Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/1031957
October 2018 WINES&VINES 33 BOTTLES &LABELS aesthetic can be highly incremental by opening up new usage occasions or attracting new buyers. And now for something completely different The packaging conference included a panel discussion surrounding alternative packaging such as bag-in-box, PET bottles, Tetra Prisma, stainless-steel keg, PET keg, aluminum cans and Astrapouch. "The glass bottle has to die at some point," said Nicolas Quillé, chief winemaking and op- erations officer for Crimson Wine Group. "It's not sustainable. … It may take another 100 years, but it will die." Jordan Kivelstadt, CEO and co-founder of the wine-on-tap provider Free Flow Wines, agreed. "Somehow, when we get rid of the bottle, people just want to experiment," he said, speaking both about wineries experimenting with what to make as well as consumers ex- perimenting with what to drink. Quillé provided a comprehensive checklist of what to consider regarding the choice of alternative packaging, including size, materi- als, weight, cost of container, logistics of filling, shelf life, sulfur dioxide requirements and CO 2 limitations, cleanliness, recyclability and, argu- ably the most important, a market need served by that packaging. According to Nielsen's data, while alterna- tive packaging, in general, is gaining momen- tum in the mass market, it's the aluminum can that's taken the industry by storm. The com- pany reported that within the last five years, annual retail sales of canned wine have in- creased from less than $1 million to more than $50 million, with the greatest increase seen in the sales of 375-ml cans. Kivelstadt spoke about where cans fit in the alternative packaging hierarchy. With bag-in- box wine and Tetra packages taking up the "low end" of the spectrum, ranging from $3 to $9, and traditional glass bottles dominating the $15-and-above marketplace, Kivelstadt pointed out that there's a large gap between $9 and $15 where cans fit right in. Accounting for consolidation According to the Wines & Vines Buyer's Guide directory of wine industry vendors, the number of companies serving the North American wine industry in the categories of capsules, closures and labels has dropped by 85, from 462 in 2008 to 377 today, an 18% decrease in the span of 10 years. The decline stemmed from acquisi- tions and companies that closed or left the wine industry altogether. In the wine industry, purchasing decisions are often spread across multiple departments: winemaking, finance, marketing and, of course, packaging. Best practices regarding organizing and aligning these purchasing decisions can ultimately affect a winery's business. With the consolidation of several packaging companies over the years, are those decisions getting easier with the limitation of options or getting harder due to the lack of vendor variety? Lisa Ehrlich, proprietor of the wine and spirits consulting firm Lisa Ehrlich Consult- ing, led a panel discussion on the consolida- tion of wine industry vendors and what Make your label memorable. Foil is a beautiful way to help make your product stand out from the competition. At Infinity® Foils, Inc., we offer the perfect foil products in the most sought after shades – for hot, cold and digital applications. Simply put, you won't find a better high- speed foil product for the label industry on the market. With multiple distribution centers, including Napa, CA, we're ready to fill any foil request quickly. Contact us for a free Shade Guide and see our brilliant choices. Quality products • No order minimums Competitively priced • Shop online 24/7 8 Warehouses Brilliance is Remembered. Visit us at infinityfoils.com or call: 1 - 877 - 932 - 3645 or 1-913-888-7340 Free Flow Wines founder Jordan Kivelstadt, with microphone, said new types of packaging have helped consumers experiment with wine. CODY GEHRET