The Spearhead Group: In the News 2021

IN THE PRESS 2021

August 2021

Design & packaging pirits producers are increasingly taking a closer look at their packaging, incorporating fresh

is made without dyes or varnish, and the

have as little impact as possible on

says Etherington-Judge. "It requires more

features and ensuring designs

the environment.

Distillers have long made efforts to offer green packaging alternatives, both in terms of the bottle itself and its boxes, as well as looking at how products are transported.

Independent producers and major players are

taking big strides in sustainability, aided by technological advances in the industry.

From near-field communication tags,

recyclable pouches that can hold litres of liquid, and paper bottles to enhanced security technology, there are new innovations cropping up throughout the sector.

Robert Catalano, chief innovation officer

and co-founder of packaging innovation specialist The Spearhead Group, says it is "mindboggling that people still use plastics and big boxes". The company is also seeking

six times lower than glass or polyethylene

teraphthalate plastic bottles. The paperboard layer is made from 94% recycled paper, while the separate pouch can also be recycled,

labels are printed using natural inks with minimal processing. "Over the past 10 years, brands' bottles have been getting heavier,"

making the bottle 100% recyclable.

shipping emissions, and has an impact on a

bartender's body as it is heavier to hold."

Avallen will also offer its product in two new formats: a Frugalpac paper bottle and a refillable 4.5-litre container through Ecospirits. To accommodate the paper bottle, in September Avallen will install a new bottling line at its distillery. Avallen says the

recently created a Margarita kit for Don Julio Tequila that condensed its contents so that

the ingredients were within millimetres of each other, using as little material as possible.

RECYCLED GLASS BOTTLES

One brand seeking to become the world's most sustainable spirit is Calvados producer

Avallen, which offers eco-friendly packaging in the form of recycled glass bottles and waste-apple-pulp labels.

Avallen has been certified carbon negative, removing 2.73kg per bottle through its

Etherington-Judge.

"These reductions have allowed the brand to create an annual saving of 410 tonnes of

plastic (equivalent to 17 million standard plastic water bottles)."

PACKAGING WASTE

'For a brand, the paper

bottle is price competitive.

You don't have to print

The Ecospirits system, described as a 360-

torques, and it weighs

degree approach to circular spirits distribution, is anchored by three proprietary technologies: Eco Plant, a containerised,

nothing at all'

Avallen recently unveiled a packaging label to highlight its green credentials, featuring a QR code that links to the brand's Bee More sustainability report.

Avallen is shipped in a box made from unbleached recycled cardboard and a

Ricard and Bacardi plan to launch their spirits in paper bottles. April 2021 saw the launch of

Major players including Diageo, Pernod

premium spirits. The natural wooden stopper

plastic offerings and has a carbon footprint

created by Frugalpac for Silent Pool Distillers' Green Man Woodland Gin. The bottle is five times lighter than its glass

vessel; and Smart Pour, an electronic accessory for dispensing and sustainable

refilling in bars.

When operated as a closed-loop system, the Ecospirits structure eliminates more than 95% of the packaging waste and as much as distribution and consumption. The Eco Tote claims to eliminate more than 1,000 single­ use bottles over its lifespan.

is made with 1.2 litres of water - 70%-95% less than other spirit categories. Avallen says

the world's first spirit in a paper bottle,

semi-automated spirits processing facility; the patent-pending Eco Tote, a 4.5-litre

80% of the carbon footprint of spirits

monocoloured print, reducing process. The

company works with Cornwall-based firm Flexi Hex to offer Avallen in a plastic-free cardboard sleeve.

Bourbon, on average.

According to co-founder Tim Etherington­ Judge, at just 540g, Avallen's bottle is lighter than the industry average of around 900g for

Founded in 2018, Ecospirits has developed the world's first low-carbon, low-waste distribution technology for spirits.

The patent-pending closed-loop system nearly eliminates packaging waste in the supply chain.

certain labels or buy

it takes 13 litres to make a single bottle of

London Dry gin.

Dessenis, Beefeater global brand director.

He adds: "For a brand, the paper bottle is

price competitive. You don't have to print certain labels or buy torques [neck ornaments], and it weighs nothing at all."

production process with no offsetting required. The brand has produced 15,421 bottles of Avallen, removing 41.8 metric tons

of CO 2e from the atmosphere. A single bottle

unveiled a sustainable design for Beefeater

the existing plastic cap has been replaced with a premium embossed aluminium cap, and the label has moved from PVC to paper for a crafted, elegant feel," explains Murielle

bartenders as they can pour drinks with ease. "The waste volume that the bar has to deal with is also reduced," explains

The Spearhead Group has a patent pending

shapes]. Our system allows minimisation,"Catalano says. The company

sustainable design to date. The company also

"The new bottle uses 100% recyclable glass,

lightness of a paper bottle is beneficial to

to use less material across its business.

for a method of packaging called a pressure­ fit system. "It creates a top-to-bottom force that can eliminate all thermoforms [a manufacturing process that creates specific

Pernod Ricard has also ramped up its

sustainability game. As well as its planned paper bottle for Absolut vodka, the company released its 2021 Absolut edition bottle made with 60% recycled glass - the brand's most

counterparts, uses 77% less plastic than other

The Smart Pour system is an automatic dispensing accessory for the Eco Tote that can be used by bars to quickly and accurately

transfer spirits from an Eco Tote to spirits

bottles, cocktail shakers, or serving vessels.

Paul Gabie, CEO of Ecospirits, says circular is the "highest solution of sustainability", as it eliminates waste from the beginning. He

highlights single use as the problem in the

www.thespiritsbusiness.com

43

Design & packaging

Dictador's protected bottle

industry, rather than glass bottles. "I'm deeply passionate about ending single-use glass and helping the industry to begin this transition. To do that, we need to expand our network to as many countries as possible, working on emerging areas like circular retail and driving understanding and technology."

