Product Innovation

Convenience at the cost of sustainability?

Not necessarily.

Intro

Only a little over a third of a wine’s carbon footprint can be attributed to vineyard and winery activities, the rest is associated with its packaging, distribution, and storage. To address rising consumer environmental concerns, two of the biggest Pernod Ricard wine brands introduced 7 wines in a sustainable yet convenient packaging format – aluminum cans. While aluminum is the most recycled material in the world and is less straining to the environment than glass, it is definitely not the easiest to work with when it comes to wine packaging.

My Role

I worked on this sustainable product innovation during my time at the global innovation team at Pernod Ricard Winemakers. It was an operationally complex project that required close collaboration between internal cross-functional teams and external suppliers across Australia and New Zealand. The timelines were extremely tight making it a high-risk innovation that may not reach the market on time.

Despite the unforeseen emergencies such as wine spill prior to packaging that halted production, our team managed to pull it off. After only 7 weeks in the launch, one of the brands became the number one canned wine offering in New Zealand, proving that hard work pays off.

Key Learnings

Overall, it was a project that set the basis for my project management skills. I learned to navigate strict corporate procedures, secure project budget, and to plan for the unplanned. I recognized that a common goal and a clear strategy are crucial to get people to comply with project deadlines, especially when they do not report to you directly. I picked up the marketing lingo while working with design agencies and did print proofs to make sure the packaging looks exactly as envisioned. Finally, I realized that my initiative, can-do attitude, and empathy can lay a pathway to a trustworthy relationship with top management.