The last two weeks have been a tremendously exciting, if not manic time at the farm. We have launched a new brand called Tread Lightly by Backsberg. It’s the first certified wine bottled in PET, in South Africa. I have been running around doing a range of radio, newspaper, magazine and TV interviews around the launch. So far there has been a really positive reaction to the product, which is great. The wine is currently available exclusively through leading retailer Pick n Pay. I’ve visited a number of the stores and it’s amazing to see the buzz around the wines and the new packaging. I have posted the press release that we have sent out below. Be sure to check out the Tread Lightly website too.
Backsberg launches its new wine brand in a soft bottle
Cape Town, 15 july 2010: Backsberg – the first SA winery to achieve carbon neutral status – is again making history. Its new wine brand, Tread Lightly, embodies Backsberg’s philosophy of care and respect for the land.
“The enjoyment of a great bottle of wine should never be at the cost of the environment”, says Backsberg proprietor, Michael Back. “Whether by measurable process or by intuitive approach, every step we take in producing our wines must be challenged. The packaging and transport of wine contributes significantly to our carbon footprint and therefore needs to be addressed.”
Tackling this issue head on, Tread Lightly by Backsberg will be the first certified wine sold in the new, innovative PET soft bottle produced by Mondi. Tread Lightly Merlot 2008 and Sauvignon Blanc 2010 varietals are bottled in a lightweight, stylish, PET soft bottle. Following the recent approval by The Wine and Spirit Board to bottle certified natural wine in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Tread Lightly is spearheading what will surely become commonplace in the near future.
Backsberg has partnered with Pick n Pay, the first retailer to sell the new innovative PET soft wine bottle, for the launch of Tread Lightly by Backsberg. Pick n Pay Director of Sustainable Development, Bronwen Rohland says: “We are delighted to be partnering with Backsberg on this very exciting initiative. As South Africa’s largest food retailer, Pick n Pay is committed to minimising its environmental impact through various recycling and packaging initiatives, and this project fits our overarching environmental strategy perfectly.” Customers can look forward to seeing these fine wines on shelf in selected Pick n Pay stores and liquor outlets from the end of July.
The Tread Lightly PET soft bottle adds the benefit of convenience due to its lightweight and shatterproof qualities. Tread Lightly and the eco-friendly bottle is another way in which Backsberg respects the environment without compromising the quality and enjoyment of their wines.
Notes:
• Available exclusively at Pick n Pay, the Tread Lightly Merlot will be priced at R49.99 and the Sauvignon Blanc at R39.99 and will be on sale from late July.
• The Tread Lightly soft bottle delivers all the aesthetic qualities of glass, making it a stylish choice for outdoor entertaining at festivals, picnics, boating, beach parties and braais where traditional glass bottles are either unsafe or not permitted.
• PET is fully recyclable and easily crushable.
• Manufacturing of the soft bottles leads to a reduced net energy consumption of up to 50% when compared with glass.
• Packing of beverages in PET reduces energy consumption by 52% vs glass and metal.
• Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 55%.through the use of PET compared to glass
• A 750ml PET wine bottle weighs 50g compared to the average 400g lightweight glass wine bottle – i.e. PET is an eighth of the weight of glass.
• The reduced weight and diameter of the PET bottle allows for up to 36% more product to be transported in the same container space.
• This is the first time PET has been used for certified wine in South Africa. Other products that have been bottled in PET include water, milk and energy drinks.
• The PET soft bottle has no effect on the quality of the wine.
• The Tread Lightly by Backsberg soft bottle holds 750ml of wine – the same as a glass bottle.
You can download a copy of the press release here, as well as packshots of the Tread Lightly Sauvignon Blanc 2010 here and of the Tread Lightly Merlot 2008 here. SB
The post The launch of Tread Lightly by Backsberg appeared first on Backsberg.