Luxembourg-based producer of glass and metal products Ardagh Group has launched a new slimline 187ml aluminum can, specially designed for wine and wine-based drinks. With its special design characteristics and unique sizing, the new can, set to launch in Q1 2020, is the latest addition to Ardagh’s Wine Can range. The packaging solution’s capacity is a personal wine serving of 187ml – a quarter of the standard 75cl bottle – and is marketed as an attractive option for the increasing number of consumers who wish to enjoy a single drink with a meal or while on-the-go.

Until now, single-serve European wines have been mostly available in bottles, boxes or multipack cans in the US. Ardagh’s single 187ml can aims to offer an alternative to the current market options, touting the potential of the single-serve wines for airports and stations, at outdoor events, or to complement casual dining. The efficiently stacking slimline format is also ideal for retailers, catering businesses and petrol stations whose space for storage and display is limited, meaning many outlets will be able to offer single-serve canned wine for the first time.

The new format will allow wineries to sell single-serve canned wine in new markets and in channels, supporting category growth. For the first time, European wineries will be able to sell canned wine in the US in single packs by using the new canned wine format, the company states.

Canned wine consumption continues to grow worldwide. Made of fully recyclable aluminum, the can is airtight, lightproof and shatterproof – and, in this new design, both the can’s end and body feature unique specifications to protect the quality of the wine throughout the filling, transportation and storage lifespan, notes Ardagh. With the brand’s Wine Can filling parameters and compatibility testing, these specifications are said to guarantee the safety and flavor of wine products, from canning to consumption.

“We’re always looking to innovate to meet changing demand and open up new markets for customers, so we’re proud to be announcing the new 187ml format,” says Adriana Escobar, Product Manager at Ardagh Group’s European metal Beverage division.

Functional and aesthetically appealing
The new Wine Can format can be further elevated with Ardagh’s multiple decorative options. Customers are incited to use different colored tabs to distinguish between a red, rosé and white wine or enhance the visual appearance of the can by adding a matte finish.

Marketed as a convenient, portable and sustainable option for canned wine and wine-based drinks, the slimline can extends its appeal to a growing market of younger wine drinkers who are keen to try new varieties without committing to a full bottle or multipack, and who are increasingly aware of packaging sustainability issues as part of their product choices.

Quick sipping on-the-go
Capitalizing on the trending and fast-growing ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverage market, Ardagh recently debuted its Nitro Can for UK cocktail mixer company Funkin Cocktails, in a collaboration that sees the first-ever range of RTD nitro canned cocktails hit the shelves. 

With premium cocktails increasing in popularity, but traditionally demanding time and skill to serve to customers, Funkin has opted for the streamlined cans to deliver its range of “bar quality” cocktails in an on-the-go format. The slim aluminum can features a fixed nitrogen-infused widget that mixes the cocktail instantly, ensuring maximum product quality and consistency.

“It features a fixed widget charged with nitrogen, which delivers a distinct sound upon activation and generates a stunning cascading effect that ultimately tops off the beverage with a crema,” Adriana Escobar, Product Manager at Ardagh metal Beverage, tells PackagingInsights.

Nitrogen is additionally noted for providing a new experience to beverage consumption, as it enhances the aromas and the mouthfeel of drinks. “Upon activation, the nitrogen releases bubbles throughout the beverage, generating a cascading pour that ultimately tops off the beverage with a creamy, frothy head. Nitrogen provides a new experience to the beverage, it enhances the aromas and the mouthfeel,” Escobar says.

By Benjamin Ferrer