Frugalpac’s paperboard wine bottle finds favor with Italian vineyard

06 Jul 2020 --- Disrupting the traditional glass bottle-focused wine sector, UK-based Frugalpac has launched a wine bottle called Frugal Bottle, which is made with 94 percent recycled paperboard and a food-grade liner. The new bottle is five times lighter than a standard glass bottle and uses up to 77 percent less plastic, helping the bottle stand out on shelves and attract eco-conscious consumers. Frugal Bottle’s first taker is Italian vineyard Cantina Goccia, filling the Frugal Bottle with its unwooded Sangiovese red 3Q.

“The Frugal Bottle is the first really significant step in sustainable packing for the wine industry and with a carbon footprint up to six times lower that a glass bottle, this has to be the future for the industry,” Ceri Parke, the owner of Cantina Goccia, tells PackagingInsights.

“As a wine producer, we are not only passionate about our wine but the impact we are having on the environment too. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Frugalpac and developing a range of wines available in Frugal Bottle,” she adds.

The Frugal Bottle weighs 83 g, making it easier to carry and lighter to transport. It also uses only 15 g of plastic compared to a 64 g bottle made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Moreover, materials can be purchased locally through existing paperboard printers.

Customized Frugal Bottles.“Sorely needed” innovation
Malcolm Waugh, Frugalpac CEO, states that Frugal Bottle has already received “fantastic feedback” from people who have trialed the bottle.

Hallgarten, one of the country’s leading specialist wine merchants, will be a UK distributor of wines and spirits in the Frugal Bottle. “Innovation in sustainability is something the wine trade sorely needs and this packaging helps us in so many ways,” adds Jim Wilson, the company’s Portfolio Director.

The Frugal Bottle is also under active consideration by a number of leading UK supermarket chains and hospitality groups keen to promote environmentally sustainable packaging. It will be available from other retail outlets across the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands over the next few weeks.

A happy client
“When some of our top hotel customers saw samples of our paper wine bottle, there was no hesitation in their minds that this type of bottle would be well received in their dining rooms. The launch of the Frugal Bottle is a big leap in sustainability without compromising wine quality,” says Parke. 

Cantina Goccia Frugal Bottle will initially be available for purchase via its online website and in Scotland from Woodwinters Wines & Whiskies retail stores and online.

“We believe this is a real game-changer for the wine industry,” Parke concludes.

By Anni Schleicher