Rexam Helps Marine Express Deliver ‘Memorable Moments of Pleasure in a Can’

For Rexam, the introduction of Elsa wine in cans reinforces the exciting journey that wine packaging is taking. Irene Martinez, Category Development Manager at Rexam explains.

31 Oct 2009 --- Marine Express, one of the leading wine distributors in Russia, has chosen Rexam to produce 250ml slim cans for the launch of their new Elsa wine in can brand.

Wine in cans is a new venture for Marine Express, who use traditional glass bottles for the majority of their wine packaging.  Elsa, the first wine in a can brand to be available from the company, is a Liebfrauenmilch that has previously been distributed in 750ml glass bottles.  The semi-sweet white wine, which has been produced in the Rheinhessen region by Burgherrn Weinhandels GmbH, is described as having a tender and delicate aroma of sweet ripe fruits and flowers. The Elsa brand believes that each taste of their wine gives ‘memorable moments of pleasure in life’.

The cans, which use an innovative matt varnish, are being made at Rexam’s Recklinghausen plant in Germany and will be distributed, by Marine Express, to retailers from September 2009 onwards.

The launch of the new wine in can brand will be supported by a large marketing campaign that will include advertisements in local underground stations and across the internet as well as in store and point of sale communications. The target audience is predominantly female, aged between 25 and 35 years old.

Andrey Kuzmin, CEO at Marine Express, understands that wine in cans is still a new concept in Russia however, is excited about the launch. “We understand that wine in cans is a new concept for Russian consumers who still prefer traditional cork to the more recently introduced screw cap but we feel we can demonstrate the clear benefits of packaging wine in a can. Through our local advertising we will demonstrate to consumers the convenience benefits of the product as well as the fact that there is no impact on quality.”
 
For Rexam, the introduction of Elsa wine in cans reinforces the exciting journey that wine packaging is taking. Irene Martinez, Category Development Manager at Rexam explains, “The wine in cans market continues to grow.  More and more brands are contacting Rexam to better understand the market development and how they can be part of this new and exciting category. With their reputation and dedication, Marine Express has an ideal opportunity to develop the desire for wine in cans among Russian consumers and I look forward to working closely with them to introduce their next wine in a can – a semi-sparkling Lambrusco red and white from Italy.”