By
Sarah Harris
What’s more important for wine, the wine itself or the wine packaging? You might think it’s a trick question.
Of course, the wine is more important! The wine packaging is just there to get the wine from the winery to your glass, right?
But think back to the last time you bought a bottle of wine. Was it because you tasted it first, or was it because it had compelling packaging? Given recent health concerns surrounding COVID, most people can’t taste new wines before buying them. Instead, they trust reviews and, of course, look at the wine packaging.
First impressions matter, and if you want customers to give your wine a chance, that visual handshake must be impressive.
How Wine Packaging Has Evolved
Once upon a time, if you bought wine, it came in a 750ml bottle with a cork and a label.
Now, thanks to the pandemic and modern health trends, no wine producer can get away without offering more options. Canned wine alone has grown from a $136 million market in 2016 to $211 million in 2020.
Before we discuss alternate containers and serving sizes, let’s talk about how bottles have evolved.
Bottle shapes for different wines are largely based on tradition. However, some wines, like sparkling wines, do have specific forms because of how they’re produced. Other custom shapes are used to preserve particular wines better or to accentuate specific flavors once opened.
Bottle glass comes in different colors, and bottle shapes are ultimately up to the producers’ imagination. Modern labels have become artwork unto themselves. Textures, colors, graphic design, and everything else that can display more artistry are being explored.
There are even augmented reality designs meant to be viewed on a smartphone and labels that reveal hidden images when placed on a special mirror.
One of the biggest trends for alcoholic drinks is small portion sizes. Many younger drinkers are health-conscious (hence the hard seltzer craze), and vintners have followed this trend with their wine packaging.
Small, individual cans let consumers enjoy wine without being forced to drink a whole bottle before it becomes vinegar. Boxed wines allow complete control over how much is served, thanks to a spigot that lets out exact amounts so the rest can stay fresh.
Once you open a bottle of wine, it can stay fresh for only a week. Boxed wine can stay fresh for six weeks.
In addition to seeking out better portion control, consumers are also increasingly demanding that products be eco-friendly. The more recyclable and recycled materials, the better.
Benefits of Investing in Your Wine Packaging
Your wine packaging is your first impression with the customer, and if it’s not up to snuff, people will notice.
It only takes the average consumer seven seconds to decide whether they want your product or not, so if your labels are “uncompelling,” then people will walk right by them in the store.
Well-designed, attractive packaging grabs customers’ eyes and increases your sales.
Investing in your packaging is important because great packaging performs several business functions at the same time:
Great Packaging Protects
Your wine is fragile compared to other beverages. Sunlight, temperature, even hard shocks can harm your wine. Buy top-quality bottles, corks, or different types of tops and pack foam, boxes, and fun extras to wow the consumer.
Great Packaging Brands
Your brand is what people will see when they look at your wine packaging. Consistent graphic design can get sales. Slapdash branding that lacks a clear design won’t compel purchasers.
Great Packaging Saves
Choosing the right packaging first can save you money. The more you spend on your packaging, the less you’ll have to redo it later.
Buying poor quality labels or bottles, mediocre graphic design, and packaging that does a bad job of protecting your product will cost more than buying the right stuff in the first place.
Great Packaging Cares
Biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging can cost more than packaging that is more harmful to the environment. But your customers care, so you should, too.
While curating the appearance of your wine products is important, the feel, the environmental impact, and the ability to keep your wine fresh all matter just as much.
Types of Wine Packaging to Consider
Because wine accounts for 65% of all online alcohol sales, remember that the first impression many consumers will have is when they open the package in which your wine arrives.
You must create a wow factor that just isn’t as easy to pull off when your wine bottles are stacked on store shelves.
Let’s go over some different packaging types that can make an impact on customers.
Folding Box
A folding box is a simple solution that provides protection and, depending on the design and quality of the cardboard, offers plenty of “wow” for the customer.
B-i-B Packaging
Bag in box packaging, or B-i-B packaging, refers to a bladder or pouch inside a cardboard box. This packaging format is traditionally known as “boxed wine.” Boxes allow for complete graphic design coverage to catch attention.
Pouch Box
These tapered-closure boxes look classy. Get ones with handles, and they’ll look like gift bags.
Gift Box
Gift boxes are your chance to go all out. Since wine is often given as a gift, packaging it in a special way makes it stand out among other wines.
Folding boxes with artwork, pop-ups, and whatever you can do to make the packaging stick can create future sales!
Wine Packaging Is as Important as Wine
Does that sound like heresy? No one buys wine in boring packages. The greatest wine in the world needs to look the part. Now that you know you need good wine packaging, it’s time to choose a packaging partner.
As a third-party logistics (3PL) company that does it all, Print Bind Ship gives wine producers just like you an edge over the competition. Making wine bottles stand out in ways that will impress customers is second nature for us!
Put us to work to create outstanding packaging with a serious wow factor. Contact us for a free quote to see how we can serve you as your packaging partner.