French filler Cacolac has signed a contract with Australian company Barokes Pty Ltd (now registered in Europe as Vinsafe International Pty Ltd) licensing them to fill wine in a can using Barokes' Vinsafe technology. The Vinsafe process is th

barokes.jpeg

The Vinsafe technology utilizes three distinct elements, namely wine parameters, can specifications and filling conditions. It is the only globally recognized, patented wine-in-a-can packaging system that has been proven to deliver consistent quality, stability and longevity in canned wine. In the past years, Vinsafe wines have been awarded over 125 wine competition medals including seven Gold (two of them for "Best in Class") and one Platinum (along with a nomination for "Best at Show"). 

Ball signed the contract to manufacture and supply the specially produced cans for wine using the Vinsafe production process in December 2010. As an approved supplier, Ball will produce the aluminum cans with the Vinsafe logo to demonstrate that both can and content comply with the specially patented standards. With the two recently licensed Vinsafe fillers located in the major wine regions of Valencia (Spain) and Bordeaux (France), the European supply chain for Vinsafe is now established, offering European wineries a proven alternative packaging system for their wines and thus opening up new markets. 

Cacolac Director, Christian Maviel, stated: "We are surrounded by premium wine producers looking to access new international markets and consumers with their wines and after much investigation we decided that the only viable option is Vinsafe. Wine is not easy to fill in a can while maintaining its quality. We would not risk filling wine for brand owners with centuries of winemaking history behind them without the use of the globally patented Vinsafe wine packaging system, which offers a unique can, lining and filling process specifically designed for wine - something that has not been available prior to Barokes' patented Vinsafe specifications.

Wine in cans with strong market potential

The market for wine in cans offers great potential, as the double-digit growth of sales figures for Europe in recent years demonstrate. Reasons for that development are changing market structures as well as new trends in consumer behavior. Small-sized cans with a volume of 200 to 250 ml are particularly attractive to consumers who only enjoy wine occasionally or in single-serve quantities such as in single households.

The metal packaging also offers a way of reaching young consumers who are not traditional wine drinkers but would like to try a premium wine in an innovative packaging. "Wine in a can is convenient and trendy," explains Gerlof Toenhake, Director Marketing at Ball Packaging Europe. "Cans are unbreakable, lightweight and compact, making them ideal for outdoor and on-the-go consumption like on a picnic or at a music festival. "Wine in cans also has a particular appeal to market segments where ease of transport, weight, storage and safety are important. This is the case for airlines, passenger ships and trains. Also, specially designed Vinsafe cans are the ideal packaging for the worldwide export of wine."
From the wineries' viewpoint, beverage cans offer enhanced graphic options like thermochromic ink that changes color depending on the temperature of the can or embossing to mould a detail into the surface which underlines the exclusivity of the design. Additionally, they provide premium quality as they are impermeable to oxygen and light.

When it comes to sustainability, beverage cans offer various benefits. The metal containers are completely and infinitely recyclable. Recycling them saves up to 95 percent of the energy that is needed to produce new material. What is more, CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 95 percent.

Cacolac is based in Léognan, just south of Bordeaux, within one of France's premium wine-growing regions. In early August, the Cacolac facility underwent a comprehensive Vinsafe accreditation process to fill wine in a can. In May, the Spanish filler Font Salem became the first company licensed to fill wine in a can.

Only accredited and certified (Vinsafe) filling facilities can be relied on by wine producers to ensure the consistent quality of their wine in a can products thus offering unique protection to this new global wine category.