Page 24 - Grapevine NovDec 2021

In The Winery

producing the proposed results. In 2023, Bacardi on-demand bottling. Five times more paperboard
will begin using novel plastic for their containers blanks than rigid bottles can ship at once wherever
that use seed oil rather than crude oil. The biopoly- needed to be assembled and filled.
mer bottles are made by fermenting canola and
other seed oils that biodegrade within 18 months Return and Reuse: the Good Old Days
in any environment containing microorganisms,
including compost bins and fresh or saltwater. Because only a little over 30% of glass wine bot-
tles get recycled in the U.S., some distributors want
Alternative, Sustainable and to revisit the bottle deposit and return practice
Eco-conscious are Trending for use with wine bottles. The idea is that each
glass wine bottle could be reused up to 10 times,
Packaging trends are moving towards more allowing the consumer to experience the tradi-
eco-friendly and sustainable options, thanks to tional and romantic experience of wine in a glass
shifting consumer ideology. Winemakers have bottle while being eco-conscious. In addition, this
found that the key to storing their wines in alter- practice hopes to appeal to those that still want
native containers is providing a tight seal. Among to please those guests that are not comfortable
these options, boxed wines have been the most with bag-in-box or canned wines. This business
popular and recognizable, opening up new possibil- model would issue digital credits to distributors for
ities of how and where wine is consumed. Although returned bottles and help the winemaker build loy-
it’s still a small segment compared to other pack- alty, communication and marketing contacts with
aging choices, bag-in-box wines are attractive to participating distributors. The plan is to have the
those who shop less and want to enjoy an occasion- returnable program in thousands of venues, natural
al glass of wine at home without worrying about wine shops and participating big box stores in 2022,
spoilage and waste. The inner pouch removes the as a three-month pilot program in New York saw an
need for glass, and the box shape makes them easy 88% success rate.
to store, transport and use without the chance of
breakage. Additionally, they can offer a better price “Encore Glass started their business by sterilizing
point, modern look and shelf appeal to consumers and recycling glass wine bottles to have an encore
looking for more thoughtful, eco-friendly and sus- use, but with all of the current bottle shapes, sizes
tainable options. and custom structures, it would be nearly impos-
sible to continue on a broad scale,” said Tucker.
With the pandemic driving consumers to drink dif- “I would have doubts about the feasibility of the
ferently and more often, boxed wine allows them program, including the willingness of consumers to
that opportunity, staying fresh for six weeks after continue long-term participation.”
breaking the seal. Consumers continue to value
convenient and lifestyle-friendly products—boxed Match Packaging to Consumer Awareness
wine answers that demand with a 2.25-liter box
that perfectly fits a refrigerator shelf, saving space Creative packaging has always been one of the
and offering on-demand accessibility. best and most effective ways to help a brand
get noticed in a crowded market. But consumer
Bag-in-a-bottle: a Paper Bottle awareness of a winemaker’s story combined with
convenient options in packaging has never been
Bag-in-a-bottle is an option for consumers who more vital. Over half of consumers are committed
want all of those eco-friendly benefits but still to buying from sustainable brands when possible,
yearn for the traditional bottle. Like the bag-in- and they are searching for more responsible behav-
box, the outer container is recyclable paperboard ior from the vineyard through the retail channels.
fused with water-based glue and molded with heat Matching these behaviors with responsible packag-
and moisture into a more conventional wine bot- ing will help winemakers successfully differentiate
tle shape. It is five times lighter than glass and is their products and fuel their brand’s growth in
resistant to spillage, humidity and breakage, with a today’s market.
12-month shelf life. Proponents believe a time will
come where the paper bottle molding unit would
be available for use on-site or near the winery for

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