Daniel Pappa wins Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2025

Daniel Pappa, bartender at SVANEN in Oslo, has been crowned the winner of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2025, securing the €30,000 prize to bring his visionary sustainability project, ‘D.G.Æ (The Ugly Duckling),’ to life.

Representing Norway in the global final held in Barcelona, Pappa impressed the jury with his innovative initiative aimed at repurposing surplus and damaged farm products into syrups, cordials, sodas, liquors, and fruit wines—minimizing waste and reducing the carbon footprint of imported ingredients.

Passionate about integrating sustainability into hospitality, Pappa envisions his project as a game-changer for the industry.  Pappa added, “This award allows us to expand our Zero Waste brand globally, recovering discarded products and further reducing energy, water, and land consumption,” he said. “Additionally, it accelerates our efforts to integrate renewable energy, reinforcing our commitment to a more sustainable future for hospitality.”

Reflecting on the competition’s impact, Christian Visalli, Spirits Global Managing Director at Familia Torres, stated, “By shifting the focus from cocktail presentations to sustainability projects, we have opened the challenge to a broader range of professionals from bars, hotels, and restaurants. The level of creativity and dedication this year has been truly inspiring, and we look forward to seeing these projects come to life and to the continued growth of the competition in 2026.”

The award was presented by Mireia Torres, R&D Director at Familia Torres, who highlighted the crucial role of innovation in sustainable winemaking and emphasized the need for urgent action. Familia Torres, a leader in climate-conscious wine and spirits production since 2008, remains committed to reducing its environmental impact, with an ambitious goal of becoming net-zero by 2040.

The three-day event in Barcelona welcomed local finalists from 11 countries, each pitching sustainability-driven projects to an international panel of experts. The judges evaluated the ideas based on sustainability, business viability, and long-term impact, ensuring that the winning concept had the potential to make a tangible difference in the industry.