The United States’ first paper bottle production site has reached its second anniversary with rising interest from wine and spirits producers, repeat business and growing international distribution for bottles manufactured in California.
Monterey Wine Company (MWC), located in King City on California’s Central Coast, became the first US manufacturer of Frugalpac’s low-carbon Frugal Bottle after installing a Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine in 2024.
In the two years since, the facility has helped move paper bottles beyond the experimental stage, establishing them as a commercially available alternative to glass for beverage producers across North America.
Wines and spirits packaged by MWC in Frugal Bottles have reached the shelves of major retailers, including Target and Whole Foods Market, as well as 7-Eleven and Total Wine & More.
The company is also recording clear signs of repeat demand from customers.
Two Petalscape California wines from Scout & Cellar, part of Full Glass Wine Co., launched earlier this year in Frugal Bottles manufactured by MWC. The range included a 2025 Sauvignon Blanc and an NV Red Blend. Strong consumer uptake led to the complete sell-through of the initial supply, and the brand has now placed another order.
MWC is also supporting the international expansion of California-made paper bottles. The company produced Frugal Bottles for Mexican spirits producer Blessed Remedy Spirits, which is introducing its Mezcólogo Mezcal Artesanal Espadín– the world’s first mezcal in a paper bottle and the very first to be launched in Mexico. The product is currently sold through Amazon and is scheduled to arrive at Chedraui stores in Mexico.
Blessed Remedy Spirits is also exporting a second product, Metoro Mezcal Artesanal Espadín, to Australia. The launch highlights the ability of a California manufacturing operation to supply beverage brands and customers in markets outside the United States.
Interest in the facility accelerated after MWC and its Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine appeared on CBS Weekend News. The company subsequently received a significant increase in enquiries from retailers and beverage brands seeking sources for Frugal Bottles.
Shannon Valladarez, General Manager at Monterey Wine Company, said:
“Two years ago we believed there was a real opportunity to give American wine and spirits producers an alternative to traditional glass packaging. What we’ve seen since then has reinforced that belief.
“We’ve gone from establishing the first Frugal Bottle production facility in the United States to producing bottles for brands reaching some of America’s best-known retailers, welcoming new customers and now seeing repeat orders.
“Petalscape is particularly encouraging because the initial wines sold out and we’re now producing more. That’s exactly what you want to see – consumers responding positively and a customer coming back for another order.
“We’re also now producing bottles that are travelling beyond the United States. Seeing Frugal Bottles made here in King City being used for the first paper-bottled mezcal in Mexico, as well as a launch in Australia, shows the potential of this facility.
“We have the capability here in California to manufacture, fill and pack Frugal Bottles for drinks brands, and we’d encourage any winery, distiller or beverage company considering an alternative to glass to come and talk to us.”
Frugalpac’s operating model is based on manufacturing packaging close to beverage producers instead of transporting empty bottles over long distances. The original Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine at Monterey has annual capacity of up to 2.5 million bottles.
Louis Amoroso, CEO Full Glass Wine Co, which produces Petalscape, said:
“Petalscape was created for the way people increasingly enjoy wine – not only around the dinner table, but at picnics, festivals and other outdoor occasions where glass can be heavy or unsuitable.
“We chose the Frugal Bottle because we wanted Petalscape to combine great California wine with packaging that was genuinely different and had a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional glass.
“The response has exceeded our expectations. Our first production run sold out and we’ve now placed a further order with Monterey Wine Company, showing that consumers recognise and value the practical benefits of paper bottles.
“What has been particularly important for us is having the bottles manufactured here in California. Monterey has made adopting a completely different packaging format straightforward, from producing the bottles through to filling and packing the finished wine.
“We believe innovative packaging can help wine brands reach consumers in new places and in ways that better reflect how they live today.”
Eberth Vera, founder and CEO of Blessed Remedy Spirits, said:
“When we decided to launch the world’s first mezcal in a paper bottle, we needed a partner that could turn that ambition into a commercially produced bottle.
“Monterey Wine Company gave us access to Frugal Bottles manufactured in California, close enough to supply our launch in Mexico and with the capability to support our wider international ambitions.
“We’re now launching Mezcólogo in Mexico’s first paper bottle, while Frugal Bottles produced by Monterey are also being used for our Metoro Mezcal destined for Australia.
“For a Mexican producer like us, having this manufacturing capability in California is incredibly important. It demonstrates that innovative, lower-carbon packaging is no longer something drinks brands have to source from the other side of the world – it’s available here in North America today.
“We hope our launch encourages other wine and spirits producers across Mexico and North America to look seriously at what paper bottles could do for their brands.”
Malcolm Waugh, CEO of Frugalpac, said:
“When Monterey invested in our machine, the vision was simple: instead of transporting huge quantities of heavy empty glass bottles around the world, manufacture low-carbon paper bottles close to where drinks are produced and filled.
“What has happened in California shows that model works. Monterey has helped take Frugal Bottles from pioneering US launches to major retail shelves, repeat orders and now exports of California-made bottles into new international markets like Mexico
“The Petalscape reorder is especially important. Sustainability can get a new product onto the shelf, but consumers have to want to buy it. Selling through and ordering again is compelling evidence that paper bottles can succeed commercially as well as environmentally.
“And the first paper bottle in Mexico demonstrates something else: one Frugal Bottle manufacturing facility can become a hub serving drinks producers across a much wider region.
“Our message to North American wine and spirits brands is straightforward: you don’t have to wait for the future of drinks packaging. It’s already being manufactured in California.
“If you’re looking to reduce the carbon footprint and weight of your packaging, create something that really stands out on shelf and move away from reliance on heavy glass, Monterey Wine Company can make and fill Frugal Bottles today.”
MWC’s development reflects broader momentum for the Frugal Bottle. Global production has surpassed four million units, with the format now available through major retailers such as Target, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, Aldi and Sainsbury’s.
Local production is central to Frugalpac’s expansion strategy. Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines enable paperboard and pouches to be shipped flat before bottles are assembled near filling operations, reducing the need to transport large volumes of empty packaging.
Based in King City, MWC offers beverage companies an integrated service covering bottle production, filling and packing. Its position on California’s Central Coast places the facility within a significant regional wine-producing area while also supporting wider food and beverage industry trends, food manufacturing trends and food distribution trends.
The operation demonstrates how food processing technology, food and drink industry innovation and food and drink sustainability can work together to create practical packaging alternatives. It also reflects the growing influence of food and drink consumer trends, evolving food and drink regulations, and demand for distinctive food and drink packaging and food and drink marketing strategies.
Shannon Valladarez added:
“We’ve proved the production capability is here and we’ve proved there’s demand.
“The next stage is about scale. There are thousands of wineries and drinks producers across North America still packaging almost entirely in glass. We want them to know there is now a proven alternative being made right here in California.”