May 26th – Californian wineries will now be able to use the world’s first and only commercially available paper bottle for wines and spirts thanks to a partnership with King City’s Monterey Wine Company and British sustainable packaging firm Frugalpac.
Monterey Wine Company (MWC) a Californian custom wine production facility has agreed a deal with Frugalpac to see it become the first US filler for the contract filling of Frugal Bottles with wines and spirits.
Frugal Bottles are made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food grade pouch and weighing just 83g before filled and are five times lighter than glass. This means it has a carbon footprint six times lower than glass bottles. They also offer 360° branding for exceptional, impactful shelf presence.
MWC is based in the US heart of wine-production, in King City on the Central Coast of California. With over 80% of all U.S. wines produced in California, lightweight Frugal Bottles offer drinks producers the opportunity to cut their carbon footprint by 84%.
MWC is within a 200-mile radius of all California’s main appellations and the Frugal Bottle is developing a growing following in the North American market.
Recent research by Lux Research found more than 35 million Americans are interested in finding more sustainable wine packaging.
Conscious of the impact glass bottles pose to the environment, Monterey Wine Company are embarking on the “Frugal Way” to produce the recycled paper-based bottles that are the solution for minimizing the carbon footprint (throughout the entire supply chain lifecycle) from grape to table with these easily recycled bottles for the Californian wine and spirts industry.
America is already selling drinks in the paper bottle with Signal 7 Wines, Demon Spirits Rum and Half Shell Vodka.
More than 32 different drinks producers from around the world have launched 100 different SKUs of wines, spirits and olive oils in the Frugal Bottle. They are available in 22 countries including Japan, North America, the UK, across Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and South Africa.
In February this year the Frugal Bottle with Signal 7’s bottle won Best in Class for Technical Design in Packaging Innovation and an Award of Distinction in the Sustainable Design category at PAC Global’s Packaging Awards in New York.
Monterey Wine Company’s Director of Personnel and Finance-General Manager Shannon Valladarez said: “More and more drinks brands are looking to reduce their carbon emissions and a glass bottle accounts for up to 50% of a wine’s carbon footprint.
“We’ve been hugely impressed by the success of the Frugal Bottle. That’s why we’ve decided to become the first US production facility to fill these revolutionary paper bottles for the American market.
“We think this is going to be extremely popular with California wineries looking to make their bottles more lightweight and sustainable. For example, Jackson Family Wines’ has pledged to cut its carbon production in half by 2030 and to be carbon positive by 2050.
“Moving to the Frugal Bottle will not only provide a bottle that’s five times lighter than a glass bottle but it will cut the bottle’s carbon footprint by 84% and can be recycled again. We can’t wait to play our part in helping US drinks producers make that move.”
Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh added: “Three years on from the launch of our Frugal Bottle, we’re delighted to have partnered with Monterey Wine Company to offer our paper bottle to US drinks producers.
“The Frugal Bottle offers a simple and cost-effective way for wineries and spirits producers to cut their carbon immediately and significantly increase sales. It offers 360-degree branding to offer maximum stand out on the shelf when surrounded by a sea of green and clear glass bottles. Customers who have moved to Frugal Bottle have in some cases seen a doubling of sales volume by including Frugal Bottle in their portfolio.
“We’ve already seen US wine brands like Signal 7 Wines successfully launch all their wines in our paper bottles and we expect others will join them.”
As well as enquiries to make 120m Frugal Bottles, Frugalpac also has strong enquiries from more than 100 other international brand, contract packing and packaging companies to buy Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines. Each machine will be able to produce 2.5 million Frugal Bottles a year.
About Monterey Wine Company
The Monterey Wine Company is a custom wine production facility located in King City on the Central Coast of California. We are an environmentally and socially conscious producer and customer crush service provider.
We offer the latest in premium wine-making technologies, quality custom crush and processing equipment, experienced blend development, and efficient bottling capabilities to complement our client’s needs. We provide a sound working environment for the wine traditionalist, inventor and entrepreneur. Our emphasis on innovation, integrity and service is what sets us apart from the rest.
We provide a full spectrum of services, from grape sourcing to specialty crush processing through aging, blending, and bottling. We offer the tools and expertise to develop and produce the highest quality and most imaginative wines for today’s innovative market.
Located two hours from Santa Clara, Santa Barbara and Kern Counties, our custom crush program comes from all directions, while focusing on our backyard appellations in the Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties.
About Frugalpac
Frugalpac Limited is a British company developing a range of innovative sustainable packaging products. It creates and supplies recycled paper-based products with the lowest carbon footprint that are easily recycled again.
Its first product was the Frugal Cup, the world’s only easily recyclable beverage and food cup made from 96% recycled paper.
It is due to launch a range of other Frugalpac products, including a Frugal Cup for foods such as noodles, porridge, yoghurt, and ice cream.
All Frugalpac products are made from at least90% recycled paper, are easily recyclable again and have the lowest carbon footprint compared with conventional and compostable packaging.
Frugalpac has secured £17.5m in funding, £6.5m since 2019. At a time when British business was struggling and funding was in short supply, this young business secured the finance it requires for the next stage of its development.
About the Frugal Bottle
- It’s lighter. The Frugal Bottle weighs just 83g so it is up to five times lighter than a normal glass bottle, making it easier to carry and lighter to transport.
- It’s better for the environment. An independent Life Cycle Analysis by Intertek found the Frugal Bottle, which is made from recycled paperboard with no chemicals, has a carbon footprint up to six times (84%) lower than a glass bottle and more than a third less than a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic. The Frugal Bottle’s water footprint is also at least four times lower than glass.
- It’s easy to recycle again. Simply separate the plastic food-grade pouch from the paper bottle and put them in your respective recycling bins. The food grade pouch is certified recyclable and is a polyethylene metallised polyester laminate, the same material used in bag in box wines.
- It uses less plastic than a plastic bottle. The Frugal Bottle uses up to 77% less plastic. Only 15g compared to a 64g bottle made from 100% recycled plastic. The food grade pouch is a polyethylene metallised polyester laminate, the same material used in bag in box wines. It is recyclable.
- It stands out. As the Frugal Bottle is made from recycled paperboard, it allows for 360-degree branding across the bottle. No other wine or spirits bottle looks or feels like it, so it stands out on shelf and table.
- It’s better for wine producers. The Frugal Bottle can be produced in the heart of their bottling facility, offers complete freedom on design and print, is more cost effective to transport than glass bottles while reducing their carbon footprint further.
