Tap the cap? Guala Closures unveils NěSTGATE NFC range

02 Oct 2019 --- Italian manufacturer of non-refillable and aluminum closures Guala Closures is set to launch its complete range of NěstGATE connected caps. By placing a smartphone close to a bottle equipped with the connected caps, the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology allows producers and companies to establish one-to-one relationships with consumers. This technology represents a bold step forward in the current product-personalization trend in packaging.

The connective technology provides consumers with access to product information, tasting tips, games, offers and social media with a tap of a cell phone to the cap of any NěSTGATE bottle. The NěSTGATE range already includes seven caps for wine, spirits and olive oil. It features an elegant design with a wide choice of options: wood and cork stopper, anti-filling closure, with aluminum or resin coating for the luxury sector. By tapping the cap, NFC technology will take consumers online to the brand world. Meanwhile, the company will have the opportunity to collect data for customer relations and product traceability.

This launch comes after previous successes with NFC technology, including the 2019 Malibu project. In a US-first, the rollout of 300,000 bottles in Ohio and Texas with connected closures supported the Malibu Games 2019. This was a project designed to promote the brand by bringing together 32 influencers from nine countries.

In August, Guala Closures partnered with Boën and SharpEnd IoT agency, helping Boën to become the first wine brand in the US to deploy full-scale NFC technology. This was achieved through e-WAK, Guala Closures’ NFC-integrated aluminum closure for wine.

Technologies within connected packaging are evidently expanding and diversifying, but which will have the strongest future? According to Cameron Worth, Founder of SharpEnd, the answer is NFC. “NFC right now is the dominant technology and I think the one with the brightest future. Both Apple and Android are carrying NFC capabilities within their handsets which is a good mark towards that.”

“In terms of where we will be in 10 years, I think that the cost of connected packaging will decrease so much that you will see the Unilevers and Nestlés, who have low priced goods with smaller profit margins, utilizing these technologies as standard,” he tells PackagingInsights.

Other companies have also created one-on-one consumer relationships through beverage packaging. Balvenie’s bottles incorporate NFC-enabled neck tags that link to podcasts, telling the elaborate story of each of its whiskey’s production cycles. This is through audio conversations with the different craftspeople behind the liquid, as well as a guided whiskey tasting.

Earlier this year, Danone’s Spanish natural mineral water brand Font Vella introduced a cap device that tracks water intake and instructs people toward adequate hydration. Coach20 is being developed in partnership with smart packaging start-up water.io.

Edited by Anni Schleicher with additional reporting by Joshua Poole