Kingsland Drinks switches to a bottling strategy for Hidden Sea’s Sauvignon Blanc
Kingsland Drinks will bottle the ocean-saving Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc wine in the UK, which will reduce the amount of transportation needed worldwide for the well-liked white wine by 42%.
The move signals a doubling down on Hidden Sea’s sustainability goals and commitment to the smallest possible impact on the environment at every stage of its supply chain
From now, the zippy and citrussy Sauvignon Blanc, which is available nationwide in the UK, will be shipped via Flexitank from Hidden Sea winery in South Australia and packaged in lighter weight bottles at Kingsland Drinks’ site in Irlam, Greater Manchester.
The changes will result in a weighty 42 per cent reduction in global transport requirements and will prevent around 70 tonnes of glass being shipped from Australia to the UK.
Kingsland Drinks has long been a pioneer in bulk – or bottled in market – wine and has been a key driver of the market in the UK. The distributor has been working with the Hidden Sea since 2021 to launch and expand its retail footprint, attract a new wave of conscious consumers and help achieve the audacious goal of removing one billion plastic bottles from the world’s oceans by 2030.
Pete Fairclough, senior brand manager at Kingsland Drinks, says “Bottling wine in-market is highly efficient, lowers fuel use, significantly cuts carbon emissions, and reduces the need to haul glass and other packaging materials around the world. Hidden Sea is known for being a trailblazer in the sustainability arena, so moving one of the UK’s most popular wine varieties to this format is a natural next step.
“Major strides are being made in the industry, and we are proud to be at the forefront of shipping in bulk, working closely with our producer partners, logistics providers and customers to ensure that products reach the end consumer exactly as intended and to the most exacting quality standards.”
Hidden Sea co-owner, Justin Moran, adds “Moving to the bulk wine model for Hidden Sea’s Sauvignon Blanc makes commercial and environmental sense and it’s one we’re keen to roll out across the range when the time is right. We are proud to have Kingsland Drinks as our partners in this journey as we continue to improve our offering to retailers and UK wine drinkers.”
The Hidden Sea’s Sauvignon Blanc is stocked in selected Sainsbury’s stores nationwide and for every bottle sold the equivalent of 10 single use plastic bottles are removed from the ocean. Last year the brand underwent a major re-brand as it sought to open itself up to a wider consumer base.
