As the saying goes, “The numbers don’t lie.” When a canned wine brand grows more than 50 percent in a year, it’s clear that something is working. Whether it’s the wine’s terroir, packaging, price point or a combination of things, Union Wine Co. is listening to consumer demand and responding in turn.
The company first started canning its Underwood brand of wines in 2014. In the past 12 months, sales of the brand have increased by 52 percent, according to Ryan Harms, founder and owner of the Tualatin, Ore.-based winery. Building on the brand’s success, the company expects to continue its growth by putting 55 percent of its wine into cans.
“We attribute this success to the portability, recyclability and cost-efficiency of putting wine in cans as well as the explosive growth of the canned wine category,” Harms says. “Canned wine costs approximately 40 percent less to package compared to the equivalent 9-liter case of wine in glass bottles. Putting wine in a can not only saves on packaging costs, but also opens up the wine-drinking experience to places where it had previously been difficult, such as outdoor events or when portability is needed. We’re seeing a really positive consumer response to this.”
Considering the canned wine market’s significant year-over-year growth, Harms says it’s no longer just a trend — it’s a category. And Union Wine Co. is investing in this category accordingly. The company recently opened a 43,000-square-foot packaging facility, which will allow it to triple its output, Harms says. The facility will consist of a canning line boasting speeds of 600 cans a minute, as well as a bottling line handling 200 bottles a minute.
“The ability to package our wines independently is a unique feature for a winery and unprecedented in Oregon,” Harms says. “We are very proud to be trailblazers in the canned wine industry, and with this new facility we are confident we will remain at the forefront.”
Packaging its own wines also gives Union Wine Co. an edge when it comes to pricing, which reflects the company’s “great wine minus all the fuss” attitude. By maximizing efficiency and keeping production overhead costs down, it can maintain an affordable price point, Harms explains.