Ecospirits recently opened its 16th Eco Plant in London; The Savoy hotel was one of the first venues to incorporate the refill technology. Ecospirits will open further facilities in Paris and Germany, with the aim

The method offers "speed to market" for a

of having 30 Eco Plants across the world by

new entrant, and could turn around a brand

the end of 2021.

within a month.

Furthermore, the delivered cost of a spirit is

Diageo also ramped up its innovation in

Over the next 10 years, Diageo and Glass Futures will "work collaboratively on big­ ticket issues", Glass Futures' general manager Aston Fuller explains. He says Glass Futures

10% to 15% cheaper in tote format, making

sustainability this year, participating in a pilot

the spirits more affordable for venues, adds

project that reduced the carbon footprint of a

it comes to innovation in the industry. He

Gabie. He says the company will next look at

glass whisky bottle by up to 90% using a

notes that the rate of innovation in

how it can bring its technology to consumers

waste-based powered furnace.

manufacturing bottles is slower than other

and at-home consumption.

The Spearhead Group has also identified a cost-effective and flexible alternative to glass

The company partnered with glass manufacturer Encirc and research and technology body Glass Futures on the project,

focuses on a "collaborative approach" when

industries such as streaming data services.

Closures producers are also looking at sustainable solutions for their products.

embossment, using technology to create a

which used the firm's Black & White Scotch

Italian closures manufacturer Labrenta

clear dimensional resin label for Cascade

brand as the test subject.

revealed its Green Deal 2030 plan, which

Moon Whiskey. The technology allows clients

pledges to use more sustainable materials

to make real-time adjustments to packaging

and adopt internal practices to lower the

designs without the lag times and upfront

company's environmental impact.

costs of traditional glass embossment.

Catalano says the technology has been around for a long time but has never been used in this way.

"To do a custom bottle for the spirits industry is pretty expensive," he explains.

"This allows us to remove all minimal order quantities and make it look like a customised bottle. This technology is unique in the way that it can be done in large-scale volumes."

44

www.thespiritsbusiness.com

The delivered cost of a spirit is 10% to 15% cheaper in tote format, making the spirits more affordable for venues

As part of this commitment, Labrenta's T-shape closure has been designed to be reused over time, and is made using no-glue system technology, which avoids the use of artificial glue. Furthermore, the stem is made with sughera, a material that reuses scraps from cork production with a minimum amount of plastic polymers.

Labrenta has committed to removing all glue from its T-shape line by 2025, and to

Design & packaging What are some of the latest innovations in closures for spirits?

Margarida Faro - general manager, Talis "With the increasing momentum about sustainability, there has been a move to develop new and more sustainable materials for capsules and shanks. There has been increasing interest in the all cork bartop (falange), that isn't an innovation in terms of development/existence, but that demonstrates the increasing interest in sustainable closures. Companies like ours that produce cork closures/shanks are constantly developing new technologies to improve the quality of our natural and technical closures. More recently we launched the lnnocork Circuit that is a combination of two industrial technologies that result in natural corks free of TCA and any other off-aromas. As the technologies are integrated in our production process and we process all corks in batches, the final product has no extra cost incurred."

Fulvio Bosano - R&D director, Guala Closures Group "A lot of innovation is focused on sustainability, but in addition to this general trend, brands are always looking for premium designs. We offer the spirits market closures made from many materials and coatings, which can translate into appealing products that fulfil the visions of designers. Often these innovative materials can be combined to give the best results and overall look. A recent exciting trend in the market is connected packaging. This

Don Julio: condensed packaging

technology not only brings a new level of consumer engagement, but also enables traceability and anti-counterfeiting measures for products. Increasingly, younger generations

eventually only produce closures that are

want to know what's behind the brand, which they can discover by engaging with the

recyclable, bio-based or biodegradable. As

product, via, for example, a connected closure, using their smartphones."

part of its partnership with start-up company Mixcycling, it is working on sustainable blends that significantly reduce the plastic component in its products. Federica

Counterfeiting remains a problem for spirits

Maltauro, of Labrenta's marketing and

producers, but one brand has sought to

communication department, says the

create the world's most protected bottle

challenge is meeting demand from

featuring 11 layers of protection.

consumers for sustainable packaging while offering a luxury design.

Hugo Mesquita, sales and marketing

Dictador rum unveiled its Two Masters

What are some of the ways you're trying to be more sustainable in your designs?

Chris Sadler - co-founder, Wildjac Distillery

Niepoort bottling, which uses guilloches (gold

"We do everything we can to be

paint with UV glowing protection), micro-text

sustainable in our design and packaging.

We use 100% post-consumer recycled

director for Portuguese closures maker

and typographical numbering. The brand's

Amorim Top Series, says the pandemic has

label was produced by an undisclosed

glass bottles for our spirits. Our bottle

sped up a move towards sustainable, natural

company that makes bank notes in Europe,

labels are recycled, and we use FSC­

and premium packaging. He says materials

and owns 150 patents for the protection of

certified wood stoppers and

such as cork and wood have become highly

official documents.

biodegradable closures. Each of our

sought after.

He says: "This has created a huge pressure

These functions reassure the owner that the product comes from an authentic source,

bottles also comes with a book of seed sticks containing seeds that will grow into

for the demand for our type of closures but

says Marek Szoldrowski, president of

wild flowers, such as poppies, daisies and

brings challenges on the capacity to respond

Dictador Europe. All information on the

marigolds. Every planted flower helps to

to this global phenomenon."

product is provided through an encrypted,

purify our air, reducing carbon dioxide,

scannable tag.

pollutants and dust levels. Our spirits are

Amorim is committed to satisfying this demand, but Mesquita believes plastic­

Avallen's Etherington-Judge notes there is

also available in a 'Jae Pac', a foiled pouch

"still not a great deal of alternative options"

used to refill our bottles, which can be

companies are becoming more wary and

for packaging. Avallen is also looking into

mailed back to us for recycling. The Jae

demanding about their choices".

other options, such as bulk shipping its

Pacs .have the added environmental

liquid to reduce the amount of bottles

benefit of being lighter to transport,

used, and reducing unnecessary packaging

saving on emissions."

solution companies will "struggle because

'This has created a huge pressure for the demand for our type of closures but brings challenges on the capacity to respond to this global phenomenon' 46

www.thespiritsbusiness.com

where possible. Using packaging as a secondary purpose is also the way forward, Etherington-Judge adds. "We will start to see more systems where you can refill."

