June 2020 marked our Nordics debut with in-store retailing of Garçon Wines’ multi award-winning eco, flat wine bottles, launching first in Sweden’s alcohol retailing monopoly, Systembolaget and introduced later in the month at Finland’s equivalent monopoly, Alko. The launch comes as part of our wider collaboration with Accolade Wines, the UK’s number one wine company.
Accolade Wines’ top-selling Australian brand Hardys Nottage Hill Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc is available in our planet-friendly packaging in Finland, with more Hardys brands soon to launch in Denmark and Sweden. Currently on shelf in Sweden is Chilean brand Anakena Sauvignon Blanc in our flat bottle. It has been particularly pleasing to see that in only a matter of weeks, several Systembolaget stores in Sweden have completely sold out of Anakena. Commenting on the early successes of this launch Andy Smith, Sales Director EMEA at Accolade Wines, said:
“Accolade Wines has a long-term obligation to managing our business in an environmentally responsible manner at all levels, from our vineyards through to our production facilities and distribution networks. We are thrilled to offer a variety of Accolade wines, including our flagship Hardys, in this new innovative format. Sales from our first launch in Sweden have been very encouraging so far, with sales in the first two weeks up 50% on the initial estimates. Our team is excited to continue to roll out the sustainable flat bottle across Europe with Hardys wines set to launch shortly in Denmark.”
Recognised as global leaders in terms of sustainability, countries in the Nordics present an optimum setting to introduce our climate-smart bottles. With high recycling rates, long and successful histories of deposit return schemes through reverse vending machines and great transparency about carbon footprint in consumption choices, this region is a natural fit for our sustainable offering. Both Systembolaget and Alko champion environmentally conscious wine consumption through greater sustainability in packaging, which means our eco, flat bottles are well positioned to offer consumers the option to purchase and enjoy wine from packaging that is kinder on the planet and that can help mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.
The unique and innovative flat design of our bottles is perhaps what strikes consumers most in-store. The bottles retain the look of a traditional wine bottle yet are 40% more spatially efficient than their round, glass predecessors due to the flat shape. This means that notably far more bottles can fit on shelves, both in-store and at home. Moreover, being made from 100% recycled PET - pre-existing material not single-use plastic - the bottles are 87% lighter than a traditional glass wine bottle of the same volume. These step-change advancements in shape and material offer unrivalled environmental and logistics benefits, optimising packaging design to reduce wasted airspace in shipment and storage, as well as significantly reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the packaging’s lifecycle.
Amelia Dales, Business Development Manager at Garçon Wines, said:
“It's been a pleasure to see our bottles launch with Accolade brands in Sweden and Finland, which are arguably some of the most sustainably focused countries in the world. The Nordic monopolies place a huge emphasis on the importance of climate friendly packaging and our bottles are a natural fit. Seeing two successful launches gives a highly motivating indicator of the potential for our sustainable wine packaging in these markets. Our bottles provide a unique point of differentiation on shelf through shape, size and label visibility, as well as the practicality of fitting more bottles on a shelf and reducing restocking required. These benefits combined help drive and increase sales. We’re now looking forward to the continued success of Accolade brands and activating further launches with brand owners across the globe who are looking to increase sales through activating our sustainable wine packaging in the Nordics.“
Read more about Garçon Wines and Accolade Wines’ collaboration here.
