CCL Container Aluminum Wine Bottle

Aluminium wine bottle / Source: CCL Container

AfricaAluminiumAsiaCCL Container Aluminum Wine BottleEuropeFood & BeverageFood GradeLeak ProofLightweightNorth AmericaOceaniaPackagingRecyclableRigidSealableSouth AmericaStrong

WHAT WE SAY:

First the screw cap, then wine in a can. Both faced heavy scepticism from wine buffs but are now commonplace, thanks to the benefits they bring customers.

Could the aluminium wine bottle be the next big thing to hit the slow-moving wine world? It’s certainly an interesting proposition, offering a host of benefits to both winemaker and end drinker. However, we’re left with two big questions: when will there be a version made from recycled aluminium with the radically improved sustainability metrics that would offer? And will the wine industry be brave enough to adopt it?

CCL Container Aluminum

WHAT IS CCL CONTAINER ALUMINUM WINE BOTTLE?

CCL Container has created a classic burgundy-shaped wine bottle in 100% virgin Aluminium to replace traditional Glass bottles.
It is 100% recyclable, thanks to the absence of plastic in the cap.
The aluminium bottle is marketed as keeping wine fresher for longer due to its resealable screw cap, as well as chilling faster and staying chilled for longer.
CCL Container claims the bottle weighs less, making it easier and less expensive to ship while keeping emissions lower.
The bottle was launched in March 2022 and is currently looking for commercial partners – the company produced a range of 500 millilitre aluminium wine bottles.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Food Grade
Leak Proof
Lightweight
Recyclable
Rigid
Sealable
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Food & Beverage
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

CCL Container claims that its 100% aluminium wine bottle helps the very traditional wine industry find more sustainable and effective packaging.
The bottle is made from virgin aluminium, although it is not stated where the company sources its non-recycled aluminium. CCL Container has three key manufacturing sites – in Pennsylvania, USA; Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico; and San Juan Iturbide, Mexico.
The process CCL Container uses to get the shape is called BodyShapes – a treatment that is able to create curves in rigid aluminium from top to bottom. Clients of the method have included Budweiser, Tsingato and Hoegaarden.
In 2019, a Denver, Colorado-based winery named Bigsby’s Folly collaborated with CCL Container to create a 500 millilitre aluminium wine bottle, which was positioned as being more convenient than a can of wine, thanks to its resealable cap.

A range of aluminium beverage bottles / Source: CCL Container

Bigsby's Folly aluminium wine bottles / Source: Bigsby's Folly

KEY FACTS:

100%

The CCL Container Aluminum Wine Bottle is 100% recyclable, thanks to the absence of plastic in the cap

95%

Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy used to produce native aluminium from bauxite ore

Key Questions to Ask:

Why not recycled aluminium?

As a designer, it may be worth considering if CCL Container’s solution is best for your use case. Can you find manufacturers that can make the same product with recycled aluminium, given that recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required for the production of aluminium from raw materials?

How can you sell the benefits rather than just the material?

The aluminium wine bottle offers the convenience of a glass screw top, as well as being unbreakable (making it welcome where glass isn’t in places like swimming pools and music festivals) while also offering faster and long-lasting chilling properties. Plus, for brands wanting to stand out on the shelf, the relative distinctiveness of an aluminium bottle is hard to beat – for now.

How does this fit into your existing processes?

It’s no surprise that the initial customer for CCL Container’s previous range of aluminium wine bottles was a small boutique winery. The entire industry is set up to bottle wines, and asking wineries to move away from this existing infrastructure will be challenging. However, this creates an exciting opportunity for bold startups to come in and reimagine how things are done.