When you have a prominent brand with a 19th century birthright, protecting it is a priority. Korbel Classic Brandy first made its debut in 1889 in glass bottles. And that is how the packaging remained for more than one hundred years. The 21st century, however, provided the backdrop for a departure from tradition, represented by the latest Korbel Classic Brandy packaging change—the 1.75-litre polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle from Amcor PET Packaging.
Gary Heck, Korbel’s owner, president and chairman, explains that the company first dipped its toe in the PET packaging pool about five years ago by converting its 50ml airline mini size. In turn, that positive experience fueled a mid-2004 conversion of the 200, 375 and 750 ml sizes.
Heck says, “We wanted to test the PET bottle and we found no difference in sales. There was no loss and no image problem. Additionally, the PET was easier to bottle and the lighter weight was a major factor”.
