Frugalpac, a British sustainable packaging company, has developed a special paper wine bottle to commemorate the state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Bordeaux. The Frugal Bottle is made from 94% recycled cardboard and has a carbon footprint six times lower than a glass bottle. It is also five times lighter and can be recycled again. Since its launch in 2020, the Frugal Bottle has become the world’s first commercially available paper bottle for wines, spirits, and olive oils. It is now used by over 35 drinks brands in 25 countries, saving over 750 tonnes of CO2.
Frugalpac was invited to display its goods, including the commemorative Cardbordeaux 2023 bottle, at a Franco-British event in Bordeaux’s Place de la Bourse. The bottle features the King’s Cypher and the Bordeaux crest, with a message in French to the King and Queen. The company has received several requests from French companies to buy their Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines, indicating a growing interest in sustainable packaging in France.
The Frugal Bottle has been well received in France, with La Bouteille Qui Cartonne and Château Malijay launching the first French wine in a paper bottle. Le Petit Ballon, a retailer, has distributed 5,000 of the paper bottles to its wine subscribers, and the response has been excellent. Other French wines, as well as French Calvados from Avallen Spirits, are also available in Frugal Bottles.
Frugalpac’s paper bottle is made from 94% recycled paperboard and has a food-grade pouch to hold the liquid. It weighs only 83g before being filled, making it five times lighter than glass. Its carbon footprint is 84% lower than glass bottles, making it a more sustainable option for the drinks industry.
Frugalpac aims to decarbonize the global drinks industry by selling its Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines in wine regions around the world. The company has already sold machines to KinsBrae Packaging in Canada and Monterey Wine Company in California. Many brands, including Greenall’s Gin, When in Rome wines, and Flawless Flavoured Vodka, have adopted the Frugal Bottle and secured listings in major retailers.
Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh expressed pride in showcasing French wine producers using their paper bottle at the Franco-British event. He emphasized the company’s mission to reduce the carbon footprint of the drinks industry and praised the King for his commitment to sustainability. With growing interest and demand for sustainable packaging, Frugalpac is experiencing significant growth and is at the forefront of the paper bottle revolution.
