O-I Launches Contemporary Spirits Collection

Melianthe Leeman, Global Marketing Director, Wine and Spirits at O-I said, “We asked European customers what they needed from a spirits range. Their ideal glass bottle was premium, customisable, sustainable, available quickly for launches and at scale as their brands grow. Our Contemporary Collection meets all those priorities.”

The Collection launches with three bottle shapes - the LUX, ATTENUA and NOBLE- inspired by some of the most popular spirits shapes from around the world. Each design comes in a thick base and lightweight version and with two finishes – cork mouth and screw cap. The range will be expanded with the introduction of further designs, new sizes from 50ml up to 1l, and a variety of colour options.

Based on the European research, particularly in the UK, the Contemporary Collection has been devised with special features to appeal to this market.

• a core 700ml capacity with a thick base at 760g
• a limited number of finish designs to reduce the number of closures required by fillers
• similar diameters (so fillers can change between bottles with a minimum of change parts)
• mechanical and optical orientation features (optimising the packages for high-speed filling lines)
• a high fill point (meeting European consumers’ expectation of a visibly full bottle)
• label protection via a subtly depressed panel (ensuring that labels remain smooth in transit)
• a push up bottom, even with the thick base (this is a clear preference for UK customers)

Building on this refined, contemporary template, there are numerous options for customisation and personalisation, such as printed embossing, intricate imaging and tactile effects, through O-I : EXPRESSIONS (O-I’s late-stage differentiation service enabled by digital printing). This capability allows spirits producers to develop bespoke packages at low volume without an expensive and time-consuming NPD process, helping them to forge a strong emotional connection with consumers.

The standard range perfectly balances the appeal of premium, thick-based designs with consumers’ growing desire for more sustainable forms of packaging. In addition to a regular version, the LUX, ATTENUA and NOBLE shapes are available in a lightweight variant which retains the premium look and feel, and contemporary design features, of the overall portfolio while reducing weight by 20%. Made in the UK to serve the European market, the entire range is produced in regular flint, which offers a higher recycled content than the extra or cosmetic flint glass commonly used for premium spirits, with other colour options (offering even higher recycled content) planned for the future.

O-I is actively marketing the collection to craft distillers and to larger distillers who want a premium feel for niche and experimental brands. It holds stocks of all three shapes for immediate delivery and the fast customisation process means fillers can deliver a bespoke-looking pack from order to filling line in as small a quantity as they require.

Steve Holden, O-I Glass UK sales director says, “There are good reasons why 99% of spirits are packaged in glass. It’s the only material that reflects the authenticity, purity and craftsmanship of the liquid, and delivers a memorable, sensual experience even before the first sip is taken. Premium, sustainable and customisable, our European contemporary range is the perfect way to tell your brand’s story.”

O-I is known for its distinct ability to transform glass packaging. The Contemporary Collection is an example of how we continually innovate to provide solutions to give customers and consumers what they need.