Southern winemakers report price hikes for bottles

Importing glass containers is still possible, but industry representatives prefer domestic production, RBC Krasnodar reports.

In 2022, Russian winemakers announced plans to raise prices for their products by at least 15% due to the introduction of sanctions and the rise in the cost of individual components, such as corks, labels and bottles. The cost of glass bottles produced in Russia increased by 20% two years ago, which was due to the use of foreign equipment at factories.

Over the past two years, prices for Russian bottles have increased by another 15-30% depending on their type and shape, according to winemakers collected by RBC Krasnodar. Although importing glass containers remains an option, wineries prefer to work with local producers.

All the winemakers surveyed purchase bottles from large factories such as Kavminsteklo (Mineralnye Vody), Glanit (Novocherkassk) and Rusdzham (Krymsk). The volume of deliveries depends on the scale of production: the Chateau de Talu winery annually orders about 1-1.2 million bottles.

“The prices for bottles, for example, for ‘T-33’ have increased by 29% in two years, and for ‘Bordeaux-1’ by 16.2%. We have the opportunity to order French bottles from the United Arab Emirates, but due to logistics and exchange rates, it is now more convenient to buy Russian-made glass,” explained Andrey Ens, head of the logistics department at Chateau de Talu.

The Dagestan plant Derbent Vino has purchased 10 million bottles from various manufacturers this year. This enterprise uses both colorless and “olive” bottles, and on average, the price increase over two years has amounted to 8-10%.

The Uzunov winery purchases bottles not only from local producers, but also from the Leningrad Region. "The average price for a bottle today is 30 rubles. Over the past two years, prices have increased by 20-30%. The main problem is the shortage of bottles with transparent glass," said Yulia Uzunova, a representative of the winery.

The Burnier winery purchases about 250 thousand bottles annually and notes that the cost of glass containers has increased by 15%. Burgundy bottles with olive and dark glass are mainly purchased here. The company's CEO, Leonid Fadeev, noted that the price increase is due to the departure of foreign brands from the market and the increase in prices for materials, including the depreciation of imported equipment.

Although the possibility of purchasing foreign glass bottles remains, this is associated with logistical risks and an increase in prices. "High-quality glass is produced in Russia, and you can safely buy domestic bottles," he added.

RBK Krasnodar was unable to comment on the situation with the increase in prices for bottles at glass factories such as Glanit and Kavminsteklo.

Derbent Vino noted that the appearance of the bottle plays a key role in the choice of wine by buyers. If the consumer is not focused on a specific producer, his attention can be attracted by an interesting bottle or a bright label.

The Kuban-Vino winery confirmed that the shape, color of the glass and even the weight of the bottle are also of great importance. They referred to studies showing that the appearance of the bottle significantly affects the perception of the product.

"The combination of glass bottle, label and capsule is very important. Currently, there is a general trend towards lighter bottles. This is due to both savings - less glass means a cheaper bottle, and eco-culture - a lighter bottle leaves a smaller carbon footprint," commented Evgeny Yemelyanov, Deputy General Director of Kuban-Vino LLC.

The desire to meet consumer demand pushed the Burnier winery to diversify bottle shapes and packaging in general. According to the company's representatives, the consumer, especially if he is not familiar with the brand, first of all chooses wine based on its appearance - the shape of the glass, transparency, color, label and back label.

"Pink wine should be sold in a bottle that visually conveys its lightness. The glass should be transparent, and a Burgundy bottle looks lighter than a Bordeaux bottle. The consumer pays attention to such details as the color of the wine. When it comes to premium wines, the price of which is 5-6 thousand rubles and above, the consumer also evaluates the weight of the bottle, its visual volume and the quality of the glass. Expensive wine should look accordingly - this is a heavy bottle, tactile expensive paper for the label and a high-quality aluminum cap," explained Leonid Fadeev.

Ambassador of the Nesterov family winery Anna Nesterova added that the level of attention to the container depends on the consumer and his involvement in wine culture. “For some, a presentable bottle and label are important, while others, when choosing wine, are more guided by the variety, style and commitment to a certain brand,” Nesterova noted.

Source: bizgaz.ru