Greencroft’s wine canning line goes live

By Lisa Riley

Published: 27 November, 2019

Greencroft Bottling’s wine canning line has gone live at its facility in County Durham.

Boasting filler speed of 17,000 cans per hour and offering both still and carbonated filling for wine, soft drinks and RTDs, the state-of-the -art equipment is the UK’s first large-scale wine canning line, according to Greencroft - a sister company to Lanchester Wines.

The contract wine packer said the new line, in which it has invested £2m and partnered with Ardagh Group Metal Beverage Europe to launch, is initially focusing on 200ml and 250ml slimline cans but is also ready to handle Ardagh’s imminent new 187ml wine can format.

The investment in the new canning line had been “substantial, sourcing the best technology available and taking our time to do it right”, said MD Mark Satchwell.

“We constantly invest in our equipment to guarantee we’re offering the best service possible to our customers and ensure we have the correct technology in place to meet future market demands.

“The can is a format consumers are already familiar with, through soft drinks, beers and ciders, and right now canned wine consumption is growing at a rate of approximately 6% year on year in Western Europe, so we were pleased to collaborate with Ardagh to set up a dedicated wine canning line and be the first to provide for this growing market.”

Among the first customers to use the new facility is Lanchester Wines. “It’s 100% in line with our strategy,” said Mark Roberts, Lanchester Wines’ director of sales. “We’re a family business that has sustainability at its heart.”

Lanchester Wines’ Nika Tiki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc Rosé will be first down the canning line, followed by its Hacienda de Calidad Argentinian Malbec.

Ardagh provided technical support for the line commissioning and set-up, as well as establishing criteria for wine compatibility testing.

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