Photo: MANCAN Wine
Sales of canned wine grew 43 percent in the U.S. from June 2017 to June 2018, according to BW 166, and a new university study has concluded that what was previously seen as a fad has turned into a bankable trend.
Researchers at the Sigmund Weis School of Business at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania and at Texas Tech University surveyed consumers and winemakers about their attitudes toward wine in cans. They also compiled a database of more than 450 wine-in-a-can offerings from 130 wineries around the world, finding about half of the varieties measuring 250 milliliters.
A core reason it’s no longer seen as a fad, according to the study, is convenience. Canned wine is suitable for many more occasions than bottled wine, such as boat outings, at the beach or poolside. Hikers and campers buy canned wine to avoid hauling bottles back from campsites.
Consumers also find it cans more convenient, without the need for a corkscrew or glasses. Finally, the can provides single-serve consumption and avoids the need to open a 750-milliliter bottle, a preference for many consumers, waiters, bartenders and cooks.
Other reasons for the appeal of cans:
- Sustainable: Unlike bottles, aluminum cans are 100 percent recyclable.
- Cost savings: Cans are lighter to ship, easier to stock and stack, less prone to breakage, and easier to package in singles, four-packs or other denominations.
- Visual imaging/branding: Similar to innovative designs found on craft beer cans, wineries can use a shrink sleeve or print directly on cans, use 360-degree graphics and add designer images.
- Millennials: Sustainability and single-serve consumption are drawing Millennials to wine in cans. The generation also doesn’t have unfavorable perceptions of wine in cans. Some wine enthusiasts claim canned wine can be fresher because they protect against light and oxygen.
Robert Williams Jr., assistant professor of marketing at the Sigmund Weis School of Business, told Wine Business, "This time around, wine-in-a-can is not a fad, rather it represents a significant new wine category that is finding a permanent, positive place in the overall wine market."