93. The Smart Container Company

Founders: Eduardo Garcia and Tamara Goldstein 
Founded: 2018
Website: smartcontainer.co.uk 

Underneath the golden deliciousness of a pale ale is a sinister sector secret. The global beer industry may be a multi-billion dollar behemoth, but its supply chain is also plagued by inefficiencies and a lack of transparency. 

Kegs are routinely lost or misplaced, leading to waste and lost revenue for both brewers and stockists. Additionally, the environmental impact of the beer industry is significant, with kegs requiring a large amount of energy and resources to produce and transport.

The Smart Container Company’s patented IoT device, Kegtracker, addresses these challenges. By connecting kegs to the internet, it provides real-time visibility into the draught beer supply chain. That’s right folks, your beers are now online.

Kegtracker is attached to steel kegs and collects data on their location, temperature, volume, and movement. This data is then transmitted to a cloud-based platform, where it can be accessed by brewers, distributors, and retailers.

Not that this smart technology is just about tracking kegs. By providing real-time data on product quality, consumption, and inventory levels, Kegtracker also enables businesses to make informed decisions about their supply chain. 

After an ill-judged Alcohol Duty increase last year, many small breweries are seeking out ways to improve cash flow. The Smart Container mission to make the world a better place, “one keg at a time,” will improve efficiency and help the planet out, too.

In addition to its impact on the beer industry, The Smart Container Company’s technology has the potential to be applied to other liquids and industries. The company is already exploring how its Keg-tracking technology can be utilised during the transportation of industrial gases such as oxygen and hydrogen.

Smart Container has so far raised £1.1m in funding from key angel investors and CrowdCube, an equity crowdfunding platform. With the capital, it intends to expand its product line, enter new markets, and develop more innovations to give breweries the tools they need to grow, sustainably.

Pour one out for Smart Container Co, a disruptive tech-driven force that’s here to give the brewing industry a much-needed refresher.