BOTTLE MAKING 13 PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 11/22 www.petpla.net the world of wine through the crosssection Bordeaux design, retaining the emotional connection and recognition of wine from a bottle. However, we do plan to expand into other beverage segments, such as spirits and bottled water and other liquid foodstuffs such as vinegar and olive oil. We would like to be able to find a solution to package sparkling wines and other carbonated beverages like beer, but the pressure exerted on the flat panels means that, for now, the bottles are only suitable for still liquids. PETplanet: The wine-buying public has a reputation for being rather traditionally-minded when it comes to purchasing and is often sceptical about wine in plastic bottles. How do you manage to convince wine producers to bottle in PET? Amelia Dales: The wine industry is steeped in a rich heritage and is generally slower to adopt innovation. But there are plenty of instances where it has adapted and continues to do so, whether that is adopting screw caps to changing perceptions about packaging wines in bag-in-box or cans. As our bottle is inspired by the traditional shapes that producers and consumers know and love, we call it an advancement to traditional bottles. It is a better bottle for the 21st century, rather than an alternative format. The main areas we highlight to producers are that our bottles will protect both their wines and our planet. We demonstrate that our packaging protects their wines through the 19-21 months shelf-life, and using PET that’s certified food-grade to FSA and Efsa standards and is a stable, inert material. For protecting the planet, the evidence is clear that we need to be reducing carbon emissions, and the evidence is also clear that in wine, recycled PET is the better option for a lower carbon, monolayer bottle which is available to scale now. Innovation is fundamental to help wine producers futureproof themselves through continuing to appeal to generations that are highly eco-conscious. These generations will have to live with the planet that we’ve damaged so badly and will not accept products with an unnecessary carbon footprint, especially if a better option is available. Previously, the bar for PET wine packaging has been set too low, using virgin material, aluminium caps that can have a negative impact on recyclability and having a bottle that looks smaller standing next to its 750 ml glass counterpart. Through shape innovation, best-in-class material and recyclability by design, we’ve changed the rhetoric. Both consumers and business customers are intrigued and interested to know more about why we do what we do, providing a platform to communicate why this packaging change is positive and needed. So far, we’ve brought on board Accolade Wines (the UK’s number 1 wine company), Château Galoupet (a Provence estate owned by luxury goods giant LVMH), Miguel Torres Chile (climate action champions in wine) and Taylors Wines (one of Australia’s first families of wine). More will follow. We engage with the larger producers as it is the largest and most respected producers that can make the greatest impact. Small/er producers are more likely to use our ecoflat bottles once they see the largest progressing. PETplanet: Do you have a few examples of consumers‘ feedback on the PET bottles? Amelia Dales: As Packamama is not a wine brand owner, we do not directly interact with consumers. However, from what we’ve seen on social media, there is a 70% positive sentiment towards our format and just a 2% negative. We also pay attention to reviews left on retailer sites. On Tesco.com, where Accolade Wines’ brand Banrock Station is available, there is a roughly 80% positive sentiment towards the bottles. Specific comments from these reviews include “I was convinced this would taste different, due to being in an ‘odd’ bottle. However, this was not the case; full bodied, fruity and really enjoyable to drink. The fact I don’t have to clink up the glass bottle bank at the top of the road is a plus, as could go directly into my own household recycling. Big thumbs up from me, and will buy more, the bottle shape also takes up less space for storage which is another bonus” and “Love the packaging too, light and compact and just the thing to take on a summer picnic, sustainability is an added bonus.” Any comments indicating repeat purchase intention is a clear sign of good consumer uptake and acceptance, so we are particularly pleased to see this. PETplanet: In which (geographical) markets are you active, which could follow soon? Amelia Dales: Packamama is active with production capabilities in the UK and Australia. The brands that use our bottles distribute them beyond just these countries though, so wines in eco-flat bottles are available in the Nordics and Canada too, and online via certain European e-retailers. Our top priority for international expansion is to establish a team and production capabilities in the USA. This is an attractive market as it is the top wine consuming country and the fourth largest wine producing country in the world. PETplanet: Oxygen ingress is more of an issue for beverages in PET than in glass. How have you solved it so that the quality of the wine does not suffer? Amelia Dales: Our bottles use
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTY0MjI=