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May 2018 WINES&VINES 37 PACKAGING Many of these tiny wineries produce mul- tiple varieties or brands, and although they may not enjoy the services of distributors under the three-tier system, they still want the ben- efits of standout packaging for direct-to-con- sumer sales: attractive, memorable packages that will bring customers back for more. When we contacted some major packaging suppliers, we learned they make special efforts to accommodate these wineries and their goals, with services and products to help the clients economize on costs and maximize results. When you're not large-scale, you may have limited your packaging decisions to equally small busi- nesses. That's great if you are well-served by your suppliers, not so much if you are investing too much time and money on your packaging. Suppliers eager to work with you G3 of Modesto, Calif., is a massive company with international reach, but according to its vice president of sales, Mihailo Panovich, G3 serves winery customers of all sizes and in recent years has made significant investments in partnerships and equipment to meet grow- ing demand by small and midsize wineries. In-stock items are available for online order, including a bag or a case of oak chips, screw- caps by the case and Petainer kegs "by the layer": 20 20-liter kegs or a dozen 30-liter one-way kegs for on-premise by-the-glass ser- vice. The minimum order for custom DIAM corks is 1,000 stoppers; there's no minimum for large-format DIAMs. Recently, G3 acquired long-established Tapp Label in St. Helena, Calif., with its digital print- ing abilities, which expands printing capabili- ties for small wineries. Waterloo Packaging in Waterloo, N.Y., is an- other major supplier and serves more than 750 small wineries. Located in the Finger Lakes wine region, it claims a unique perspective on the needs of small producers and their day-to-day needs, including reduced pricing along its pre- defined fast shipping routes, according to sales and marketing project leader Bobbi Stebbins. "Sometimes smaller wineries are less pre- pared to forecast their needs and may need last-minute supplies when bottling," Stebbins noted. With a comprehensive inventory and its own fleet of trucks, Water- loo can provide short-notice deliveries for small producers, who need lesser quantities of bottles and may lack storage space for large pallets of glass. With the ability to repack on site, Waterloo can provide smaller producers with different bottles without purchasing an entire pallet; most styles are available in minimum quanti- ties of as little as a single case, Stebbins said. Stock case boxes can be labeled in-house with the winery logo and basic artwork, providing significant savings to custom boxes. Waterloo provides ready-to-fill printed and shrink-sleeved bottles in as little as one pallet of glass, saving time, labor cost and waste involved with paper labeling for smaller pro- ducers. Shrink-sleeving can transform an in- expensive bottle with rich color at lower cost, enabling a single bottle style to be used for more than one variety or brand. "We fre- quently allow closures to ride along for free with glass purchases," Stebbins said. Using a "one-stop" shop for all packaging saves both time and money, she noted. KEY POINTS Even the largest suppliers make efforts to help small wineries produce excellent packages at affordable prices. Forecast your needs and plan in advance to take advantage of discounts. Try to remain flexible with your packaging decisions. Expensive foils or custom cap- sules are not necessary for an elegant look. Savvy designers can make stock items look top-shelf. Take advice from the design pros you en- gage: They know what will work for you and your budget.