Catalano notes that there is still a "very long

changes can only be done by constant education, explaining that actually 'less can

way to go" for the drinks industry to become

be better' and that not everything related to

more sustainable. Beyond setting

sustainability is a sacrifice. Instead when it is

sustainability goals, he notes that brands,

embraced as a real strategy it can be

marketers and agencies must work to

extremely freeing of what is the normal

"change behaviours" in the industry. "These

'static' of packaging in the market." sb

November 22, 2021 Circulation: 602,500 Digital

The Drinks Business Green Awards 2021 shortlist Patrick Schmitt Now in its 12th year, the Green Awards was launched to draw attention to those drinks businesses that are doing everything they can to reduce their impact on the environment.

Below you’ll find all the companies that have been shortlisted for this year’s awards, except for those entered into the personality categories, the winners of which will be revealed at a live London-based ceremony from 3-5pm at The Club at The Ivy on Monday 29 November.

Our judges were particularly impressed at the quality of the entries this year, with one judge declaring this to be the best ever set of entries seen in this long-running awards programme.

The drinks business is grateful to our brilliant line-up of partners for the 2021 Green Awards, which include leading Portuguese cork producer Amorim; UK Champagne and fine wine importer Pol Roger Portfolio, and Welsh water brand Ty Nant.

The Amorim Sustainability Award (spirits) – The Spearhead Group

November 1, 2021 Circulation: 548,300 Digital

The Spirits Business Awards 2021 Shortlist Melita Kiely After careful consideration, the shortlisted entries for The Spirits Business Awards 2021 have been confirmed.

Launched in 2019, The Spirits Business Awards aims to reward those driving excellence across the industry, from retailers and distributors to marketers, brands, distillers and blenders.

The winners from each category will be announced at an in-person awards ceremony in London on Thursday 18 November.

This year’s judges comprised: Bernadette Pamplin, freelance spirits writer and founder of the Under the Ginfluence blog; David T Smith, spirits writer, consultant and co-founder of the Craft Distilling Expo; Matthew Fraser, head of UK and Europe at Liquor Bottle Corks & Closures; Ivan Dixon, independent spirits consultant; and Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business.

Innovation in Packaging-- Spearhead Group (Rabbit Hole Mizunara Founder’s Collection Luxury Box)

October 26, 2021 Circulation: 399,200 Digital

Packaging innovation: making spirits more sustainable Nicola Carruthers Spirits producers are increasingly taking a closer look at their packaging, incorporating fresh features and ensuring designs have as little impact as possible on the environment.

Distillers have long made efforts to offer green packaging alternatives, both in terms of the bottle itself and its boxes, as well as looking at how products are transported.

Independent producers and major players are taking big strides in sustainability, aided by technological advances in the industry.

From near‐field communication tags, recyclable pouches that can hold litres of liquid, and paper bottles to enhanced security technology, there are new innovations cropping up throughout the sector.

Robert Catalano, chief innovation officer and co‐founder of packaging innovation specialist The Spearhead Group, says it is “mind-boggling that people still use plastics and big boxes”. The company is also seeking to use less material across its business.

The Spearhead Group has a patent pending for a method of packaging called a pressure-fit system. “It creates a top‐to‐ bottom force that can eliminate all thermoforms [a manufacturing process that creates specific shapes]. Our system allows minimization,” Catalano says. The company recently created a Margarita kit for Don Julio Tequila that condensed its contents so that the ingredients were within millimetres of each other, using as little material as possible.

Packaging waste The Spearhead Group has also identified a cost‐effective and flexible alternative to glass embossment, using technology to create a clear dimensional resin label for Cascade Moon Whiskey. The technology allows clients to make real‐time adjustments to packaging designs without the lag times and upfront costs of traditional glass embossment.

Catalano says the technology has been around for a long time but has never been used in this way.

“To do a custom bottle for the spirits industry is pretty expensive,” he explains. “This allows us to remove all minimal order quantities and make it look like a customised bottle. This technology is unique in the way that it can be done in large‐scale volumes.”

The method offers “speed to market” for a new entrant, and could turn around a brand within a month.

Diageo also ramped up its innovation in sustainability this year, participating in a pilot project that reduced the carbon footprint of a glass whisky bottle by up to 90% using a waste‐based powered furnace.

Catalano notes that there is still a “very long way to go” for the drinks industry to become more sustainable. Beyond setting sustainability goals, he notes that brands, marketers and agencies must work to “change behaviours” in the industry. “These changes can only be done by constant education, explaining that actually ‘less can be better’ and that not everything related to sustainability is a sacrifice. Instead when it is embraced as a real strategy it can be extremely freeing of what is the normal ‘static’ of packaging in the market.”

August 23, 2021 Circulation: 417,200 Digital

Meet the Eco-Packaging Innovations Transforming the Drinks Industry

Betsy Andrews

As a drinks writer, I get sent a lot of bottles in a lot of packaging. Among recent deliveries: three mattress-thick, plasticwrapped slabs of molded foam cushioning a single liter of boxed wine; a styrofoam shell made for three 750-milliliter bottles containing one half-bottle of vermouth; a heavy glass bottle of “sustainable” Malbec in a bed of styrofoam peanuts; and eight tiny, unbreakable Burgundy samplers in 20-milliliter plastic bottles nested in a shippable box that was itself swaddled in bubble wrap and tucked inside a much larger carton.

