Distillery 98 Brings Paper Bottle Stateside for Vodka

The pace of wine and spirits packaged in paper bottles is picking up, in particular those using the Frugal Bottle from U.K-based Frugalpac Packaging World rst reported on the new bag-in-boxstyle format in mid-2020, when Italian vineyard Cantina Goccia became the rst brand to use the bottle in a commercial application (see pwgo.to/7597). Since then, the package has been used for both wine and spirits in countries that include France, the U.K., and Canada. And now, with Florida Panhandle-based vodka brand Distillery 98 adopting the format in March 2023, the Frugal Bottle has made its way to the U.S. as well.

Distillery 98, in Santa Rosa Beach, is a micro-distillery founded with the mission of making craft spirits in a way that re ects and helps protect the country’s ecology. Its agship, grain-to-glass product Half Shell Vodka is made by hand in small batches from locally sourced, wild ingredients and family-farmed crops. According to co-founder and CEO Harrison Holditch, Distillery 98 has always used local Florida corn in its spirits. For Half Shell Vodka, it is also using water from local aquifers, coconuts from Florida farmers, and oysters sourced regionally.

Distillery 98’s mission to support and protect the local environment includes not only its choice of ingredients, but also its selection of packaging. For its Half Shell Vodka, the brand considered several alternatives to the glass bottle it was using for its other spirits, including those more commonly used in the wine industry— bag-in-box and aluminum bottles, among them. However, “the lower carbon footprint of the Frugal Bottle just made sense,” says Holditch. “When we found the Frugalpac bottle, we knew this was the future for Distillery 98, and hopefully for our industry as a whole.”

The Frugal Bottle comprises two components: a paper bottle that begins as a die-cut and creased paperboard blank and a food-grade metallized PET pouch that resides inside. To create the bottle, the paperboard blank is molded around a hollow, mandrel shaped-mold into which the pouch has already been inserted, and is then glued at the edges with a water-based adhesive. Frugalpac produces the bottle for Distillery 98 on its custom-engineered equipment at its facility in the U.K. Bottle production and lling are also available from Canadian packaging company KinsBrae.

Free Whitepaper Explores the Impact of Global and Local Standards

As the packaging and processing industry expands across borders, compliance with regulations and standards has become a critical factor. That’s why PMMI released “The Impact of Global and Local Standards on OEMs & Suppliers,” a whitepaper providing an analysis of the opportunities that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers and all industry stakeholders face in the evolving landscape of global and local standards. Visit pwgo.to/7971 to download the whitepaper for free.

PMMI’s whitepaper sheds light on the complexities encountered when navigating these standards and outlines strategies to overcome the associated hurdles. “This whitepaper helps frame the importance of industry standards, clarifying the difference between standards and regulations, providing guidance on key standards, and fostering collaboration between OEMs and end users to improve the safety, ef ciency, and reliability of packaging and processing operations,” says Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development, PMMI.

The whitepaper references ANSI/PMMI B155.1 – Safety Requirements for Packaging and Processing Machinery, a key standard for the industry that is currently under revision. The

“Being that most glass is made in India and China, the paperboard bottles come with a smaller carbon footprint than standard spirits bottles,” explains Holditch, “Even if the glass bottles are made in America, it’s my understanding that manufacturing and shipping the paperboard bottles from the U.K. still creates less carbon footprint.”

In researching the data, Holditch found that shipping one industry-standard glass bottle from a factory in India creates about 570 g CO2 and other carbon compounds, while shipping one Frugal Bottle from the U.K. creates approximately 105 g CO

Distillery 98 began the project with Frugalpac in fall 2022 and launched Half Shell Vodka in the Frugal Bottle in spring 2023. While the Bordeaux shape of the bottle is stock, graphics for the package are customized and include instructions for consumers on separating the components for recycling. Distillery 98 lls the bottles at its micro-distillery in Florida.

Since Half Shell Vodka’s release, consumers have expressed “great reactions,” especially in Santa Rosa Beach, Holditch shares, adding that Distillery 98 is equally pleased with its choice of packag ing for the product. “Being in our beach town it was really important to us to nd something that aligned with what we were trying to give back to our home on the Florida panhandle. This packag ing allows us to do our part in minimizing our impacts in the surrounding environment and keeping our carbon footprint small with our manufacturing and distribution.” revised standard is scheduled to be released by standards developer PMMI later this summer.

Key ndings from the whitepaper:

1. Global Standardization: The whitepaper emphasizes the importance of global standardization efforts in streamlining operations. By adhering to uni ed standards, businesses can reduce costs, enhance ef ciency, and improve market access.

2. Regional Variations: Despite the bene ts of global standards, the whitepaper recognizes the existence of regional variations, while maintaining alignment with international standards.

3. Compliance Challenges: The study reveals the challenges faced in achieving compliance with multiple standards. These challenges include supply chain complexity, regulatory uncertainty, and the need for continuous adaptation to evolving requirements.

4. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: PMMI’s whitepaper underscores the importance of collaboration among industry stakeholders and the sharing of best practices. By fostering strong partnerships, OEMs and suppliers can address compliance challenges, pool resources, and drive innovation.

5. Technology as an Enabler: The report highlights the role of technology as an enabler for managing standards. Automation, data analytics, and digital solutions can enhance compliance, enable real-time monitoring, and facilitate information exchange. Check out PMMI’s Business Intelligence Library at pwgo.to/7972 to access this whitepaper and many additional industry resources. And standards are sure to be a discussion point at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, to be held Sept. 11 to 13. Visit packexpo.com to register for the largest packaging event in North America this year. –Sean Riley