Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/975273
May 2018 WINES&VINES 41 PACKAGING Vineyard Tools Battery Powered Pruning Shears • 1.25-inch and 1.5-inch cutting capacity models • 15,000 pruning cuts per battery charge • Includes lithium battery, harness, holster and carrying case www.zenportindustries.com | 503-524-7289 Gra ing Tools w zenportindustri Tying Tools & Supplies Harvest Shears ineyard T ols Pruning | Gra ing | Tying | Harvest Custom made - Handcrafted Barrels COORDINATE, COMMUNICATE FROM DAY ONE E ach of the cited suppliers stressed advance planning and communications as their most important advice for smaller producers. • G3: "We would advise that a customer engages G3 in the early stage of product development to help plan out their cost-effective packaging design and bottling requirement." • Waterloo: Overall value (not price) is the most important factor. Look for value-added services such as on-site ex- pertise, freight, quality management and personalized cus- tomer service when you need to make every dime count. • Saverglass: Choose your bottle first and choose a shape you love. All other elements of your package will need to be sized to your bottle specifications. Be creative and do not go cheap on packaging. It is the vessel that will propel your brand to success. • Amcor: Small wine makers focused on direct to consumer and growth tied to expanding offerings for "on-the-go" consumers have an opportunity to expand their business and enter new markets with plastic bottles. PET bottles are a great alternative to traditional glass packaging for wines. The lightweight, shatterproof package enables consumers to enjoy wine in new places and occasions. • All American: Order in advance. Don't wait for the last minute. Communicate and be flexible. • Global: Look for a supplier with abundant selection. Don't feel your needs are too unimportant to ask for the best service. Be prepared with information for your supplier. "We need to know right away your dates for bottling, preferably three or more months out," said president Erica Harrop. "Let us know the retail price of the wine, so we can fit the best options. Be flexible with colors and shapes." the quality of wine in the bottle and often the only thing a prospective new consumer will know about it. Here are their tips for keeping costs down without compromising labels: • Choose stock cutting dies. A printer will have these in its in- ventory if it's a wine label specialist. Using standard stock dies instead of custom can save hundreds of dollars. • Use high-quality paper stocks. At small quantities, these do not add significantly to the overall label cost, but they add very obvious, visible elegance and sophistication. • Keep the number of special finishes to a minimum. Perhaps start with a metallic paper and add inks, rather than paying for foil stamping. It's inexpensive, yet provides the desired look. As budget allows, add luxurious finishes on future print runs. • Make sure that labels are designed to share the same tooling: the same cutting dies, foil dies, etc. This means significant cost savings at the printer. Front and back labels that are the same size also add to efficiency. You can still change colors and design, as long as the tooling remains the same. • The bulk of printing cost is in setup. Print as many labels as you can use at one time. You get the best cost per label this way. Consider printing all labels for the entire year at the You know how good your Zinfandel is... Promote your wines to leading Zinfandel enthusiasts and extend your winery's relationship in the market. JoinUs! We are champions of Zinfandel— America's Heritage Wine Become part of our proud legacy zinfandel.org • 530-274-4900 Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history.