The gala ceremony to announce the winner of the 14th Pentawards Edition is to take place in October and Tapì will be an official sponsor for the competition.

The difficult times we are all living through may well change Pentawards plans. So, we decided to interview Adam Ryan, Head of Pentawards, to tell us how such an influential event is dealing with these issues and what its plans are to survive in the future.

1. What are Pentawards and how did the competition come to be established?

Pentawards is the first and most prestigious global competition exclusively dedicated to packaging design.

Founded in Belgium, in 2007, Pentawards was created by husband and wife Jean Jacques and Brigitte Evrard. The couple who both had degrees in design, founded the design agency Carré Noir and the Desgrippes Gobé group.

In October 2016, Pentawards was acquired by Easyfairs, a global top 20 exhibition and events business which has an extensive packaging event portfolio.

Over the last few years, Pentawards has grown, it is now not only a competition, but it provides a core source of inspiration to connect the global packaging community. This is done through its annual gala ceremony, international conferences, winner exhibitions, networking events, social media platforms and books.

Our mission is to promote packaging design, add value and connect our beautiful community.

2. Pentawards are the highest accolade in packaging design. Including both sponsors and exhibitors, how many businesses are involved in this global competition?

This years competition has been another record breaking year, we received over 2,000 entries from 60 countries across 5 continents, with top contributing countries including Russia, Spain, China, the US and the UK. Nearly 400 entries have been shortlisted across the six main categories of the competition, which hold a total of 59 sub-categories.

We have 4 main sponsors UPM Raflatac (Finland), Reflex (United Kingdom), Shenzhen Baixinglong Creative Packaging  Co.,Ltd (China) and of course Tapi (Italy). Each sponsor is from a different sector of the packaging supply chain and we are very proud of our the global representation from our sponsors.

We also have strong relationships with globally recognised media partners, associations and exhibitions such as; the European Packaging Design Association (EPDA) based in Germany, Packaging Premiere (Italy) and etapes (France).

3.What does winning a Pentawards prize mean?

Winning a Pentaward is seen by many to be the highest accolade globally for packaging design. Winning a Pentaward can be the pinnacle of many creative careers especially as the international jury who chose the winners are their peers.

I can honestly say we have a sensational jury and we are continuing to drive for a more diverse mix within our jury, ensuring we have representatives from different nationalities, ages, genders, educations, skill sets, experiences, knowledge and ethnicities.

This year’s jury is composed of members from 18 countries, across 3 continents, including first-time representatives from India, Denmark, Armenia, Switzerland and Brazil. We have also expanded with the inclusion of a wide mix of design agencies, brands and cooperation’s which include; Lego, Nestle, Amazon, Microsoft, Shiseido & Facebook.

Being a Pentaward winner is more than just a trophy it’s the industry kudos and opportunities that follow. Winners receive invaluable exposure through worldwide press, live events, website, social platforms and media coverage. Winners are also featured in the world famous and best seller ‘The Package Design Book’ which is distributed to more than 60 countries.

Being a Pentawards winner can be life changing, it can help win new business, build confidence, connect with peers, launch careers and fulfil dreams. Having the opportunity to celebrate such great achievements especially on stage at our gala ceremony allows the winners to be seen by the global packaging design community.

4. How will future Pentawards events change with the new social distancing restrictions?

We are optimistic that we will hold our gala ceremony in October, however, the safety of the judges, staff and participants is of upmost importance to us during this challenging time. We have to be realistic and consider other alternatives just in case it’s not possible to hold a live event.

Around the world many large organisations and brands have opted to keep moving and holding their events online. Take Giorgio Armani who live streamed their Milan fashion show from an empty event space in the city or festivals going online, these events are have hit some big numbers and you can still communite and connect with your target audience.

Over the last few months, we launched a series of Instagram Takeovers hosted by top creatives and designers to help share some positivity, inspiration, and tips for those working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. This has worked extremely well and has actually reached more people than we anticipated. Taking this as an example, we could consider an online gala ceremony option.

