The wine industry has battled many tough challenges over the past two years, but we came through stronger with a clearer vision of priorities for the future. Those priorities include protecting the planet. In the wake of this year’s record-breaking summer, we can all see the devastating effects climate change has had on vineyards across the world. The industry needs to act, now.
We need to be imaginative and brave in our plan to reduce our carbon footprint, and make sure we follow through on commitments. That means shaking up tradition and creating new ideas about what good wine is really about.
For producers, shipping finished bottled wine should become a thing of the past. It eats into operational budgets and is incredibly damaging to the environment. In addition, consumers are looking for brands to demonstrate sustainable practices throughout the entire supply chain, not just the final product.
Bulk shipping is fast becoming the best choice for transporting wine. It reduces carbon emissions, cuts costs and allows for close management of the quality of the finished product that ends up on our supermarket shelves – something that has long been prejudiced for being lower quality, when in fact it’s the opposite.
This method of shipping actually allows for more control over the finished product, and winemakers can ensure consistency with every batch due to limited temperature fluctuations. Research proves wine shipped in bulk only changes by around 2.5°C during transportation. That’s far less than in bottles, which can experience temperature fluctuations of up to 9.5°C – enough to irreversibly damage the wine.
Bulk wine containers, or Flexitanks, enable more than double the volume of wine to be shipped per container compared to the finished bottle, which means businesses can transport two-and-a-half times more wine at reduced transportation costs. Choosing to ship in bulk also reduces CO2 emissions by 40% when compared to bottled-at-source wines, and it significantly reduces the amount of packaging required.
This modern method is shaking up the traditional wine world, giving major players in the industry a chance to collaborate directly with producers to make wine that speaks to the needs of their consumers. When it comes to shipping wine, bulk is best.
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