Established Australian brand elevates canned wine

Born in Margaret River, Small Things Wine took an outsiders approach to winemaking when they developed their craft wine-in-can brand. They believe how you enjoy wine shouldn’t be limited by the container it comes in, and as such, the chance to create a first impression. So they made the best wine they could in a 250 mL can, which is easy to take along on a hike, to the beach, an outdoor event or on a boat…the perfect excuse to start an adventure.

A New Package

Consumer demand for environmentally sustainable wine packaging, coupled with a preference for simple convenience, has led to the recent growth in the number of Australian winemakers producing wine in a can. For Margaret River craft wine producer, Small Things Wine, creating craft wine in a can presented a series of challenges.

Showcasing the wine in a way that illustrated their unique character began with the label, which conveyed its quality. For winemaker and co-founder Ian Batt, the way it felt in a customer’s hand was equally important as the need for it to be eye-catching and relevant. Australians are adopting wine in a can in greater numbers than ever before, so creating the right first impression was extremely important. Small Things Wine were able to achieve that with the collaboration of designer, Jarrod Fuller at Zendoke, and MCC.

Our wine is low intervention with no additions or filtering, so the quality and readability of the label on our small cans was instrumental. For that reason, we decided on printed shrink sleeve labels rather than printing directly onto the cans. You can easily see when you pick one up you’re not getting a regular wine, it’s something special, it’s made to take on adventures, says Winemaker Ian Batt. 

Wine produced in glass is great for the dinner table, but it’s when you decide to take it on a picnic, to the beach or on a hike that it doesn’t always practically fit our lifestyle. When you’re not sure you want to crack open a bottle, a 250 mL can is more economical and convenient and its portion size means it chills quicker and fits in your hand!

When deciding on the production details of their craft wine, it became apparent there was no one who could can their wine in the slim 250 mL can. This provided the company with the opportunity to invest in their own canning line, which meant they could control all aspects of the production.

“We looked to the pioneers and undisputed beverage heavyweights, the US and Canada where canning has exploded in recent years, demonstrated by the popularity of canned craft beer and craft wine”. 

Together with their new US/Canadian manufacturing partners they formulated a design and approach that would enable them to can wine whilst maintaining the highest possible quality levels.

Canned wine is set to explode in Australia… thanks to MCC for helping the vision come to life.

Ian Batt, Winemaker & Co-Founder, Small Things Wine