Eco, flat bottle packaging company Garçon Wines will increase its production investments in Australia and the US as it secures AU $1 million of investment in parent company Delivering Happiness Limited.
The London-based sustainable wine start-up is known for its flat wine bottles made from 100 per cent recycled PET, and has secured £670,000 (AU $1.2 million) from three investors – existing investor and founder of travel insurer The Staysure Group, Ryan Howsam; Hive Energy Limited CEO Giles Redpath; and shareholder in Coca-Cola Malta bottling and distribution Simon Mizzi.
Garçon Wines says it aims to cut the wine industry's carbon footprint through its “cleantech packaging innovation” and sustainable wine brands.
The funding will allow the business to focus on establishing Garçon Wines as a sustainable wine wholesaler and brand owner, that retails and delivers wines in more efficient, planet-friendly packaging, with a focus on increasing the capacity for bottle production and contract packaging in Australia
Garçon Wines CEO Santiago Navarro said the team was highly motivated by the prospect of new opportunities after securing the investment to accelerate the company’s growth.
“The timing is also right, as we believe that the post Covid-19 ‘build back better’ movement will be the optimal opportunity on which to deploy this funding to generate traction,” said Navarro.
“This round will also see Ryan become, alongside myself, a person with significant control in the company.”
“We are also motivated to have Giles Redpath and Simon Mizzi join this round. Giles is another formidable, serial entrepreneur whose success in clean energy across a growing number of countries and his backing of circular economy businesses is highly important and relevant to us.
“Furthermore, Simon’s experience in franchising, retailing, and start-ups brings benefits that will allow our company to start growing revenues across a larger part of the world of wine, sooner.”
According to the company, flat wine bottle volume grew more than 20 times in 2020, despite the challenges of COVID-19.
In July 2020, PKN spoke with newly appointed market development advisor for the region, Matthew Moate, about the launch plans of the business in Oceania, and the growing domestic demand for sustainable wine packaging, while in November, Aussie wine label Banrock Station launched in the UK with the flat bottle packs.
