La Brasserie du Comté : sustainably reconstructing a business after a disaster

In 2020, storm Alex hit Saint-Martin-Vésubie with devastating intensity, severely damaging La Brasserie du Comté. This disaster marked the start of a remarkable adventure in resilience and sustainability. The brewery's owners, the local community, experts in sustainable reconstruction and supporting organizations joined forces to bring this iconic local business back to life. 

In the wake of the disaster, the brewery aimed to rebuild quickly while incorporating significant improvements to reduce its environmental impact. The main objective was to restore production activity while optimizing water and energy management. 

The brewery faced considerable challenges, including tight timing to enable the business to survive, lengthy administrative procedures to obtain the necessary permits, and the difficulty of finding suitable land after the demolition. 

To meet these challenges, several strategies have been adopted. The brewery has installed solar panels to achieve energy autonomy. The water used to cool the machines is recovered and used for the next brew, and a CIP system ensures efficient cleaning with a minimum of water. Regular maintenance of plumbing systems has also been introduced to reduce leaks and limescale deposits. The brewery succeeded in reducing its water consumption to 303 liters to produce 100 liters of beer, a key performance indicator for water management. 

Efforts have enabled the company to optimize resources and completely restore the brewery's production capacity. What's more, jobs were maintained and a further 10 created in this community of 2,000 inhabitants. The success of this reconstruction has made a major contribution to the revitalization of the local economy. 

It continues to invest in green technologies, exploring new solutions such as water recycling and air rinsing of bottles. It is also embarking on new projects, such as improving its wastewater discharges. These initiatives are a model of sustainability and resilience, ensuring that the positive impact continues over time. 

Brasserie du Comté is an inspiring example of how disaster can be transformed into an opportunity to adopt more sustainable practices. Its resilience has not only restored vital economic activity, but also fostered greater ecological awareness, to the benefit of both the company and the community. 

#WaterWiseEU campaign 

This story has been submitted by a partner of the #WaterWiseEU campaign. The EU-wide campaign focuses on water resilience, aiming to change the way we see, use and value water. Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved.