MALIBU INITIATIVES

THE SUNSHINE STORY OF MALIBU BEGAN IN LONDON IN 1978, AND OVER 40 YEARS LATER, MALIBU IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING FLAVOURED SPIRITS BRANDS.

But our work at Malibu goes beyond being the famous ingredient in iconic cocktails such as the Malibu Piña Colada and the Malibu Daquiri; we at Malibu also strive to be progressive when it comes to sustainability within all the steps from production to distribution.

Some of these initiatives include our coconut commitment and plastic bank.

A COCONUT COMMITMENT

IT’S NO SECRET THAT MALIBU AND COCONUTS GO HAND IN HAND. AFTER ALL, IT’S THE KEY FLAVOUR IN OUR MALIBU COCONUT LIQUEUR.

What you may not know is that some of the coconuts we use are sourced from local farming communities in the Philippines.

Why the Philippines?

The Philippines is the second largest producer of coconuts in the world, and these crops are an important part of local agriculture and a vital source of income for the farmers and their families. But, the industry here is facing many challenges.

SO, WHAT’S THE ISSUE?

While it’s fair to say that coconuts are plentiful, since they do grow on trees, farming them is not so easy. Certain sociological and climate issues have negatively impacted coconut yields in the Philippines over the past several years.

On top of that, the lack of funds and limited use of modern farming techniques has led to harvesting and growing inefficiency, which negatively impacts the income of our local farming communities.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?

To make a change, we have partnered up with experts and put into place some key initiatives to improve the livelihood of up to 500 coconut farmers we work with in the Philippines — with a goal of increasing their average income by 2025.

HOW WILL THIS HAPPEN?

One of the ways we’re doing this is to help increase their annual yield by 20% on average by:

Enabling farmers to get access to better-yielding coconuts.
Increasing the number of coconut trees per square meter.
Diversifying their crops to give additional income streams and improve soil health.
Providing education on sustainable farming techniques.

WHICH PARTNERS AND WHY?

We’re not doing this alone. We’ve teamed up with several experts to help make this goal a reality within the timeframe.

Farm Sustainability Assessment — SAI Platform is a tool that helps drive on-farm sustainability and progress.

GIZ is a German global service provider in international cooperation for sustainable development and education.

Franklin Baker is a local coconut processor in the Philippines.

Symrise is Malibu’s signature flavor provider with a focus on efficient and sustainable sourcing of raw materials.

Together with these partners, we are providing much-needed education and training in sustainable farming to help the farmers adapt their farming practices for positive impact and greater yields.

We’re constantly making small yet significant changes that will help us reach this goal and ultimately improve the livelihoods of our local coconut farming communities and progressively improve their income streams. It’s our Coconut Commitment and part of our journey.

LESS PLASTIC? SOUNDS FANTASTIC!

Summer is a season that’s close to our hearts and something we want to protect. And it’s hard to imagine summer without beautiful beaches like the ones in the Philippines. Coincidentally, it’s also the place where we source most of our coconuts.

That’s why, in 2021, we partnered with Plastic Bank to do our part in helping to reduce ocean plastic while improving the lives of collectors in the Philippines. Through this partnership, we’ve committed to help prevent 100 tonnes of plastic from entering the ocean within one year. That’s the equivalent of over 5 million plastic bottles or 1.5 million coconuts!

EVERY YEAR, MILLIONS OF TONNES OF PLASTIC ENTERS THE OCEAN

In fact, it’s the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute. Our partnership with Plastic Bank will help support the collection of plastic and help improve the livelihood of local collectors and communities in the Philippines, one of the most affected countries by plastic pollution in the world. Collectors receive bonuses for the materials they collect, which in turn helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance.

WHICH PARTNERS AND WHY?

Plastic Bank builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities. Collected material is reprocessed for reintroduction into the global supply chain. Our collaboration helps Plastic Bank’s work in the Philippines to continue to thrive.

It’s a step in the right direction for us and #ForFutureSummers

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