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Between the health crisis, the increasing sales on the Internet and the renewed interest of consumers in small shops, it is legitimate to wonder about the future of wine in mass distribution. What will we find on the shelves of supermarkets and hypermarkets? Precious bottles next to all kinds of bag-in-boxes? As a “wine business futurist”, I’ve given a lot of thought to this. I’ve even been working for 5 years on the development of a new container that may well revolutionize the world of wine as much as the organic concept did in its time. Want to know more about it? I am delighted to present you here the new Ecological Mini Box!

The advantages of the Ecological Mini Box

You’re probably wondering what that famous Mini Box looks like. As its name suggests, it’s an hermetic, opaque box that opens with the help of a handy pull tab. It is manufactured by Tetra Pak, which uses much more complex printing techniques than in the case of a simple wine label.

It is much more advantageous than conventional containers:

  • An ultra-light container: the box is 250 ml. That stands for 2 glasses. You put 3 of them in your bag and you get the equivalent of a 75 cl bottle. But the boxes do not break and are much lighter than a glass bottle. Believe me, it’s a real plus when you’re taking wine from one end of the world to the other!
  • An ecological packaging with a low carbon footprint: the Mini Box is mostly made of raw materials coming from sustainably managed forests. It is fully recyclable and, if you make sure you dispose of it in the right bin, there is no risk of it ending up in the ocean or on the side of the road. It is true that the bottles are also recyclable. However, recycling glass is still very energy-intensive. The Mini Box is therefore a good option for anyone who is concerned about their impact on the environment;
  • A handy little box: Tetra Pak technology allows wine to be preserved for 3 years. The box is easy to open without a corkscrew, making life easier for frequent travellers. Its small capacity allows individual consumption, thus avoiding waste and over-consumption. The socialites will help themselves to a glass and the rebels will drink directly from the box!
  • A fun box! Have you see those pretty colours? Cute, isn’t it?

 

Wine in mass distribution

That’s how I like to sum up the interest of this new packaging: the Mini Box is a nomadic, practical and ecological solution with, as a bonus, a terribly seductive look!

A pioneering positioning

Now back to what really interests you as a talented winemaker: can you sell your wine in these Mini Boxes?

The glass bottle remains intrinsically linked to the culture of wine and the Grands Crus. It’s not about to disappear. As for the bag-in-box, it is rather associated with medium and even mediocre level productions. Between the quality of the wine and the practicality of the packaging, there is a real place to be taken on the shelves of the supermarkets. The Mini box should thus make it possible to renew the mass distribution offer by proposing an excellent wine in an innovative container.

When buying these original boxes, the consumer feels valued: he benefits from a Premium wine, makes a gesture for the environment and satisfies his taste for novelty. Why deprive oneself of this?

Any clever actor of the wine world understands at first glance that these eco-friendly Mini Boxes are aimed to play a major role in the future of good wine, in the “popular Premium” category.

The first public to welcome this innovation is essentially young and female. But many other markets are being considered. The reason why I am based in the southern hemisphere today is that it’s full of opportunities. South African, Australian and New Zealand wines are very popular in Great Britain and the United States. But it means a long travel and the Mini Box is a great solution to ease the logistical aspect.

In Europe, we accompany several winegrowers producing Premium wines. In France, 3 vineyards already promote their Mini Box and their owners are delighted: they feel ahead of their time and are able to boost their sales with strong and convincing arguments.

Ecological Mini Box

A precise and dynamic launch

This launch phase is particularly exciting, especially as current societal changes are further accelerating the momentum.

To ensure the success of the ecological Mini Boxes, we have created a club to better support winegrowers who interest. The production of the packaging is highly technical and requires the respect of minimum order quantities. It is therefore important to adopt a well thought-out approach to anticipate and evaluate the demand.

To promote the spread of the Mini Boxes, we weave solid partnerships between winegrowers and their distributors. Each step is secured and we remain in close contact with the Tetra Pak marketing team. We carry out in-depth consumer tests in order to adapt the offer to each market. New Mini Box formats will soon be developed to help the deployment.

My forecast? The new container should rapidly represent no less than a third of the world market for “Popular Premium” wines.

What do you think? It’s worth it to be aware of it years before competition, right?

If you’re interested, here’s the link to our Mini Box Club. It will direct you to a questionnaire that allows us to determine whether the packaging fits your offer and can help you to conquer new markets. If so, all you have to do is join us and meet these neo-consumers who are looking for quality and innovation.

Let’s celebrate the ecological future of Premium wine in Mini Boxes!

Cheers,

Galatée