Brussels / Portugal, June 2026 — The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles | CMB, and Amorim Cork, the global leader in cork production and one of the competition’s longest-standing sponsors, are proud to jointly announce a major sustainability milestone: the launch of the first structured cork recycling programme in the history of wine competitions.
This initiative marks a historic moment for both organisations, as well as for the wine industry as a whole. For the first time, the complete cycle of cork, from the bark of cork oak trees in Portugal, to the bottle on a wine lover’s table, through to the recycling of used corks into new applications, is being formalised and completed within a single, coherent sustainability circuit.
A pioneering partnership rooted in the CMB’s first edition abroad
Amorim Cork and the CMB share a bond that goes back to the very first edition of the competition held abroad, in 2006. As CMB’s longest-standing sponsors and partners, Amorim Cork takes the opportunity of the announcement of the 2027 edition of the Red and White Wines and Sweet and Fortified Wines Session to make this announcement.
Indeed, Amorim Cork is the world’s largest cork manufacturer and a global leader in sustainable materials innovation. The company transforms cork bark harvested from centuries-old cork oak forests, a process that does not require felling the trees, into products used across many sectors, including wine, aerospace, design, fashion, and shipbuilding.
“It is with great pride that we have worked alongside Amorim Cork for decades. We have closely followed their innovations in cork stoppers and their ability to recycle this remarkable material. It is precisely thanks to the mutual trust we have built together that we established our first competition abroad.” — Baudouin Havaux, President of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
The Cork Recycling Programme: from bottle to a new life
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles | CMB is proud to be recognised as the first international wine competition to support and establish, with the help of Amorim Cork, an active cork recycling circuit. During the 2026 edition, more than 15,000 corks were already collected in just three days of competition, a remarkable testament to the enthusiasm generated by this programme.
These corks, gathered from the thousands of bottles tasted by the CMB’s international jury, will be handed over to Amorim Cork for transformation. Rather than going to waste, the used cork stoppers will be repurposed into a wide range of innovative applications, including:
Footwear and fashion accessories
Aerospace components and high-performance insulation
Yachts, boats, and marine equipment
Architectural and design applications
Cork’s unique properties : its lightness, resilience, thermal insulation, and natural origin, make it one of the most versatile and sustainable raw materials in existence. By closing the loop on cork usage, the CMB and Amorim Cork are sending a powerful message to the wine world and beyond: sustainability is not just an aspiration, it is a concrete action.
“I would like to warmly congratulate the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for this visionary initiative. Establishing a genuine cork recycling circuit at an event of this scale and prestige is exactly the kind of leadership needed. This is more than recycling, it is a statement about the future of cork, and about our shared responsibility to the planet.”— Carlos De Jesus, Head of Communication Amorim Cork
About the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
The CMB is a prestigious international wine competition that receives more than 15,000 entries annually across its Sessions and competitions. Its tasters, all professionals, evaluate wines blind with a single objective: to select those of the highest quality, without any bias based on label or appellation reputation.
Founded in 1994, the CMB is now recognised worldwide as one of the leading events of its kind.
More than just a competition, the CMB also provides each participant with concrete marketing tools to better promote their wines and communicate more effectively. It has also developed the CMB Experience network, bringing together wine bars, restaurants, and retailers across the globe that offer a selection of award-winning wines. This creates international visibility and unique opportunities to showcase these wines worldwide.
This ability to go beyond tasting makes the CMB truly unique, offering high value-added services to producers, whether they are medal winners or recipients of the CMB MERIT label.
About Amorim Cork
Headquartered in Portugal, Amorim Cork is the world’s largest cork manufacturer and a global leader in sustainable raw materials. With a history spanning more than 150 years, Amorim Cork transforms cork into thousands of products used across the wine, aerospace, automotive, construction, and fashion industries.
Deeply committed to environmental stewardship, Amorim Cork invests continuously in research, innovation, and the circular economy of cork.
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