US wine and spirits brands can now easily order eco-friendly and sustainable paper bottles that are “Made in America”. This groundbreaking opportunity comes as California’s Monterey Wine Company becomes the first American company to acquire the world’s only paper bottle assembly machine.
Monterey Wine Company (MWC), a custom wine production facility in California, has partnered with British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac to purchase a Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine. This investment not only makes MWC the first US company to acquire the machine but also doubles paper bottle production in North America to five million bottles per year, with plans to further increase production in the near future.
The Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine allows for the production of Frugal Bottles directly in the winery, reducing carbon emissions by minimizing the need for shipping traditional glass bottles from central manufacturing facilities. By bringing in flat recycled paperboard and pouches, the amount of delivery trucks can be reduced by four. The local manufacture of Frugal Bottles also significantly lowers shipping costs, resulting in a more cost-effective product.
Frugal Bottles are created using 94% recycled paperboard and come in at a lightweight 83g before being filled. Compared to glass bottles, they are five times lighter, resulting in a carbon footprint that is six times lower. Furthermore, Frugal Bottles offer 360° branding, making them visually impactful on store shelves.
MWC, strategically located in King City on California’s Central Coast, is within a 200-mile radius of all the state’s main appellations. With over 80% of US wines being produced in California, the adoption of lightweight Frugal Bottles presents a significant opportunity for drinks producers to reduce the carbon footprint of their packaging.
MWC has already established a dedicated filling service for brands looking to fill Frugal Bottles. With the recent acquisition of the Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine, MWC can now offer an end-to-end service, including bottle production, filling, and packing, for the US drinks industry.
The Frugal Bottle has gained tremendous popularity worldwide, with more than 35 different drinks producers launching 120 unique products in the sustainable packaging option. Currently available in 25 countries, including Japan, North America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa, over 1.8 million paper bottles have been produced since 2020, resulting in a total savings of 832 tonnes of CO2e.
The Frugal Bottle has already made its way into the North American market, with four drinks brands utilizing this sustainable packaging solution. These brands include Signal 7 Wines from Michigan, Half Shell Vodka from Florida, Melody Lynne from California, and Demon Rum from Las Vegas.
In North America alone, Frugalpac is actively pursuing 31 live enquiries out of a pool of 237, which would equate to annualized volume of 11 million Frugal Bottles. Looking at the full pool of enquiries, this volume could rise to 48 million Frugal Bottles per year for North America.
The demand for more sustainable wine packaging is evident, as recent research by Lux Research indicates that over 35 million Americans are interested in finding greener packaging options. Furthermore, a poll conducted by ProWein involving nearly 2,500 wine merchants and producers found that 11% of traders worldwide plan to introduce paper wine bottles to their stores within the next two years. In the US, this figure rises to 14%, while in the UK it reaches 29%, and in Norway, it stands at 33%.
In terms of recognition, the Frugal Bottle has received prestigious awards, including Best in Class for Technical Design in Packaging Innovation at the PAC Global’s Packaging Awards in New York and the SME of the Year in the UK Green Business Awards.
MWC’s Director of Personnel and Finance-General Manager Shannon Valladarez expressed pride in being the first US company to produce the Frugal Bottle. With an emphasis on decarbonization and the significant impact of the bottle itself on a wine’s carbon footprint (up to 50%), Valladarez highlighted how transitioning to the Frugal Bottle can lead to an 84% reduction in carbon emissions, making it a game changer for the industry.
Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh also celebrated this milestone for Frugalpac and the US drinks industry. The availability of paper bottles made in America presents new opportunities for American wine and spirits brands to embrace sustainability and reduce their carbon footprints. Waugh emphasized how the Frugal Bottle and the Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine offer a simple and cost-effective solution for wineries and spirits producers to make a significant environmental impact while also enhancing their branding.
UK Minister for Exports Lord Offord commended this collaboration between Frugalpac and Monterey Wine Company, highlighting the positive impact it will have on the decarbonization efforts within the US drinks industry. Lord Offord emphasized how this partnership demonstrates the potential for increased trade between the UK and the US and the shared commitment to achieving Net Zero goals.
In addition to global enquiries for the production of 120 million Frugal Bottles per year, Frugalpac is also engaging with more than 100 other international brands, contract packing companies, and packaging businesses interested in purchasing Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines. Each machine is capable of producing 2.5 million Frugal Bottles annually.
Canadian packaging firm KinsBrae Packaging made history by becoming the first company to purchase a Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine. Their machine, known as FBAM-1, is currently being installed in Canada and is expected to be operational within the next two months.
Frugalpac invites wineries, distillers, contract fillers, and packaging businesses worldwide to invest in Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines. By meeting the increasing demand for Frugal Bottles, businesses have the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions, increase sales, and contribute to a more sustainable future for the food and drink packaging industry.
