Wine In A Can: The Sustainable Future Of The Wine Industry?

“Wine in a can” trend

The recent years have seen the rise of a trend that nobody thought would stick around; Wine packaged in a can. The steady growth of the different canned wines in the market shows that this trend is here to stay.

A smaller-sized beverage that fits into a lower alcohol lifestyle, canned wines are perfect for those that want just a glass without committing to a bottle.

What makes wine in a can attractive?

Wine becomes simple and portable in a can. Canned wine is convenient to bring to the poolside or beach. Glass is also forbidden in some outdoor places which restricts you from taking a bottle.

Buying a whole bottle of wine can also be expensive which makes canned wines a low-budget experience. Other attractive features of drinking wine from a can are that white wine chills much faster in a can than in a bottle and the hassle of opening a wine bottle cork can also be done away with.

Environmental benefits of wine in a can

Other than the practical advantages, there are also some environmental benefits to canned wine. 39% of the greenhouse gas contribution of a bottle of wine comes from using a glass bottle! Shipping wine in bottles creates a greater carbon footprint as bottles are heavier and would consume more fuel for transport.

Besides, aluminum cans are more recycled than glass. A study showed that 70% of wine bottles end up in landfills but 69% of cans are recycled. So drinking wine from a can could save the environment!

Unpopular with some

The trend of “wine in a can” has been, as expected, getting a cold shoulder from wine connoisseurs. They feel that it takes away from the feeling of drinking wine and the packaging doesn’t suit the product.

Cans do not allow for long-term aging as it does in a bottle. Canned wine has a shelf life of only 18 months whereas wine bottles can be kept for years. If you are someone that prefers to let the wine add complexity sitting in a bottle, canned wine may not be for you.

New possibilities

Once you overcome the mental block of believing that wine should come in a bottle, a whole world of possibilities open up. Traditional red, white, and rosés in cans in addition to new flavor combinations like rosé with berries and fruits are being produced today.

Well-known wine-producing companies are trying out new niches like vegan and gluten-free wine in cans. Changing the opinion that wine is not an accessible beverage to all, a pack of wine cans like beer can also be bought today.

A trend or a fad?

The category of canned wines grew 67% in 2019 and people have been warming up to and accepting it ever since. Canned wines are becoming popular by the day and we can safely say it is a long-lasting trend and not a fad.

Not surprisingly, Millennials make up the highest consumer base for canned wines, but people from Gen X are embracing the category as well. What is also surprising is that canned wines are appealing to beer drinkers and wine lovers of all levels.

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