I like my profession. It’s a privilege to write about interesting beverages. But my heart breaks at the amount of waste involved in getting them to me. An estimated 91 percent of plastic packaging—the material that cushions bottles—ends up in the environment, or in landfills where it leeches harmful chemicals.

Then there’s the carbon footprint of making and sending glass.

The drinks media has tended to focus on earthfriendly production. But the biggest burp of CO2 comes afterwards, in the glass bottle production and shipping that comprises from 51 percent to as much as 68 percent of wine’s carbon footprint. Glass is impermeable; it’s great for preserving beverages. But it requires inferno-like heat to make and loads of fuel and packaging to ship. Cans are lighter and less delicate, but aluminum alloy production billows with greenhouse gases.

As the CO2 index rises above 415 parts per million and temperatures soar, as cargo ships languish in COVID-paralyzed ports and shipping costs skyrocket, isn’t it time for us to rethink the way beverages get to consumers?

Luckily, I’m not the only person asking this question. Box wines, TetraPak wines, and bulk shipments in large plastic bladders made for bottling or kegging at their destination avoid the transport of glass. But ever-more creative ideas are emerging. With engineers devising alternatives and drinks companies supporting them, we’re looking at a beverage packaging revolution.

It comes at a good time for consumer adoption. Seventy-three percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, a number that rises to 83 percent among younger buyers.

Cellulose-Fiber Solutions to Replace Glass Other brands are innovating with fiber for secondary packaging. Corona introduced a recycled barley-straw six-pack holder, and the Eco Six Pack Ring, E6PR, that Florida’s Saltwater Brewery debuted in 2018 has expanded its reach to more breweries, kombucha makers, and other artisan drinks companies. Made of renewable fibers from food production, the circular product breaks down in compost bins. For Don Julio’s Don-on-the-Run Margarita Kit, the design firm Spearhead Group nixed typical thermoforms and plastic windows in favor of a pressure-fit clamshell case made out of bottle-hugging BillerudKorsnäs cardboard. Cheaper and 20 percent lighter than thermoform, it ups the elegance and sustainability of cocktail kits. Ruinart has introduced a similarly sleek “second skin” that is nine times less heavy than their former gift box.

The Spearhead Group: pioneers in spirits packaging

September 15, 2021 Circulation: 425,400 Digital

Physical brand enhancements specialist The Spearhead Group is providing sustainable and scalable packaging solutions for the spirits industry. We talk to the business’ chief innovation officer about its forward-thinking approach.

Robert Catalano, chief innovation officer For drinks brands, perfecting the liquid inside the bottle is only half the story. The other half? Creating the bottle itself.

Fortunately, The Spearhead Group makes the design and manufacturing process seamless thanks to its accelerator model.

This unique setup means the Pennsylvania-based firm is able to take clients through every step of the packaging journey, from the earliest stages of research and development (R&D), to design, market testing, manufacturing and shipping the final product.

“Our acceleration programme is where R&D meets real life,” says Robert Catalano, chief innovation officer and co-founder of The Spearhead Group.

“I often say we are like the Tony Stark of packaging, because we’re always doing some unique stuff and constantly innovating. And that innovation can then be applied in real life.”

Robert Catalano, chief innovation officer

Innovation in action This pioneering attitude was crucial when the Cascade Moon whiskey brand approached Spearhead to design the packaging for its limited release. “Because the quantities of the launch were so small, [the Cascade Moon team] were pretty much stuck with trying to get whatever was available,” Catalano says.

But Spearhead was able to create a clear dimensional resin label that mimics clear glass, without the upfront costs of traditional glass embossment. “They liked it so much, they’re keeping it as a standard part of their bottle,” Catalano continues. The design was the first of its kind for spirits packaging, and it can be scaled up for larger releases.

He explains that this scalability is an important aspect of what sets Spearhead apart – and the group is no stranger to producing iconic designs with a wide reach. It manufactures all of the highly recognisable purple bags for Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal, for instance.

The bottle design for Cascade Moon

“When we work on R&D, we actually think about larger volumes because we’re production-based kind of folks. We’re not just designers that work in a vacuum,” Catalano says. “Everything we design, we design with the idea that if this innovation, if this brand launch is successful, we’ve already figured out how to scale it into mass production.”

Of course, mass production requires a robust team, and Spearhead is able to take this comprehensive approach thanks to its network of partners. Beyond the business’ in-house labs, it works with various manufacturers – or “Spearhead pioneers”, as Catalano calls them – and sponsors programmes at universities and technical schools to bring fresh talent into the R&D space.

The Spearhead Group's innovation lab

Sustainability focus Spearhead has also turned its penchant for innovation to sustainability. Catalano says that some brands are concerned that eco-friendly packaging may affect their bottom line, but he’s confident the company can provide environmentally and economically sound services.

“We actually found a really cool equation where sustainability and cost are all now going in parallel with each other, rather than fighting each other,” he explains. “So we have a lot of clients reaching out to us on sustainability goals, because they’re starting to realise that we have a solution that actually drives costs down and efficiencies up.”

It’s a mission that the company will continue to pursue across its R&D labs, with its manufacturing partners, and as it guides clients through its accelerator model – and thanks to its ability to scale, Spearhead’s innovative ideas have the potential to make a massive impact.

September 15, 2021 Circulation: 425,400 ENewsletter

Sponsored Content: The Spearhead Group: pioneers in spirits packaging

Sponsored: meet Spearhead Group We talk to The Spearhead Group's chief innovation officer about its forward-thinking approach to packaging.

Read more...

September 26, 2021 Circulation: 80,900

When Will the Alcohol Packaging Shortage End? Kyle Swartz Trouble finding your favorite alcohol brands in 2021? Chances are it’s because this industry, like many during Covid-19, has run into a major packaging shortage.