Easyfairs will implement new safety measures to protect its staff, clients and partners at our exhibitions by introducing new rules depending on different government guidelines and laws. For instance introducing social distancing rules, strict cleaning measures, introducing more checks which will include temperature checks with thermal imaging cameras, extending show days and opening hours, one way systems and maybe restricting numbers. We currently have a system called ‘Easy Go’ which allows exhibitors and visitors to scan each other’s badges, so totally contactless and safe.

Whatever we decide, we will ensure it’s to the highest level, our commitment is to provide support to our community during this time and to ensure we continue to celebrate creativity in packaging design.

5. Do you think that packaging design industry will be negatively affected by global pandemic?

I’m an optimist and I generally see that the glass is half full not half empty, though in this climate it has been tough.

People are doing what they do best… evolving and adapting. Some amazing examples of businesses who are adapting to the situation are alcohol distillers turning their efforts towards making hand sanitizers or car manufacturers using their factories to make ventilators.

During times like this research shows that product innovation will slow but brand innovation will increase. So, brands will be finding new ways to engage with consumers and packaging will be a huge one. I think connected packaging will start to play a big part, especially with the opportunity to use QR codes to learn more about a product without touching it. Designers will design more for the home rather than the self.

From our Instagram takeovers I would like to share some great quotes from 3 packaging design experts which sums up the COVID-19 experience:

Steve Honour, Design Manager Europe & Africa at Diageo and Pentawards Jury Member:

“We are in lockdown, but our creativity isn’t”

Carolina Alzate Alvarez, CEO of OpenLab and Pentawards Jury Member:

“This moment of uncertainty is an opportunity to create something new”

Karim Rashid, Designer

“Design needs to regain that sense of feeling, aesthetic, and problem solving”

Mauro Porcini, Senior VP & Chief Design Officer at PepsiCo

“Real design is about us as human beings, our talent and ability to create something that is meaningful for the world and for others. Right now that’s more important than ever”

“The next decade of innovation will be the most consequential of all time”. This is a quote from Forbes in 2019 and with recent events this will speed things up even more.

Designers, brands, packaging suppliers /manufacturers have been really focused on sustainability over the last few years and this will be a key industry shaping trend, but it will be now be defined alongside hygiene and consumer safety concerns. During the pandemic there has been widespread use of ecommerce and many brands will need to step up whilst facing pressure with cost.

The idea of premium in the distillate world and the evolution of luxury packaging

Luxury, by its very nature, is viewed as synonymous with exclusivity, elite values, the best-quality materials and higher cost. All these ideas can be applied to the spirits sector, where the premium sector is undergoing a so-called ‘polarisation in demand’.

Over the last few years, we have seen a notable split in the distillate market. Mass-market products continue to the maintain their dominant position, while those in the mainstream sector, that is in the mid-market, have been losing market share to upmarket distillates, namely the premium segment. This is a compelling evolution that’s also having a direct impact on the packaging world – closely connected to the luxury beverage sector.

This market trend shows that, through purchasing premium products, consumers are satisfying not only their needs – as happens with mass-market products – but also their desires. So how do you make a product desirable to a consumer who hasn’t come across it before? The answer is quite simple – through packaging.

Packaging design in the world of premium spirits

Following increasing demand for premium products, offerings have inevitably changed. These days you can find countless distillates that are well placed within this market segment and for the end consumer it’s difficult to make a choice based only on the information available online. So, it has become necessary to guide purchases using powerful visual communication – through the choice of coherent packaging elements that reflect the company’s values and the product on offer.

It’s currently very difficult to identify any single trend connected to the concept of luxury in the world of beverage packaging design. The common thread definitely remains distinctive and exclusive manufacturing processes, and even the use of cutting-edge materials and technologies, as well as taking advantage of cross-over from a number of other sectors.

Within this specific market segment, we can confirm that packaging has radically changed its own role. It’s no longer just a simple container – it has become the brand image’s spokesperson and communication tool for the client.

