Packamama has received $1 million from the federal government’s Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII) Proof-of-Concept Round to develop circular polymer wine bottles aimed at reducing emissions in the wine sector.
The funding builds on the company’s earlier $100,000 BRII feasibility grant, which supported initial studies indicating its proprietary material structure could preserve wine for around four years. Independent life cycle analyses found the bottles produce less than half the emissions of glass, are lighter, shatterproof, and can be recycled through existing systems.
Packamama is one of two Proof-of-Concept recipients selected from six feasibility-stage participants under the Alternative Packaging for Australian Wine challenge. The company will carry out material trials, recyclability testing and consumer research over the next 18 months. It is also exploring retail collaborations in Australia and the UK, where previous listings with Coles, Tesco and Aldi showed strong shopper engagement.
According to the Australian Wine Research Institute’s (AWRI) 2022 life cycle assessment, 74 per cent of the industry’s emissions come from the making, movement and recycling of glass bottles. A 2025 assessment by the AWRI’s Affinity Labs reported that Packamama bottles can cut emissions by up to 56 per cent, and that exporting wine in the bottles generates 32 per cent less CO2 than bulk exports.
The project aligns with Wine Australia’s Emissions Reduction Roadmap, which targets a 42 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. It also reflects the federal government’s broader climate commitments, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s pledge at the UN Climate Summit for Australia to reduce emissions by up to 70 per cent by 2035.
“Being selected by the Australian Government and Wine Australia to help lead the industry’s packaging transition is deeply motivating,” said Santiago Navarro, CEO & founder of Packamama. “It is proof that innovation in materials, design, and technology can protect wine and the planet in equal measure.”
Packamama is inviting engagement from producers, retailers and supply-chain partners as it progresses the project.