Materials like glass and aluminum have become difficult and expensive to track down. Of course, you cannot ship or sell alcohol without bottles and cans. This shortage also extends into caps, cork and paper labels. All are necessary for alcohol packaging, and all are currently experiencing crippling shortages.

It’s nothing personal to the alcohol industry. Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on distribution and production channels across the globe.

Out of an abundance of safety, manufacturing facilities worldwide shut down for months when the virus first arrived.

Shipping remains complicated by the lingering crisis. The wholesale industry had to reinvent itself overnight to remain functional while simultaneously protecting legions of front-line workers. Safety against Covid trumps efficiency.

Importing materials from overseas? Prepare for exorbitant freight prices. Ordering anything from the production centers of China and Europe is now a slow, pricy prospect.

The result is a lot less of everything available for consumers.

Empty shelves and out-of-stocks have become frequent, frustrating sights for all kinds of retailers.

“I don’t know any commodity that hasn’t been touched by shortages,” says Robert Catalano, co-founder and CIO of the packaging company The Spearhead Group. They work with a number of major alcohol brands. “We’re constantly running fire drills now for our clients. It used to be about long-term planning. Now, most conversations are fire drills.”

“Clients say, ‘‘So and so’ is stuck in transport overseas; we need a new packaging solution right away’,” he adds. “We’ve become major problem solvers. Everyone is running a little late, everyone is being a little overcharged.”

Naturally, this has led to inflation in the packaging industry — and worse.

“Little by little, there’s an element of people being taken advantage of, too,” says Catalano. “Like in the days when we had gas shortages. It’s our job to mitigate and go through the maze of what’s true and what’s not.”

How Can Brands Adapt?

As for brands that want to launch in this time of more consumption but less packaging — what’s the gameplan?

“It depends on what kind of brand and category we’re talking about,” says Carlton Fowler, co-founder of Goat Rodeo Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage beverage alcohol brands. “If you have higher margins, then you probably should look to aggressively take in the packaging supply up front.”

“But if you’re constantly dealing with lower margins, then maybe reforecast,” he adds, “and don’t look to take in every packaging opportunity that pops up.”

Alternative packaging is a potential stopgap. As the shortage drags on, consumers should expect that more brands arrive at retail in plastic bottles with screw caps. Even premium spirits.

Still, savvy companies can locate packaging.

“You can still find glass and aluminum manufacturers, but they’re not in the U.S.,” says Catalano of The Spearhead Group. “Supply-chain challenges have opened up opportunities for other factories that cannot normally compete against the big ones. They’re the diamonds in the rough, if you can find them.”

In the meantime, patience.

“When forecasting, you probably want to buffer in three to four more weeks for the arrival of packaging components than you think so,” says Tinelli. “You should be sourcing from wherever you can and looking to get more from the sources you already use. And be more generous with your packaging budget. Because remember: Alcohol is still a very healthy market to be in.”

September 2021

Cutting-Edge Sustainable Packaging

August 24, 2021 Circulation: 91,600 Digital

Betsy Andrews

As a drinks writer, I get sent a lot of bottles in a lot of packaging. Among recent deliveries: three mattress-thick, plasticwrapped slabs of molded foam cushioning a single liter of boxed wine; a styrofoam shell made for three 750-milliliter bottles containing one half-bottle of vermouth; a heavy glass bottle of “sustainable” Malbec in a bed of styrofoam peanuts; and eight tiny, unbreakable Burgundy samplers in 20-milliliter plastic bottles nested in a shippable box that was itself swaddled in bubble wrap and tucked inside a much larger carton.

I like my profession. It’s a privilege to write about interesting beverages. But my heart breaks at the amount of waste involved in getting them to me. An estimated 91 percent of plastic packaging—the material that cushions bottles—ends up in the environment, or in landfills where it leeches harmful chemicals.

Then there’s the carbon footprint of making and sending glass.

The drinks media has tended to focus on earthfriendly production. But the biggest burp of CO2 comes afterwards, in the glass bottle production and shipping that comprises from 51 percent to as much as 68 percent of wine’s carbon footprint. Glass is impermeable; it’s great for preserving beverages. But it requires inferno-like heat to make and loads of fuel and packaging to ship. Cans are lighter and less delicate, but aluminum alloy production billows with greenhouse gases. As the CO2 index rises above 415 parts per million and temperatures soar, as cargo ships languish in COVID-paralyzed ports and shipping costs skyrocket, isn’t it time for us to rethink the way beverages get to consumers?

Luckily, I’m not the only person asking this question. Box wines, TetraPak wines, and bulk shipments in large plastic bladders made for bottling or kegging at their destination avoid the transport of glass. But ever-more creative ideas are emerging. With engineers devising alternatives and drinks companies supporting them, we’re looking at a beverage packaging revolution.

It comes at a good time for consumer adoption. Seventy-three percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, a number that rises to 83 percent among younger buyers.

Cellulose-Fiber Solutions to Replace Glass Other brands are innovating with fiber for secondary packaging. Corona introduced a recycled barley-straw six-pack holder, and the Eco Six Pack Ring, E6PR, that Florida’s Saltwater Brewery debuted in 2018 has expanded its reach to more breweries, kombucha makers, and other artisan drinks companies. Made of renewable fibers from food production, the circular product breaks down in compost bins. For Don Julio’s Don-on-the-Run Margarita Kit, the design firm Spearhead Group nixed typical thermoforms and plastic windows in favor of a pressure-fit clamshell case made out of bottle-hugging BillerudKorsnäs cardboard. Cheaper and 20 percent lighter than thermoform, it ups the elegance and sustainability of cocktail kits. Ruinart has introduced a similarly sleek “second skin” that is nine times less heavy than their former gift box.

9 Alcohol Trends in 2021-22

August 7, 2021 Circulation: 56,500 Digital

Kyle Swartz

Alcohol trends have shifted significantly in the past two years. The world of 2019 feels like decades ago. The generational pandemic of 2020 reshaped our lives in a rapid, lasting fashion.