Even one – apparently simple – element, such as the closure, can play its part in storytelling. Just consider our Abor project. It has a production method that allows distillation waste, that otherwise would have gone to landfill, to be reused in the manufacture of our own line of customisable closures. Or even the whole of the Signature range, which sees premium materials such as ceramics, wood and metal take a leading role in embellishing any bottle it seals.

Closures in the premium segment of the market no longer assume a simply functional role. They also play a part in aesthetic appeal and brand storytelling, by adding the finishing touch to complete the distillate’s packaging.

What are the elements that define luxury packaging?

Over recent years, even the elements that distinguish the premiumisation of a given product have altered. Until fairly recently, ‘shiny’ materials took centre stage in luxury package design, but today, the focus is on originality, customisation, eco-friendliness and technology.

Shelf space is in ever-shorter supply for new products and their promotion, so the focus should be on what the container itself can offer and all the associated packaging elements.

Sustainability

There are always more brands in the spirit market that want to capture new consumers by focussing on ethical and green values, with cautious, sustainable production methods. Naturally, in these situations it’s important to target the reusable parts of packaging, either in part or in their entirety, or their reduced environmental impact due to the use of waste materials.

Abor, as previously mentioned, belongs to this category, as does Duo – it’s a unique closure whose head can be separated from its leg, making it easier collect for recycling. Another good example is Mekano, the closure designed by Tapì Revò that offers endless possibilities in closures requirements.

Emotional connection

A premium product should always convey something to the end consumer, namely emotion. But before getting to the liquid, the consumer needs to get through the packaging – and it needs to be closely connected to the contents.

This is the case with one of Tapì’s most recent references, Ayam. This French sake places itself as the meeting point between East and West, between tradition and innovation. Its packaging perfectly tells its story, through the transparency, sophistication and modernity of the closure selected.

Craftsmanship

Often premium can be synonymous with ‘craftsmanship’ in its production processes – either wholly or in part. This craftsmanship trend is growing steadily and consumers are becoming ever more demanding and aware of manufacturing processes, as well as that of how the packaging is made.

Tapì can claim a number of examples of craftsmanship. From the stone-effect finish for Signature Ceramic Inspiration Stone Effect to the Signature Wood Inspiration range with its distinctive Craft Effect that can house leather inserts in its wooden heads. Both of these are strong references for craftsmanship, effectively communicating this significant value.

Other unmissable elements for closures in the premium distillate segment

As we have seen, closures no longer play a purely functional role in capping a bottle. They have become an integral part of packaging, a strategic ingredient for communication and the enhancement of a product’s value.

The establishment of the Signature range in 2015 was based on this idea, that is lending importance to an often-undervalued element, such as a closure. This range of products includes distinctive materials, such as ceramics, that ensure the excellence and sophistication of any distillate it seals.

Among the advantages of this range of closures, we find the weightiness of the object. A ceramic, or wooden, closure can never be lightweight because of its very nature and composition. And this is an essential feature that should always be present in a closure destined for the premium market.

Weight, in fact, plays a part in both visual and tactile communication that helps to convey the quality of a specific product. In reality, if the entirety of the packaging makes it heavy, the end-consumer will associate a higher value to the distillate itself.

Want to find out more about our Signature range?

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Tapì’s advice on how to choose the right closure for your product

Selecting the perfect closure for your distillate can be far from straight forward. There are a variety of considerations – from the type of product to reaching your target market.

Before we look at each variable in turn, though, we need to take a step backwards. Closures are not just a bottle cap. They should be able to preserve the liquid without any impact to its taste or flavour. And as it forms an integral part of your product’s packaging, it shouldn’t and mustn’t be left to chance. It should be aesthetically in-keeping with the other packaging elements and fit with the messaging intended for your potential customers.

Now that’s covered, let’s look at how to select the perfect closure for your premium or superpremium distillate.

