In an Interesting recent article in the New York Times, entitled “The Wine Business Sees a Problem: Millennials Aren’t Drinking Enough,” author Eric Asimov cites the report “State of the US Wine Industry” by Rob McMillan, industry analyst and executive VP of Silicon Valley Bank:
“ … aging baby boomers — currently the prime market for wine — are nearing retirement age, the time of life when consumerism typically declines. Millennials, the generation that began to come of age after the turn of the century, have given no indication that they are poised to step in. They buy much less wine than boomers, and the wine industry has not done enough to entice them to become regular consumers.”
While it’s a concern that has troubled the industry for decades, few wineries (or suppliers) appear to be addressing the problem. As McMillan puts it,
” In prior reports, we noted that the falling interest in wine among younger consumers, coupled with the encroaching retirement and decreasing wine consumption of baby boomers, poses a primary threat to the business …that issue has yet to be addressed or solved, and the negative consequences are increasingly evident.”
So how do we tackle this? Let’s start with who these buyers are and what motivates them to purchase wine? Here’s McMillan again:
“Millennials grew up in a world that has been far more encouraging of connoisseurship than when boomers were young. Social media has given everybody the opportunity to exercise their critical voices, for better or worse. Millennials are a more discerning generation, at a younger age, than baby boomers were … (however) they have less disposal income.”
In addition, McMillian makes the point that this demographic is a much more diverse population: ““While only 28 percent of the boomer population is nonwhite, 45 percent of the millennial population — and almost half of Gen Z — is nonwhite.” It remains sad fact that today, even after recent movements toward racial justice, minority-owned wineries are still few and far between.
Finally, in McMillan’s report he points out that “millennial consumers are more concerned with social justice and with health and environmental issues, including climate change …A brand’s social values are increasingly connected to a consumer’s decision to purchase particular products, including wine,”
All of these trends have led Global Package to establish strong international partnerships with the wine and spirits industry’s most progressive and innovative companies. We have been at the forefront of working with leading European glass manufacturers to develop revolutionary and sustainable new designs.
A good example is our long-time partner, Estal, and its Sommelier Mouth (SM) bottles. This line includes the Essentia Burgundy, the Bordeaux, and the unique flute Espiga bottles, all of which are available in Flint and Antique and in both short and long tops. These bottles are revolutionary in their design, which includes the anti-drip barrier and groove guides to facilitate a clean, straight cut of the capsule. Production of the Sommelier bottles also has a reduced carbon footprint.
Also on the ecological front, which attracts Millennials concerned with climate change, we introduced a couple of years ago Estal’s gorgeous and environmentally-friendly Wild Glass™ line of bottles to an enthusiastic US market. These bottles are 100% sustainable “real cycled” glass bottles that are one-of-a-kind, since slight imperfections in the natural formation of the glass are allowed to remain, while retaining all the manufacturing positives of automated glass, much like organic handmade art. Estal’s process also doesn’t discard bottles with cosmetic defects, which reduces the discard rate from 25% to 15%.
Finally, Global Package offers the full complement of Elegant Light™ bottles, in classical shapes and colors. Importantly, they are lighter weight, resulting in more economical and ecological shipping.
We invite you to contact us. Our entire sales staff, on both East and West coasts, are available to answer your questions and advise on the best glass solution for your winery to meet the Millennial challenge.
Global Package, located in the Napa Valley, is experienced in supplying high-end wine and spirits glass bottles to North American markets. With a comprehensive off-the-shelf portfolio, and the opportunity for customization and decoration, Global Package can assist your brand with the most appropriate solution whatever your budget or expectations. From glass bottles, bottle decorations, pewter labels, to bar top closures and corks, Global Package can assist with your project. Start your packaging journey today by calling +1 707 224-567 or emailing info@globalpackage.net.
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