Trinchero Family Estates finds wider audience with bag-in-box
A better wine packaging format helps a small family brand go global
When you think about bag-in-box, you probably think about wine. Bag-in-box wine isn't just about convenience but about accessibility and sustainability—at SIG, we were one of the earliest innovators in the bag-in-box wine sector, and we've continued working on ways to deliver wine to consumers safely, efficiently, and with an eye towards environmental responsibility.
The Trinchero family moved from New York to California in 1947 to pursue winemaking, and you can find many of their wines under the Sutter Home brand. Sutter Home is now an American wine staple, having introduced many drinkers to grapes like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sutter Home's mission is to make wine accessible and enjoyable for all, including presenting classic wine styles like White Zinfandel (still one of the most popular wines Sutter Home makes and regularly sells), Moscato, and Sangria to new audiences.
The challenge: breaking tradition
Wine has traditionally been packaged in glass. Always spearheading new ways to be innovative and accessible, Trinchero was actually an early adopter of bag-in-box, recognizing it as a superior format for preserving quality. They’ve used bag-in-box for some of their other wine brands but had never adapted bag-in-box to their Sutter Home line.
With the explosive growth in bag-in-box options for wine (specifically 3L boxed wine, where sales grew 31.4% between November 2019 to November 2020), and Sutter Home's position as a trailblazer in the wine world, Trinchero decided it was time to bring the recognizable brand to consumers in a new way. They turned to SIG to help find a solution that would make their wine stand out.
The solution: wine in a fresh light
We helped Trinchero switch many of their Sutter Home wines to a 3L bag-in-box, which holds the equivalent of four wine bottles. Not only does bag-in-box require fewer resources to produce than wine, but it’s more efficient and less costly to ship. On top of that, bag-in-box protects wine in a way that bottles can’t—the one-way tap means that oxygen can’t get in, preventing spoilage.
"Sutter Home's new 3L wine boxes bring quality to the category—a move that satisfies both existing fans and new consumers alike," a Trinchero and Sutter Home spokesperson said. "Those who have historically preferred the bag-in-box format can now enjoy our tried and true wine that consumers have embraced since 1948."
The result: a new chapter for wine
Our bag-in-box helped Sutter Home reach a new generation of wine enthusiasts while bringing longtime fans a product they recognized. The new format debuted with some of Sutter Home's most popular wine options: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Grigio.
Bag-in-box packaging offers consumers an economical wine option that ensures freshness. Trinchero's use of retail bag-in-box represents a step forward for the brand and the way wine is consumed.
Bag-in-box helped Trinchero embark on a new chapter by delivering sustainably-packaged wine to a growing and shifting consumer base. Contact us to learn how to adapt flexible packaging to make a difference for your brand.