However, not everything from the time of Covid-19 is here to stay. Some trends born or supercharged by this extraordinary event will inevitably fade with the virus itself. Others will stick.

Which are those trends? And better yet, which trends will emerge or strengthen during these next few years, as America and its economy recover from a once-in-a-century crisis?

It’s tough to forecast even the immediate future, given the unusual nature of the pandemic. Our modern world has never experienced anything like Covid-19, or the inevitable post-peak recovery. Nevertheless, we have identified nine alcohol trends that will likely grow, even as the pandemic declines.

1) Ecommerce Alcohol Trends 2) Diversity and Inclusivity The industry has come a long way in improving diversity and inclusivity, but still has further to go. On one hand, this is about fairness and equal opportunities. On the other, it’s simply better economics.

“Looking back at the traditional marketing in bourbon and whiskey, the traditional target was white males,” says Peggy Noe Stevens, a trailblazer for women in whiskey, and founder of Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates and the Bourbon Women Association. “By opening up our world to diversity, we’re opening up our marketing to the other half of the demographic.”

Women always drank whiskey. But the industry never marketed correctly to women. In this way, whiskey needlessly lost out on dollars from an entire demo. It’s a matter of showing a diverse selection of individuals that they belong in the industry — that they have peers. That alone propagates change.

“A lot of us have each other. There’s so much support, lifting each other up,” says Heather Fritzsche, co-founder and CEO of the consumer packaging company, The Spearhead Group. “Though it took a long time for the ‘women thing’ to set in.

When I work with big clients now, half of the executives are women. It wasn’t that way 25 years ago.”

As the industry continues to improve in this area, expect more brands to reflect an increasingly diverse clientele.

“You’re talking to the consumer in a different way and that brings in more people,” says Stevens. “That’s extraordinary for sales, and it’s extraordinary for our community.”

3) The Whiskey Boom Escalates 4) More RTDs and Seltzers

5) Sustainability Matters As consumers at home during the pandemic Googled everything they drank, they also learned more about the industry’s environmental impacts. Sustainable alcohol was already a trend before Covid-19, but the health crisis greatly increased consumer awareness around this issue.

“Corporations are looking for real solutions now,” says Robert Catalano, co-founder and CIO of the packaging company The Spearhead Group.

“In the past, there was a lot of talking about sustainability, but they didn’t really put effort behind it. Corporations were afraid it would cost too much.”

“Now they’re realizing that there are cost-effective sustainable options, actually lower cost in some cases, these eco-friendly ways to find winwin options,” he adds. “There’s been a lot of tech advancements in the last decade in sustainable packaging, but a lot of knowledge advancements, too.”

For instance: recycling. People became too focused in this area, Catalano argues, which can cost more for packaging while lacking consistency. And using virgin materials can be better for the environment than recycled materials.

“Virgin materials are stronger, they’re lightweight [so they have smaller carbon footprints while shipping] and they’re still recyclable,” Catalano says. “We want people to use less packaging. We’re figuring out ways to minimize weight while emphasizing the bottle.”

How do you balance this with the ongoing premiumization trend? After all, consumers love a bottle that looks luxurious.

“We’re trying to talk companies out of all the bells and whistles on bottles because those aren’t always so easy to recycle,” says Fritzsche of The Spearhead Group. “For premium products, we’re trying to do more reusable packaging. Use a wooden box instead of a paper box, because that’s something consumers can display.”

The Spearhead Group recently created packaging for Rabbit Hole Distillery’s 15-year-old cask-strength bourbon. This $1,500 whiskey comes in a decorative wooden box made of materials with a Forest Stewardship Council certification, which recognizes products from responsibly managed forests.

This level of eco-coconscious alcohol will likely continue in the years ahead.

6) roduct Shortages Affect Alcohol Trends Covid-19 greatly affected the world’s distribution and production channels. Hobbled by the pandemic, shipping bottlenecks formed. Factories slowed or halted manufacturing. For alcohol, this caused prolonged, crippling shortages in aluminum and glass.

“Shortages are an everyday problem for everyone, as people need to purchase components for products,” says Fritzsche of The Spearhead Group. “Brands used to be precious about their branding. Now it’s about what can you get for the packaging because you can get it.”

Estimating when these shortages will end is almost impossible. (Again, due to the unprecedented nature of the 2020 pandemic.) Most industry members point to Q2, 2022, at the earliest. In the meantime, expect the lack of aluminum and glass to negatively affect the availability of a wide array of alcohol products.

7) Celebrity Alcohol Brands 8) Wine Must Recalibrate 9) Cannabis Beverages

October 14, 2021 Circulation: 387,500 Digital

RSVP For Dieline Decoded: Decoding Cocktails-to-go and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Packages Jessica Deseo

On this episode of Dieline Decoded, Lana Toler, Marketing & Innovation Manager with The Spearhead Group will decode the growth, development and design process of Cocktails-to-go and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) packages. As Cocktails-To-Go and RTD’s continue to shape the industry for both on and off-premise accounts, Lana reveals what’s next for this category and how The Spearhead Group finds inspiring, innovative and sustainable solutions for their clients. Join us for a live case study, followed by Q&A with Lana.

Dieline Decoded Ep 5: Decoding the growth, development and design process of Cocktails-to-go and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) packages Air Date: Thursday October 21, 2021 Time: 10:00 AM PST Duration: 60 minutes

October 21, 2021 Circulation: 387,500 E-Newsletter

E-Newsletter | You’re Invited! Join In One Hour For Episode 6 of DECODED

October 21, 2021 Circulation: 11,367 Social

Dieline Decoded: Decoding the growth, development and design process of Cocktails-to-go and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) packages Dieline

October 20, 2021 Circulation: 169,000 Social

Instagram Stories | Join Us Thursday October 21st For Episode 5 of Decoded @thedieline

January 20, 2021 Circulation: 1,367,950 Digital

CONTAINING THE DRINK: On-Premise Operators Turn to Self-Packaged Cocktails to Stay Afloat Jack Robertiello

Welcome to the new on-off premise, where bars and restaurants are not only forced to find ways to provide safe pick-up and delivery of meals, but also develop programs and processes to sell popular cocktails to-go.

