Beverage Packaging - From “Canpagne” to Bag-in-Box

September 08, 2015

My, oh my, how times have changed. Boxed wine once was considered the Billy Baldwin to bottled wine’s Alec Baldwin (as in, sure it’s there, but let’s just ignore it). But in recent years, non-traditional wine packaging is experiencing a Renaissance.

EPS_Royal wine

No, a wine Renaissance not a Renaissance wine.

Wine and champagne—previously reserved for elegantly designed bag-in-box containers—now comes in aluminum cans, too. One might think that this less opulent packaging would damage brand value. However, quite the opposite is true, with boxed wine taking 17.5% of all wine sales in the U.S. by volume and only gaining speed. The emphasis placed on design and package structure has only added to brand value.

Take a look at some of these examples:

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The success of these brands exemplify larger industry trends taking hold in the beverage market:

  • Focus on design – To sell a premium product, you need to create a premium experience. Sophia canned champagne, for example, comes in a beautiful box which feels like opening a gift. The package features a very ornate design and even includes an expandable straw adhered to every can.
  • Consideration of disposal – The paper boxes and aluminum cans are easier to break down and dispose taking up less space in your garbage and recycling bins. This plays nicely into the choices of the environmentally conscious consumer.
  • Mobility and consumption – Perhaps the most attractive feature offered by these beverage packaging shifts is the ease of transporting, storing and consuming the product—and they fit nicely in cupboards and refrigerators. They are either resealable and can last for up to 6 weeks or are single-serving units, which produce less wasted product.

These trends reach beyond the wine industry. In fact, other beverage makers are getting in on the action, with boxed water having already hit the market in various forms. And ASCC recently released boxed vodka. Consumers are thirsty for more innovative packaging, even if it means releasing preconceived standards for packaging. They want products that work for them instead of the other way around.

To learn more about creating a unique, exciting and effective beverage packaging, contact Ernest Packaging Solutions today. You’ll discover how our innovation experts can give “thinking inside the box” a good name.