The Evolution of Canned Wines
Will They Stay Around?
We can thank millennials, Gen Z, social media, and pandemics for pushing how we currently consume wine. One category to keep an eye on is the world of canned wines. What was once considered a novelty item or one-product has become a segment of tremendous success in the wine industry.
The emergence of modern canned wines follow the pivotal moments of wine history, starting with the American Prohibition Era. Understandably when canned wine first became available for sale in the 1930s, they looked very different from today's versions and were nowhere near as popular as they are now. Another promising era emerged in the 1970s and some brands attempted to commodify canned wine in spaces like airplane travel. Unfortunately, the nostalgia of bottled wines coupled with quality issues, such as metal corrosion, made that one another short-lived era.
Between quality issues and marketing failures, canned wines took many downward turns in the public’s eyes before making the headway recently marked in 2020. Based on sales projections, the craze for canned wines is just getting started and is proving to be sustainable. According to Grand View Research Firm, canned wine noted $235.7 million in sales in 2021 and is expected to exceed $570 million in sales by 2028. What’s driving the demand and interest? A few things: quality winemaking, creative packaging, and cultural influences.
This time, growth is being supported by multiple generations of consumers. The pandemic tipped us into a shift that forced economic exchanges, reflecting a demand for mobility and access to quality products and experiences. With the onset of convenient services such as rideshares, curbside pickup, and instant delivery services, today’s consumer base is on the go and requires products that are adjacent to more transient experiences. The can makes wine portable, affordable for exploring many styles and brands, and less intimidating to approach.
Canned wines present an affordable solution for meeting consumers in spaces that activate interest based on lifestyle shifts that millennial and Gen Z populations enjoy.
And because of that, winemakers, producers and distributors are finding ways to develop new segments of their brands that attract more of the wine curious populations while maintaining the quality acclimated wine drinkers demand. It's a nice bridge between audiences and possibly one resolve for keeping up with the ever-shifting cultural influences that beg for a refresh.
Sustainability is a balance of good practices that address a problem for the consumer. As wine begins to tackle large-scale issues such as climate change, diverse representation, etc., more innovation will be required to address long-stemming underlying issues, such as the plight of the three-tiered distribution system. The wine industry will continue to modify its approach if it wants to remain relevant.The can is just one segment of change, but it is one that will continue to garner interest and see growth among the expanding population of wine consumers.
