INDIA’S first paper bottle has been unveiled during UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s trade visit to India.
Described as a ‘landmark move’ for UK-India trade, Goa’s Rhea Distilleries has become the first brand in the country to launch the Frugal Bottle for its Fidalgo Premium Cashew Feni spirit.
The initiative is the result of a collaboration between UK-based packaging innovators Frugalpac, India’s packaging giant ITC’s packaging and printing business, and Goan spirits producer Rhea Distilleries.
The Frugal Bottle is heralded as the world’s ‘first and only’ commercially available paper bottle for wines and spirits, made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food-grade liner to contain the liquid. Designed for easy recycling, the paper shell can be separated from the liner and disposed of through existing waste streams.
The deal to bring the British-made paper bottle to India was signed last month as part of a Frugalpac visit to the country to promote its partnership with ITC to bring the Frugal Bottle and the machines that make them to South Asia. Rhea Distilleries has commissioned an initial run of Frugal Bottles for its Fidalgo Premium Cashew Feni, a cashew apple brandy.
This initiative aligns with India’s growing commitment to reduce plastic and glass waste. By replacing traditional glass bottles with paper ones, Rhea Distilleries aims to cut the carbon emissions associated with its packaging and transport.
Frugalpac was invited by PM Starmer to attend a business reception at Downing Street just a week after he was elected and has been supportive of the paper Frugal Bottle. They also worked with the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade to promote sustainable packaging overseas, presenting the King and Queen bespoke royal ‘Cardbordeaux’ bottles during their state visit to France.
Frugalpac was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise and the firm’s bottles have been on sale around the world in over 127 different wines and spirits and stocked in the US in Target, Whole Foods, and 7-Eleven retail stores.
Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh said, “We’re proud that the Government has announced this deal to foster stronger co-operation in sustainability between the UK and India during Prime Minister Starmer’s visit. This is a pivotal moment for sustainable packaging in India.
“Collaborating with ITC and Rhea Distilleries not only brings an iconic Goan spirit to market in an eco-friendly bottle, it also sets the stage for a broader transformation across India’s drinks industry. We have had very promising meetings with other well known drinks brands keen to make the move from glass to our paper Frugal Bottles. The demand for lighter and more sustainable beverage bottles is certainly there, and we look forward to helping many drinks brands in India move from glass to paper.”
