Molson Coors brewery cans water for communities in crisis

Southwest Ohio plant one of 22 of company’s facilities and is lead water producer.

Credit: Journal News

Trenton’s Molson Coors brewery produced nearly 400,000 cans of water Monday that will be donated to communities nationwide in the event of natural disasters or any other emergencies that call for additional access to clean drinking water.

Usually, Packaging Line Lead Shane Smith oversees a factory line that makes about 1,700 cans of beer per minute; on Monday, his line was commissioned for the water canning process, which sees about 1,100 cans produced per minute. Though the production is slower, Smith said water’s easier.

Molson Coors Trenton Brewery paused operations on one of its canning lines Monday, April 17 to produce 400,000 cans of water in anticipation of providing aid to communities across the country affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, wildfires and other emergencies in the year to come.

Since Molson Coors' canned water donation program launched in 2017, more than 2 million cans of clean drinking water have been provided to local governments and non-profit agencies as communities recovered from natural disasters. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

“There’s so much with beer that can go wrong from the time you start the brewing process to the end,” Smith said.

The Trenton Brewery, one of 22 breweries under Molson Coors’s umbrella, has been the sole producer for the canned water program since the initiative began in 2017 — producing over two million cans of water since.

“It’s really just in the spirit of that brewery,” said Michael Nordman, corporate’s senior manager of community affairs. “They’ve been doing this for the last six years now and they have expertise over what’s required in making sure the lines are prepared and ready.”

The Trenton brewery also sits on an aquifer, which means the plant has abundant access to clean drinking water.

Nordman said the canned water is stored and distributed on an as-needed basis. Often, local governments, local non-profits or national organizations like the American Red Cross will reach out to Molson Coors for assistance, but sometimes the brewing conglomerate will make contact if it believes there might be a need for water.

The program’s most recent benefactor was the community of East Palestine, Ohio, which received 120,000 cans of water after a Norfolk Southern train carrying noxious chemicals derailed and residents worried their drinking water might become contaminated.

Molson Coors Trenton Brewery paused operations on one of its canning lines Monday, April 17 to produce 400,000 cans of water in anticipation of providing aid to communities across the country affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, wildfires and other emergencies in the year to come.

Since Molson Coors' canned water donation program launched in 2017, more than 2 million cans of clean drinking water have been provided to local governments and non-profit agencies as communities recovered from natural disasters. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

Molson Coors VP and Trenton Plant Manager Gabriela Bozdog said giving back was one of the most rewarding aspects of her job.

“I think that this is very, very important, not only for us as Molson Coors, but also for our employees, because it makes us proud and it makes us contributors to the society,” Bozdog said. She praised the brewery’s employees for their consistent eagerness to donate money, volunteer in the community or even donate blood.

“Giving back to the community is part of the DNA of this brewery,” Gozdog said. “It’s part of who we are.”

Molson Coors Trenton Brewery paused operations on one of its canning lines Monday, April 17 to produce 400,000 cans of water in anticipation of providing aid to communities across the country affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, wildfires and other emergencies in the year to come.

Since Molson Coors' canned water donation program launched in 2017, more than 2 million cans of clean drinking water have been provided to local governments and non-profit agencies as communities recovered from natural disasters. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

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