leadership Fund and supported by several Canadian angel investors. This capital is intended to fund a pilot project with Cold Garden Beverage Company, bring the first commercial unit to market, and support expansion across North America. The company has received recognition within the cleantech sector, winning the Inventures 2024 “Earth Tech: Building Everything Better” pitch competition and being named a finalist for “Venture of the Year” at the 2024 Alberta Cleantech Awards. While currently focused on the brewing market, CO2Brew plans to expand its technology to the winery, distillery, and food processing industries.

Keywords: carbon capture, CO2 recovery, craft breweries, beverage industry, decarbonization, greenhouse gas reduction, fermentation technology, sustainable brewing, cleantech, process engineering, CO2 reuse, beverage-grade CO2, supply chain resiliency, carbon scrubber, liquid CO2, brewery efficiency, emission reductions, Avatar Innovations, industrial gas, food processing