British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac has commenced discussions around a possible strategic partnership with South African packaging company CTP Packaging to bring revolutionary paper bottles to South Africa to help cut the carbon footprint of the drinks market.
Frugalpac’s Frugal Bottle is made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food grade pouch to hold the liquid, is five times lighter than a glass bottle and crucially has a carbon footprint 84% lower than bottles made from glass.
Frugalpac’s new partnership with CTP Packaging’s Western Cape Operations will see them promote and grow the demand for paper bottles in South Africa with a view to eventually placing a Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine in South Africa so the low-carbon bottles can be produced locally.
Two South African wineries in the Western Cape have already used the Frugal Bottle including Journey’s End Vineyards with Interpunkt wines and Stellenbosch Vineyards’ Arniston Bay wine. Aldi UK also used South African wine in Frugal Bottles in its own-label Cambalala wines.
Frugalpac has also received over 75 other enquiries for Frugal Bottles in South Africa.
Frugalpac, who were recently awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise for innovation for its bottles and the machines that make them, has already sold three Frugal Bottle machines to Canada, the US and Australia.
More than 45 different drinks producers from around the world have launched 128different SKUs of wines, spirits and olive oils in the Frugal Bottle. They are available in 25 countries including Australia, Japan, North America, Canada, the UK, across Europe, Scandinavia, and South Africa.
The discussions come just months after the South African High Commissioner to the UK and the Honorary Consul for South Africa visited Frugalpac’s HQ in Ipswich to see paper bottles being made and discover more about the company’s export plans.
During the visit, Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh, South African High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Jeremiah Nyamane Mamabolo and Honorary Consul for South Africa Bassim Haidar were presented with commemorative paper bottles made to mark the 30th anniversary of democratic elections
Leon Witbooi CTP’s Managing Director of Western Cape Operations, said:
“We are considering partnering with Frugalpac to help grow the market for their paper Frugal Bottles in South Africa.
“In just four years, they’re not only selling paper bottles in more than 25 countries around the world but are playing a huge part in helping to decarbonise the drinks market.
“Our possible co-operation could see us working together to bring the Frugal Bottle to a wider audience of drinks producers in South Africa and beyond and we look forward to bringing the paper bottle revolution here.”
Malcolm Waugh, CEO of Frugalpac added:
“South Africa and the African continent are potentially huge markets for our low-carbon Frugal Bottle. South Africa alone exports more than 300 million litres of wine every year.
“Moving to our paper bottle will reduce export freight costs and cut carbon too which is a win-win economically and sustainably.
“South Africa has been an early adopter of our paper bottles with Journey’s End Vineyards with Interpunkt wines near Cape Town and Stellenbosch Vineyards’ Arniston Bay wines using our Frugal Bottle.
“We look forward to working closely with CTP Packaging to help build on this interest by offering low carbon packaging to even more African wines and spirits brands.”
Bassim Haidar, Honorary Consul for South Africa to the UK said:
“When we visited their Frugalpac factory earlier this year we were very impressed to see their vision for decarbonising packaging for wine and spirits producers.
“We wish Frugalpac and CTP Packaging all their best and look forward to them getting more and more South African drinks producers to make the move from glass to paper bottles.”