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The “LILA wines” case

[vc_row full_screen_section_height=”no”][vc_column][vc_column_text](second part: “Bottled Wine: Has Its End Come?” )


The Lila Wines Case

Lila Wines  bottles 100% of its production in cans, which consists of a rosé and white sparkling wine from Italy, a still rosé from France and a Pinot Grigio from Italy.
Average price 12 dollars (about 10 euros) for 4 cans.
The site, with its youthful appeal, intends to disprove preconceptions about canned wine in its FAQ section and uses all possible marketing levers.

We start from the evocative-exotic name, which is also very easy to pronounce: Lila, according to the authors, refers to a Sanskrit word that means “to play/sound like the gods”.
After having debunked the preconceptions about the quality of bottled wine versus canned wine, we read “Lila Wines are packaged in specially designed and sustainable cans, capable of preserving the quality of the wine contained within them. With a thicker inner liner and greater wall thickness than traditional cans, each Lila can is sealed with a unique lid to ensure a fresh, clean taste. And, unlike bottled wine, Lila cans do not absorb UV rays while on the shelf, thus helping to preserve the wine over time.”.

We then move on to talk about the advantages (single portions, easy to transport and cool – perhaps because they fit better in a cooler bag or in a stream during a picnic?), volume (a pack of 4 cans contains 33% more wine than a 750 ml bottle), caloric intake (compared to soda water, lemonade and cider), gluten-free properties and serving method.

Up to the topic of sustainability (100% recyclable material, with data on the average amount of how much a consumer recycles: "dMedia reports, consumers recycle 45% of aluminum cans versus just 25% of glass bottles”, a figure which, as can be seen, refers more to lifestyle habits than to actual data on the recyclability of one material rather than another).

And last but not least, a substantial press review, from Boston Magazine, to Wine Spectator to InStyle, and of course the social references, where surprisingly not only Instagram and Facebook are prominent, but also Twitter (even if only a hundred followers) a sign perhaps that the audience it is aiming for is not only young (over 21) Instagrammers but also some less young Twitter users.

Canned Wines: The Success Factors

Lila's FAQ section contains the major aces up the sleeve of canned wine,
to which must be added:
-low cost thanks to an aluminum container instead of glass,
-the low carbon footprint in case of shipping thanks to its light weight,
-the possibility of consumption directly from the can, which makes it ideal for those contexts where glasses and glass are prohibited (swimming pools, concerts, etc.).

The positive trend in craft beer – which in America is mostly served in cans rather than in bottles as it is in Italy – also contributed to raising perceived quality.
Jordan Kivelstadt, founder of the canning service Free Flow Wines in Napa Valley, highlighted this happy situation in Wine Spectator: “Thanks to the craft beer movement, consumers are starting to believe that you can have a high-quality product in a can.”

The Millennials

A young and open-minded consumer, looking for something unique.
This is how Sam Buis, manager of the Kingfisher wine bar in Logan Circle in Washington DC, describes it, where all the wines sold are in cans.

The appeal of canned wine isn’t limited to Millennials, however, who are certainly open to trying new formats, says Jaymie Schoenberg, head of marketing for Constellation’s specific brands, including Black Box, the bag-in-box line of products.However, we are also seeing growth in other age groups, as consumers become more aware of this category.. "

A research by the Texas Wine Marketing Institute signed by Nicholas Johnston (Beyond the 750ml Bottle: Millennials' Responses Towards Alternative Wine Packaging), however, reveals how canned wine appeals differently to Millennials depending on their age group.
The study involved 1151 people nationwide between the ages of 21 and 39.
It emerged that the can generates the greatest perception of quality, compared to bag in box and Tetrapak.

Within Millennials, however, Johnston noted a divergence among the younger ones, who find canned wine childish (“reminds me of high school”) and who opt for other packaging in an attempt to reiterate their coming of age, and the more mature Millennials who have a certain confidence and do not have to prove anything and who fully endorse canned wine.

Other ideal consumers

To strengthen the ranks of the latter, there are also housewives/wives, who do not need to open an entire bottle to cook, as well as very different categories, such as those of golfers who are not exactly budding.
To bring the episode back to an article, is Ryan Harms, owner of Union Wine & co.: “I heard a woman in her seventies exclaim, “These cans are perfect for the golf course!” Not exactly what I would have expected as a demographic for our product, but it certainly highlights the great convenience of canned wine.".

Certainly thanks to their portability and ease of service, canned wines are ideal for picnics, camping, outdoor activities and sports and could conquer an even larger market segment over time.

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