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Wine drinkers have become accustomed to seeing new packaging over recent years, whether it’s screw tops, cans, or boxes. This spring, another shape will hit the shelves—and it might take some getting used to.
The latest packaging innovation looks more like a flask, albeit an upscale one made of recycled plastic.
Santiago Navarro, CEO and cofounder of London-based Garçon Wines, plans to launch his 100%-recycled PET flat bottles in the U.S. this spring with a brand called Packamama, a packaging alternative for the domestic wine industry. Packamama will also introduce a proprietary wine brand called Flatworks, created in partnership with Sonoma’s Ron Rubin Winery. The brand will launch with a Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, priced $15.99 each, with a retail presence in California and direct-to-consumer shipping in 35 states.
Navarro’s flat-pack bottles have already been successful in the U.K. and Australia. They were originally slated for a U.S. launch in February 2020, but COVID interrupted the expansion plans. He believes the U.S. market is especially open to change. One could point to the rising popularity of canned wine and boxed wine to support this notion. Canned wine sales rose 3,800% between 2007 and 2021.
Photo: courtesy Garçon Wines