A smart, sustainable solution for brewery logistics
Plastic stretch wrap is everywhere in beer logistics. It holds kegs and cartons on pallets, travels between warehouses, and gets slashed and trashed at the end of the day. That’s a lot of waste — 2.8 million metric tons annually — and most of it is never recycled. That’s according to Bearhug, a startup out of Sydney, Australia. The company is hoping to change those numbers with durable, reusable pallet wraps — and they’re officially launching in the United States at the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis.
The product is already a hit in Australia, where more than 100 craft breweries have embraced the system. Now, U.S. breweries can join in and cut their plastic use, lower costs and simplify their supply chains. The logic is simple, according to the press release:
“For most people it’s not about saving the planet. It just doesn’t make sense to put a pound of plastic on something to move it from the brewery to storage before cutting it off.”
How it works: wrap, reuse, repeat
Bearhug wraps are made from tough PVC and polyester. Each one is designed to be used up to 1,000 times — instead of just once like traditional plastic wrap. Wraps fit over pallets of cartons or kegs, secure in seconds, and remove just as easily without the need for a knife.
They’re perfect for:
- On-site movement: like pick-and-pack or warehouse transfers
- Shipping between locations: especially when wraps can be returned or exchanged
- Last-mile logistics: where stock is gradually removed across stops
Bearhug offers three main wrap types for U.S. brewers
- Pallet Wraps for cartons and mixed loads
- Keg Wraps for securely bundling kegs
- Pallet Bands for light-duty jobs
Waterproof pallet covers are also available to protect goods in outdoor environments.
Stronger than plastic — literally
Bearhug wraps aren’t just reusable — they’re stronger. Independent strength tests show they outperform 20 revolutions (88 meters) of conventional 11-micron stretch wrap. That means fewer breakages and safer shipments, so your product arrives intact and your reputation stays solid.
Why this matters: cost, safety, sustainability
Cheaper: One Bearhug wrap costs about $0.15 per use. Traditional plastic wrap? About $1.50. That’s a 10x savings once the wrap pays for itself — usually after just 100 uses.
Safer: No knives. No dizzy walks around pallets. No trip hazards. No risk of a load collapsing because someone skipped wrapping.
Greener: One wrap replaces 350 kg of plastic. That’s the equivalent of nearly 30,000 plastic water bottles — or over 700 lbs of waste saved per wrap. Over its life, a Bearhug wrap can cut carbon emissions by 53x compared to single-use plastic, according to its website.
Faster: Wrap pallets in one minute. Unwrap in 40 seconds. That’s pretty darn quick. Plus, an automated Bearhug wrapper is set to launch in October, promising to double those speed gains.
Why CBB digs it
This isn’t greenwashing. This is a smart, scalable, industry-ready solution to a real problem — the kind of innovation craft beer should be proud to lead. The numbers check out. The impact is real. And the design is clever enough to actually change habits across a notoriously tough part of the beer supply chain. Plastic wrap may be the standard now — but it’s clear that Bearhug is what’s next. Want to learn more or get wraps for your brewery? Visit www.bearhug.au. Let’s wrap smarter, brew cleaner, and keep more plastic out of our landfills — one reusable wrap at a time.
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