The sum has been awarded by the Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII) Proof-of-Concept programme to develop next-generation, circular polymer wine bottles that protect wine quality, cut carbon emissions and strengthen the competitiveness of Australian wine at home and abroad. This follows a AU$100,000 (£50,000) feasibility grant previously awarded by the BRII, which funded an initial study demonstrating the technical viability of Packamama’s plastic bottles and wine preservation potential of around four years.
Packamama made its name pioneering the development of flat eco bottles produced from recycled plastics, which are now championed by businesses like The Wine Society. Independent life cycle analyses have confirmed that Packamama’s bottles cut emissions by more than half compared to traditional glass bottles, while being lighter, shatterproof and fully recyclable through existing systems.
Santiago Navarro, Packamama founder and CEO, today told Drinks Retailing that the new Proof-of-Concept grant is specifically designed to push beyond what is currently available commercially.
This includes studies tracking multi-year, real-time validation of the bottle’s wine preservation capabilities, as well as the development of improved material stacks.
“We will be testing new generations of circular polymer materials, including some that are bio-based and offer even better oxygen and CO₂ barrier performance than today’s bottle,” Navarro said.
Thanks to the Australian grant money, further trials are now being planned over the next 18 months to validate performance of the bottles at scale.
Navarro explained the award represented “proof that innovation in materials, design and technology can protect wine and the planet in equal measure. Together, we can make the wine bottle part of the climate solution, not the problem.”
The project was one of only two Proof-of-Concept proposals selected from six feasibility-stage participants within the Alternative Packaging for Australian Wine challenge. Retail uptake has already begun, with listings confirmed with Coles (operating in Australia only), Tesco (UK only) and Aldi (which has a presence in both Australia and the UK). Packamama says it is now exploring further collaborations in the UK and Australia as development progresses.