Wine Meets Metal

As a manufacturer of stainless steel wine barrels, we are always interested in stories where wine meets metal. As more and more beer makes its way into cans, the trend has not been lost on E. & J. Gallo Winery. Alternative packaging has been a growth driver for the entire wine category; these include 187 ml [bottles], Tetra Pak and now cans. Recognizing the movement, E. & J. Gallo Winery is testing a canned version of its popular Barefoot Refresh Spritzer wines in Arizona and Minnesota markets that include convenience stores and grocery stores. Tests will continue into 2016. The cans will cans come in two flavors: Crisp White Spritzer, which has melon and pear aromas and a lemon-lime finish; and Summer Red Spritzer, which contains notes of raspberry, orange and freshly picked berries.The growing popularity of the can format can be attributed to portion control, sustainability, convenience and less waste. Non-glass products appeal to restaurants, golf courses and stadiums and are more likely to be allowed in parks and outdoor events. Success could come from the c-store channel: Barefoot’s standard line of 187-ml bottles accounts for about 13% of its business in convenience stores. A lot of people want those small formats, sizes for various reasons, but in the convenience store channel it’s all about small format.