Reinventing French wine bottles: Vinventions joins Packamama to tackle glass shortages

20 Mar 2023 --- Vinventions has secured a sales agreement with climate tech packaging business Packamama to expand the sale and distribution of Packamama’s eco-flat wine bottles in France. 

“By partnering with Packamama, we can help wineries suffering from the shortage of glass bottles by proposing a PET bottle alternative. Moreover, the eco-flat bottle made from 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic will help wineries improve their CO2 footprint,” says Stéphane Vidal, head of innovation at Vinventions. 

Packamama aims to tackle the wine industry’s carbon footprint through its space-saving eco-glass bottles, which the business says allow up to 91% more wine on a pallet in transport and warehousing. The standard 75 mL bottles are made of rPET, retaining glass-like visual properties and weigh 63 g each – 87% lighter than traditional bottles – further reducing carbon footprint. 

“France is currently experiencing a perfect storm of two concurrent crises – wine bottle supply pressures, with shortages and price rises, and declining wine consumption from younger drinkers,” remarks Santiago Navarro, CEO & founder at Packamama.

“We offer an innovative bottle packaging solution that is readily available and not impacted by the challenging energy crisis.”

Packamama aims to tackle the wine industry’s carbon footprint through its space-saving eco-flat bottles.French wine pairing
The collaboration between environmentally sustainable wine bottle closures producer Vinventions and Packamama will witness the innovative wine bottles offered to Vinventions winery customers and the wider French wine industry.

“Our low carbon footprint solution contributes meaningfully to emissions reduction and climate action, appealing to a younger audience who actively seek out sustainable products,” continues Navarro.

Meanwhile, the French government has been urged to get involved as winemakers in the region face issues of drying trade caused by overproduction and altered drinking habits. The Drinks Business reports that wine producers are also struggling to find glass bottles to sustain the traditional packaging design.

According to the publication, the shortages became apparent in France during the reduced capacity of furnaces due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, which have only continued and exemplified with the energy costs.

Speaking to Edward Vellacott from Bijou Wines, it details that the flute-shaped glass bottle has more than doubled in less than two years. Velacott shared that slow production and lack of branded capsules are other packaging issues challenging wine producers.

According to Packamama, its rPET eco-flat bottle is an innovative solution amid the ongoing challenges. “With a shared passion for game-changing innovation in wine packaging and proven significant success in the French wine industry, Vinventions was the ideal partner for us to scale our eco-flat bottles more rapidly across France. We are motivated by what this means, for French wine, to assist in countering these crises.”

Recent collaborations
Last July, Miguel Torres Chile adopted Packamama’s eco-flat wine bottles for its Río Claro Organic Carmenère line. 

Launched in Sweden’s government-owned chain of liquor stores, Systembolaget, the introduction of eco-flat wine bottles for Río Claro Organic Carmenère was part of a collaboration with the Wine & Spirits Collective – Miguel Torres Chiles’ Swedish importers.

Moreover, Packamama introduced its eco-flat wine bottles to the Australian market with Accolade Wines and Taylors Wines, in June, 2022. 

“Sixty-one percent of Australian wine drinkers think glass bottles are an environmentally sustainable packaging format, when in fact they are the single largest contributor to wine’s carbon footprint. This demonstrates the need for better information and awareness in the space,” Santiago Navarro, CEO and founder at Packamama, previously told PackagingInsights. 

By Radhika Sikaria

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