What is sustainable vodka? The Complete Guide (2025 Edition)

Introduction

Vodka is one of the most popular spirits in the world, loved for its versatility and clarity. But in 2025, consumers are asking harder questions: where does it come from, and what is its impact on the planet?

The truth is, the drinks industry has a big sustainability problem. Traditional vodka is usually made from grains or potatoes — ingredients that could feed people, but instead are diverted into alcohol. Meanwhile, millions of tonnes of perfectly edible food are wasted every year.

At Vida Vodka, we’re rethinking what vodka can be. By turning surplus bread and baked goods into premium spirits, we’re showing that sustainability can be practical, impactful, and delicious.

The Scale of Food Waste: Why Sustainability Matters

• In the UK alone, 22 million slices of bread are wasted every single day — that’s over 1 million loaves a day.

• In total, the UK throws away 900,000 tonnes of bread annually, part of the 4.5 million tonnes of edible food wasted by households each year.

• It isn’t just bread. Croissants, pastries, cakes, and other baked goods add thousands more tonnes of waste every year, most of which ends up in landfill.

When bread and baked goods decompose, they release methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more damaging than CO₂. Food waste is responsible for around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire aviation industry.

And yet, while food is wasted on this scale, the spirits industry continues to use virgin grains (wheat, rye, barley) grown on farmland that requires huge amounts of water, fertiliser, and energy. Grains that could feed people are instead converted into alcohol.

The Cost of Virgin Grain Vodka

Producing vodka from grain might be traditional, but it comes at a cost:

• Land use: Hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland are dedicated to growing grain for alcohol, land which could grow food crops or restore biodiversity.

• Water: It takes around 1,800 litres of water to grow just 1kg of wheat , an astonishing use of resources for something destined for a bottle, not a plate.

• Energy: Growing, harvesting, transporting, and processing virgin grain all add up to a significant carbon footprint before the spirit is even distilled.

When you add in distillation and bottling, a litre of traditional vodka can carry a carbon cost far higher than most consumers realise.

Why Bread is a Better Alternative

Bread is already baked, already made, and already paid for. When it’s discarded, all the resources ,the water, energy, and time , that went into producing it are wasted too.

By reimagining bread waste as the base for vodka, Vida Vodka prevents these resources from going to waste and avoids the need for new ones. Instead of demanding more from the planet, we make use of what’s already here.

This isn’t just about bread, either. The wider baked goods category : croissants, pastries, muffins, and cakes, offers huge untapped potential for circular economy spirits. Every batch of surplus baked goods is a chance to save emissions, prevent landfill waste, and create something unique.

The Impact of Choosing Sustainable Vodka

Environmental Impact

• Every bottle of Vida Vodka prevents surplus baked goods from going to landfill.

• Each litre of Vida Vodka removes an estimated 0.87kg of CO₂e from the atmosphere compared to grain-based vodka.

• By reducing methane emissions from food waste, sustainable vodka directly combats climate change.

Social Impact

• Using bread and baked goods challenges the way society views “waste.” It proves that discarded food can have value, shifting the conversation towards smarter consumption.

• It frees up farmland, water, and energy currently tied up in alcohol production, resources which could instead be used to grow food.

Consumer Impact

• Drinkers are increasingly aware of their choices. A 2023 survey found that 73% of millennials and Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products.

• Sustainable vodka offers them the chance to enjoy a premium spirit with the knowledge that their choice has a positive impact.

Why Sustainability is the Future of Spirits

The drinks industry must evolve. Climate change, consumer demand, and tightening regulations all point to the same reality: sustainability is no longer optional.

The future belongs to spirits that:

• Prevent food waste.

• Reduce emissions.

• Offer unique flavours and stories that resonate with consumers.

Vida Vodka is proud to lead this shift. By choosing bread and baked goods as our base, we’ve created a vodka that’s smoother, creamier, and more flavourful than traditional grain alternatives and one that’s better for the planet.

Conclusion

Sustainable vodka isn’t just about doing less harm it’s about doing more good.

By repurposing surplus bread and baked goods, Vida Vodka proves that world-class spirits can come from unlikely places, turning waste into value, flavour, and impact. Every bottle reduces emissions, saves resources, and sparks a bigger conversation about how we use food.

So when you next pour a drink, remember: it’s not just vodka in the glass. It’s a statement about the future a future where sustainability and quality go hand in hand.