During the pandemic, many bars and restaurants have been forced to get creative in the ways they craft, market, and package beverage alcohol. Sporadic closures and shifting rules about how and when operations could serve customers made old ways of doing business nearly impossible. As the pandemic accelerated, many states took note of the struggle for suddenly shuttered on-premise businesses and loosened restrictions on how beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails could be sold.

But that lifeline—letting bars and restaurants sell beverage alcohol for pick-up and delivery—had a catch: How could those operators, accustomed to making drinks a la minute, create a supply system while maintaining quality, safety, and customer satisfaction?

The Emergence of Walktails From the scramble at the beginning, as operations fought to stay afloat, to the more sophisticated and thought-out programs that have evolved, ingenuity and adaptation have been key. In some cases, suppliers are helping (or at least trying to) find ways that will serve their interests as well as those of the hospitality outlets.

So far, innovation has mostly focused on cocktails, as packaged beer, wine, and in some cases, spirits, were easily enough handled for off-premise consumption. With a variety of vessels tried, from bottles and cans to flasks, sealable plastic bags, and ready-to-mix cocktail kits, individual operators are finding novel ways to make the new system work. On the supplier side, this includes not only cocktail evolutions, but also wine in cans, bags, and even tubes.

Lana Toler, marketing and innovation manager for Yardley, Pa.-based innovation and physical brand enhancement company The Spearhead Group, has been working on opportunities to co-develop high-quality, safe to-go packaging for on- and off-premise clients. “How can we provide the packaging for restaurants to sell to-go cocktails? On-premise establishments are getting a lot of customer requests to take home their favorite cocktails from that particular establishment.

With about 30 states that are going to continue cocktails to-go, how do we make tamper-resistant containers for these different on-premise accounts? It’s definitely been an adventure trying to figure out how all this is going to work.”

Toler points out that packaging decisions for national chains have to wend their way through various state rules that, for example, restrict giving away cup-type containers that might encourage immediate consumption. That makes developing containers that can be securely sealed not only important for drink quality and security but also to address legal restrictions.

A New Opportunity?

For small operations with limited cocktail volume, packaging can be a juggling game. At Rally Pizza, a pizza and frozen custard spot in Vancouver, Wash., General Manager Shan Wickham has worked with numerous options. “We looked into

the boba tea plastic cups that are heat-sealed, but the machine to seal them was so expensive. Since we have no idea how long we’ll be allowed to do this, we decided not to make that investment. We’ve mostly been using Mason jars until those ran out a couple of months ago. Now we’re using less expensive plastic bottles that we get from Amazon.”

Rally sells Boozy Shakes for two in three flavors, and Boozy Floats, which creates another issue. “Since we don’t have shake containers that seal, we have to send the alcohol out on the side,” he says. “We’re not allowed to mix it in.”

For cocktails, Wickham went with double serve for practical purposes. “We don’t sell individual cocktails because of the packaging. When we package it as two servings, we can include ingredients like Prosecco by sending a split as part of the two cocktails.”

Says Spearhead Group’s Toler, “Many on- and off-premise accounts have focused on selling already packaged items, such as cans of beer or full bottles of wine or spirits, to bolster their sales volume. However, adding opportunities to sell higher margin cocktails to-go may just be the added item menu to create sustainability through the winter months.

“I see cocktails to-go as a long-term option, not just through the next year,” she continues. “Why wouldn’t you, as a consumer, want to be able to order your favorite cocktail to-go with your carry-out or delivery meal?

“I don’t think it’s a trend so much as the beginning of a new opportunity and a new category that we haven’t been able to explore before.”

FOR THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE PROFESSION

> ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: > NEW PRODUCTS FOR

2021 > EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE

PACKAGING > PANDEMIC WINE

TOURISM > WHAT’S NEW IN CLOSURES

THE RISE OF WALKTAILS HOSPITALITY OUTLETS GET CREATIVE WITH TOGO PACKAGING WWW.SPIRITEDBIZ.COM

April 1, 2021 Circulation: 3,500,000 Digital

“Spearheading” Innovative & Sustainable Solutions with the Don Julio brand In recognition of Earth Month 2021, we are proud to celebrate all things sustainable. At The Spearhead Group, Inc., sustainability extends into all the industries that we work with and we believe in creating innovative solutions that also reduce our clients’ footprint on the environment. Recently we worked with the Don Julio brand to create the collaborative Tequila Don Julio x Barry’s Cocktail Kit with a proprietary pressure fit solution.

When Don Julio approached Spearhead about this new collaborative project with Barry’s, they were looking for solution in the cocktails-to-go market. Each kit is built for a 375ml bottle of Don Julio Tequila, 2 Vita Coco Coconut Waters, 2 Don Julio glasses, a bottle of agave nectar and a packet of cayenne pepper. Working together with our Spearhead Luxury Packaging — China, headed by Managing Director Tony Lau, we developed an innovative solution that would combine these elements together, but also eliminate thermoforms in the packaging and increase packaging sustainability.

“This was a great opportunity to demonstrate what Spearhead can do when put to a challenge. Our China packaging engineers coordinated with the technical team in U.S. and Mexico, creating prototype after prototype and testing those on our own lab equipment until we got the most minimal amount of materials used for this package,” said Tony Lau. “You have to see this kit to truly understand, there is no other solution out there that is so innovative. I feel good about the amount of plastic we eliminated by not having typical thermoforms and the amount of trees saved by reducing the overall pack footprint! I believe we really did ‘spearhead’ something unique here.”

Starting today (April 1), you will be able to find the Tequila Don Julio x Barry’s Cocktail Kit at liquor stores nationwide. We are so proud to have been a part of the process.

