WRAP's wine bottle environmental scheme Glassrite saves 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions

Wrap's four-year Glassrite project for wine bottles has led to savings of almost 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year through a mix of packaging developments and bulk importing.

Launched in 2006, the Glassrite project's aim was to examine potential environmental and commercial savings in the UK wine sector, and Wrap hopes to build on this, in both the UK and internationally, through increasing bulk importing of wine for bottling in the UK. Bulk importing stops the build up of surplus green glass in the UK market, which has few alternative applications.

Nicola Jenkin, Wrap's drinks market key account manager, said: "We know that huge opportunities exist to use more lighter weight bottles and increase the use of recycled content in UK manufactured glass bottles.

"This is what will achieve a more resource efficient international wine supply chain."

Jenkin highlighted the work done to produce a 300g screwcap bottle as well as the research to introduce light-weighting to the heavier sparkling wine bottles.

"Internationally, almost 175,000 tonnes of glass savings could be made through using lighter weight bottles that are still fit for purpose," she said.

GLASSRITE RESULTS

35,000 tonnes CO2 savings
27,048 tonne reduction in glass bottle weight
44,295 tonne increase in recycled glass usage due to bulk imports

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Indian wine coming to the UK later this year.

The Bangalore-based conglomerate United Breweries Group plans to export its Indian wine brands to the UK, starting with three of its labels later this year.

The world’s second largest spirits manufacturer plans to duplicate the successful roll-out of its Indian lager counterpart Kingfisher, by distributing its red and white wines through Indian restaurants before moving to supermarkets in the UK.

The company has already signed distribution agreements with two importers and distributors and hopes to see the wines hit the market by this autumn.

United Breweries Group is owned by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who also owns Formula 1 team Force India.

Source: The Financial Express

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Adnams, the famous Southwold brewer, is moving into making gin and vodka

Adnams, the Suffolk

beer producer, has announced plans to start distilling. The ale specialists have unveiled plans for their own micro-distillery that will intially produce its own gin and vodka. Future plans include adding a Suffolk whisky.

Starting as a small-scale operation, the £500,000 distillery project will produce around 40,000 bottles a year. The initial target is to hit the Christmas trade by having the gin and vodka will on the shelves from November.

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