Product type

The first thing to consider is the type of distillate you intend to produce. For liqueurs and spirits, the oxygen barrier is not a key factor, but it should still be good enough to protect the product in the bottle from any external factors such as high temperatures. This particular issue merits significant consideration, given that heat can make the liquid expand, increasing the pressure within the space where the liquid is held. This can lead to the closure being pushed upwards resulting aesthetic damage and product leakage. And, as noted in the introduction, closures should always guarantee that no interference with the liquid has taken place, as well as contributing to the overall look of the product.

Closures known as ‘T closures’ ensure an optimal balance between aesthetic appeal and technical performance – ideal for the premium and super-premium sector. And Tapì has established itself and developed its position in this area over the last 20 years. This kind of closure takes its name directly from its shape. They have a leg – which is inserted into the neck of the bottle – and a head – the external part that does not come into contact with the liquid.

This structure allows the head to be made from any sort of material. Wood, plastic, aluminium, ceramic are some of the most commonly used by Tapì. But we do design closures on request, or use our cutting-edge production methods, as we do for Abor which is made from distillation process waste products. Naturally, any part of the head can be customised – from the perspective of colour, printing, engraving, embossing, laser work, heat branding and with various types of insert.

The leg can also be made from different types of material. The ones we use the most are synthetic polymers – or biopolymers. They are perfect for avoiding transfer issues which can happen when substances like cork are combined with clear spirits.

The alcohol acts like a solvent and can extract large quantities of poly phenols from the cork. And more specifically tannins that can result in the clear liquid taking on a yellow colour and spoiling the product.

This is exactly why synthetic legs are among the most well used. This doesn’t mean that cork is not suitable for T-closure leg construction, in fact, at Tapì, we use it for darker spirits that have usually been aged. And of course, there’s always the middle ground, known specifically as the micro-agglomerated leg. This ‘hybrid’ solution is a compromise between cork and synthetic materials.

Context and target market

As we’ve already mentioned, closures are a highly significant element that is part of product packaging. So, when it comes to the premium and super-premium spirits segment, it’s really important to select a closure that can blend functionality and design. And this is where the variables of context and target market come to the fore.

The idea, more specifically, is connected to the perception of quality for a given product. Packaging as a whole is a key purchase lever. And for this reason, it’s important that each individual element fits in with the rest and expresses the brand’s key messages.

One example would be a distillate produced through sustainable methods, selected raw materials and uniquely linked to the product’s region of origin. A product like this could use a closure designed similarly to Abor – its production process designed by Tapì involves the recovery of distillation waste products that would otherwise go to landfill. By choosing Abor this opens up so much potential for storytelling – namely talking about the product’s origins without forgetting the immense value of its eco-friendly design which underpins this closure’s production process. Equally, a product that’s positioned in the luxury segment – with stylish, distinctive packaging – could do well to marry up with a closure featuring a ceramic head, perhaps even decorated with an aged-wood effect.

So, as we have seen, context is key to the effective positioning a product within its niche market. And the perception of value conveyed to the market is equally important in determining the success or failure of a liqueur or distillate.

The bottle

The right choice of closure also depends on the bottle used for your distillate. The best way to come to a decision is to test out a few closure samples with your filled bottle to find out which has the best fit.

If this is out of the question, then you’ll need to work from the technical designs from the glassmaker who made the bottle, which is usually provided at purchase.

In general, these details will ensure an optimum fit and avoid any liquid leakage. Clearly, there are other factors that may influence your choice such as shape of the neck of the bottle. For this reason, it’s essential to follow our advice about trying out a few samples before making your final choice.

A final note

The recommendations listed are suggested based on our experience. In any case, we advise the assessment of all the elements and factors involved – bottle, product type, fill level and the packaging as a whole.

Contact us to arrange a consultation with our area manager.

Six unmissable trends in the world of beverage packaging design for this year

Just like every other part of the vast world of design, consumer packaging also needs to be able to talk about itself and its story. In fact, it should know how to communicate about its products to a specific target market, by emphasising its own brand’s value proposition. But in the highly competitive landscape of premium spirits, where offerings grow from week to week, standing out from the crowd is becoming harder than ever.