March 16, 2021 Circulation: 3,500,000 Digital THE NAKED TRUTH: SPEARHEAD AND YOUBODY™ Over 1 billion plastic bottles of bodywash end up in garbage and recycling each year. youbodycare needed a breakthrough and responsible personal care solution: here’s how The Spearhead Group delivered.

THE YOUBODYCARE EXPERIENCE Youbody™ is a line of concentrated body wash that can be customized for personal preference. It’s a completely new personal care concept that empowers your showers. Just launched, youbodycare™ is the only powder body wash that allows consumers to personally design thousands of custom-made blends. Basically, turning everyone’s shower into a home spa. Each scientifically designed-formula comes in a youbody packet that allows the user to get exactly what they want from their body wash.

To support their breakthrough thinking, youbody™ needed a partner to develop an equally innovative personal care delivery system.

SPEARHEAD INNOVATION AT WORK Enter The Spearhead Group, the force behind the design, engineering and manufacturing of the all-new youbodypod, and packets a one-of-a-kind, reusable and environmentallyfriendly delivery duo. The Spearhead Group also helped with the creation of the packaging that encompasses the youbodycare line. Youbody™ chose to work with The Spearhead Group because their proven Physical Brand Enhancement™ process brings unique concepts from the drawing board to reality in the marketplace. Working together with the Spearhead Innovation Centers in Yardley and China, as well as Spearhead Pioneers, the youbody™ team was able to work together with best-in-class innovators from around the globe.

Youbodypod, the patented applicator tool, allows customers to mix their custom blend of body wash in a dispensing tool that provides superior lather and exfoliation. Designed to be universal and ergonomic, youbodypod is made with everyone in mind. Working with Pioneers, Greener Planet and BillerudKorsnäs, Spearhead was able to create customized packaging for the whole youbodycare line. Even better, youbody packets are made with Neo Plastics, which are eco-friendly and break down into clean energy in 120 days. The team also worked together with Aripack as the US distributor for the youbodycare line.

So, you take the first powder body wash solution on the personal care market and combine it with Spearhead innovation that works — for users and the environment. It’s exactly the kind of Physical Brand Enhancement™ thinking that has set Spearhead apart in consumer product innovation from beverage to personal care. Even better, the youbodypod and packets are designed to appeal to men and women, proving that great design can also be gender-neutral. Click here to watch the video to view how the Spearhead and youbody™ venture came together.

HAVE AN IDEA FOR PHYSICAL BRAND ENHANCEMENT™?

Spearhead shines when your ideas are just a sketch. We bring great products to life from concept to production lines. Have an idea for Physical Brand Enhancement™? Reach out to our Innovation team to make it happen.

February 18, 2021 Circulation: 3,500,000 Digital The Spearhead Group Puts Innovation into Practice with Opening of New Innovation Lab and Expansion of Global Robot Fleet – Led by Robert Catalano, The Spearhead Group delivers a breakthrough customer experience that facilitates access and drives results from product design to manufacturing – February 18, 2021 (Yardley, PA) — The Spearhead Group has opened their latest Innovation Lab in Yardley, PA. The new facility delivers a breakthrough customer experience, with enhanced real-time immersion into the packaging and manufacturing R&D process. Clients are able to review 3D simulations of product and equipment prototypes and virtually evaluate packaging performance such as durability, coloration and transit testing at a fraction of the time and cost. In tandem with the opening of the Yardley Innovation Lab, Spearhead has also announced a significant expansion of their Robot Fleet, a program that successfully debuted last year in their Innovation Center in China. The program will expand to six additional robots mobilized in key production centers worldwide and is designed to respond to the reality of remote work while facilitating virtual manufacturing supervision and higher returns on time and investment.

The Innovation Lab and Robot Fleet initiatives are led by Robert Catalano, Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) and Co-founder of The Spearhead Group. Catalano is wholly committed to advancing Innovation in Practice and has been at the forefront of deploying new approaches, with a focus on technology, automation and a corporate culture that fosters growth. Catalano and his team operate under a separate and well-funded Innovation budget, designed to identify the best equipment, talent and partnerships. “Innovation is difficult,” Catalano shares. “People often struggle with being able to see the bigger picture; sometimes the beginning doesn’t look logical and the process can look unusual. If we are continually asking why, challenging the typical, trialing new approaches, while supporting our team’s spirit of invention, then we are always ‘spearheading’ innovation to drive change.”

About The Spearhead Group Innovation Lab (Yardley, PA) The new Spearhead Innovation Lab in Yardley, PA allows the Spearhead team to build out packaging and Physical Brand Enhancement TM from concept to finished product with the most advanced technology available. Equipped with a new suite of microscopes, spectrophotometers, 3D printers, laser cutters, transit testing, barcode scanners and more, the Innovation Lab allows clients to see and test their products in real-time, eliminating long lead times and enhancing speed-to-market through virtual collaboration. The Innovation Lab reduces production timelines for critical studies such as coloration, rub testing and transit analysis, all while supporting more sustainable business practices. The cost savings are also meaningful. Read more Meet Spearhead’s Robot Fleet The Spearhead Group’s team is globally based with operations from Louisville, KY, to China, requiring more remote support than ever before. The expanded Robot Fleet will allow more clients to participate first-hand in critical production decisions through safe, virtual factory tours conducted by trained staff. Specially designed for Physical Brand EnhancementTM, the Robot Fleet allows Spearhead to virtually host companies and clients at each stage of the production and assembly process, eliminating the need for physical presence, while delivering considerable time and cost savings. The first Robot prototype, “Scout,” is now fully operational at the China Innovation Center. The Spearhead team has added six new robots to their fleet since 2020, which are deployed at Innovation Labs worldwide and with select Pioneers. Follow us on LinkedIn to learn more.

Pending Coverage  Beverage Dynamics - Print (Nov/Dec)  Cheers/Beverage Industry - Pending