The Future of Canned Wine: A Growing Trend?

If you are a regular visitor to this website, you are likely part of a tight-knit wine-drinking community. You’re aware that Syrah is the same as Shiraz and also that Rosé isn’t a grape but rather Petit Verdot. The anticipation of enjoying wine often begins with sniffing its bouquet; you can envision a group gathering around a table, savoring a glass of pricey wine, tasting it, and then spitting it out.

You might not indulge in the sweet Rosé, which is the best-selling wine in South Africa, and you may be surprised to find that the official definition of a premium wine in South Africa starts at 35 Rand for 75 ml.

It’s likely that you primarily buy wine in glass bottles and are skeptical of aluminum cans. However, would you consider purchasing wine in cans? I could certainly see that happening. Canned wine has become a growing trend globally, gaining acceptance in South Africa since 2019. The market is rapidly expanding, with over 30 brands already available.

Sawis recorded cans in its statistics for the first time in 2021. In 2020, a total of 346,900 liters of canned wine were sold—an impressive figure, but merely a tenth of the overall sales volume. Interestingly, bag-in-box was the leading category this year with 44.2% of market share, followed closely by glass at 42.6%. Plastic accounted for 10%, Tetrapaks for 3%, and pouches had slightly less than cans. It was small innovative producers who triggered this trend initially, alongside bigger names like Spier, Perdeberg, and Robertson.

Others, including renowned brands like Cloof and Bruce Jack, have entered the canned wine arena as well, with some offerings in the alcohol-free category too. The familiar JC le Roux label is also venturing in that direction. The most surprising discovery for me was AA Badenhorst, a notable game-changer in Swartland. His beer, "The Curator", is also available as a trio in cans and is designed with style and subtle branding.

Regarding the wines in cans, my initial experiences suggest a regular assortment that includes some decent varieties, while others can be quite unexceptional. The designs tend to be attractive, and the convenient 250 ml cans are appealing. Perhaps the stigma of canned wines representing an inferior quality could be challenged, especially for picnics or a trip to the beach, where you may just enjoy a higher-end wine like Crystallum or FMC.

It may also be beneficial to keep some cans for cooking. There's much more to be said about canned wine, particularly its practical uses and ecological benefits, as they can be more efficiently packed and transported than traditional bottles.

In South Africa, around 70% of drinks cans are recycled compared to just 43% of glass containers. The can is just one of many sustainable alternatives to standard glass wine bottles. Flat PET bottles, designed for optimal space efficiency, are also making waves, as many companies seek out eco-friendly solutions in packaging.

The wine shelves of tomorrow will certainly evolve over the coming years.

As a final note, we did offer Spier canned wine in our selection for a period. However, our market may not have been prepared for it damals. We’ll see if that changes soon.