production

ONE example of the wine industry rising to the current challenge is a Bragato Research Institute (BRI) project for turning grape marc (the stems and seeds leftover from pressing) into hand sanitizer. Awarded NZ$84,700 by the Ministry of Business and Innovation, a pilot study plans to turn winery waste – some 46,000 tonnes in Marlborough alone – into ethanol, with any sanitizer made during the eight-month study to be donated to Marlborough health workers and first responders. BRI chief executive MJ Loza said the industry was continuously looking at alternative uses for grape marc. “Transforming the wine industry’s waste into a value stream is a research priority. Every time we study grape marc, we learn a little more about its potential for a new commercial product.”