Metal, glass and (um) liquid cartons are trending materials for craft beer and spirits packaging

Key insights from PMMI‘s white paper, “Craft Beer and Spirits: Success Through Packaging,” illuminate some interesting trends shaping the craft beer and spirits market. This recently released paper, which you can download right here, focuses on metal, glass and liquid cartons as the fastest-growing materials for craft manufacturers adapting to consumer preferences. Can you imagine your beer in a liquid carton?

Rebecca Marquez, director of custom research at PMMI, explains in the video above. She notes how PMMI’s latest research shows that a growing craft brew and spirits market has prompted a change in its packaging materials.

“Metal already represents the lion’s share of craft brew and spirits packaging — followed by glass, then rigid plastic,” says Rebecca Marquez, director, custom research, PMMI. “But liquid cartons are slated to grow at the fastest rate over this period at 2.2% CAGR.”

These preferences include a demand for ready-to-drink options, e-commerce adaptability and variety with multipacks, all contributing to an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1% or 78.1 billion unit sales from 2024 to 2027. Also, automation has emerged as a pivotal element in adapting to these market shifts, with an emphasis on integrating robotics and enhancing end-of-line packaging operations, like palletizing. This shift not only meets the growing demands but also aligns with the industry’s drive towards efficiency and scalability.

The white paper stresses the importance of packaging in crafting a unique identity for products in a competitive market. Attributes like premiumization and sustainability are highlighted as crucial for making products stand out on the shelf and appealing directly to customer values. Furthermore, offering a variety of packaging formats and sizes is seen as essential for catering to consumer convenience and lifestyle preferences.

Compiled from industry professionals’ insights, this document sheds light on the craft producers’ packaging needs and outlines a trajectory for the craft industry’s future, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and consumer-centric strategies. Download the paper here or enjoy this infographic also created by PMMI.