In recent years, this tendency toward cut-throat competitiveness has pushed the brands operating in this specific niche to experiment with many innovative approaches to beverage packing design – both in terms of aesthetic appeal and function. And 2020 is showing fascinating trends even in this direction.

Here are this year’s six popular trends and we expect they’ll continue to dominate the sector well into 2021.

1. Metamorphosis

As the title suggests, metamorphosis is the process where design elements are transformed into something new. By creating an optical illusion to catch the eye, it draws consumers in to look at the more complex packaging details.

This compelling artistic trend is at the cutting edge – particularly in the world of beverage packaging design – and is a unique and very important element that works well. Its aim is to convey specific types of brand message.

The Seedlip brand, for example, has used an illustration of a metamorphosis symbol on its label. Since this company is well-known for its alcohol-free and low alcohol distillates, we can confirm that the transformation message works well with this type of product – usually alcoholic but in this case its nature has been changed.

These transformational values can be seen in every single bottle, both in its contents and its packaging. Besides its special carefully illustrated label, we find an attractively curved, transparent bottle which highlights every tint and shade of the liquid combined with a closure, SCR Aluminium by Tapì, that expresses this brand’s founding principles of simplicity and love for nature.

2. Details and sophistication

Research has shown that today consumers drink less, but better quality. This is great news for companies that produce premium spirits, as they are constantly researching new ideas to meet the demands of an ever-changing market.

Just for this reason, packaging needs to be able to convey the value of its contents, especially to differentiate them with the rest of the market’s products. This is why there is a consistent move towards unique, luxury packaging. This significant trend brings with it packaging that is more luxurious, attractive, with more intense compositions rich in detail. Every single element that makes up the packaging needs to be moving in this direction.

At Tapì, we think of ourselves as pioneers in the luxury closure sector. It’s not by chance that over the last few months we have developed a new concept based on cutting-edge materials, such as exotic wood and stone-effect ceramic. And we’re following the sustainability trend by creating new production processes based on recovering waste products to make luxurious, eco-friendly closures.

3. Retro and futurist

The words retro and futurist, when put together, sound like a contradiction in terms. But the combination of design elements that echo the past with innovative products can work really well together.

This is just so for Tapì’s Speakeasy range of closures, inspired by the prohibition era of the 1920s. A Speakeasy closure can be a valid starting point for packaging development, from the viewpoint of artisan-style premium spirits. It combines a futuristic design with a touch of vintage flair that results in an extraordinary design to captivate consumers.

4. Sustainability

The next five years will be decisive in understanding the direction that the current climate emergency will take. The behaviours people adopt will be key and awareness about making more sustainable choices for the environment will be critical, both on the part of businesses and consumers. 

Over the last few months, all the operational businesses in the world of beverage packaging design have been busy researching eco-friendly and plastic-free alternatives. In the near future, we expect even more exploration into eco-friendly materials to create easily recyclable packaging as well as innovative production processes, while still maintaining the quality and aesthetic appeal required by the premium and super-premium spirits sector. These concepts have led to the creation of closures – and closure ranges – such as Duo, Mekano and Abor.

5. Transparent packaging

Using transparent bottles so that the product’s colour can be shown off, is a trend that is already extremely popular in the beauty and skin-care sector. We expect a strong surge in this trend during this year, even in food and drink packaging. It’s a winning idea that lets the brand adopt a more minimal approach to their packaging design processes. But it also allows them to put the product at the centre of the customer experience without compromising on its visual impact.

6. Well-structured layout

This trend in beverage packaging design focusses on the way the typography chosen by a brand can be used on a much broader level.

The text is generally made up of a variety of unique, captivating character combinations, separated by clear lines that divide up the space, so it feels clean and balanced, making it easy to read. This approach also gives a sense of structure, which consumers enjoy and allows designers a more minimalist approach to the creation of packaging in its entirety.

On a final note

The items we have included in this list are some of the more common trends for 2020 in the world of beverage packaging design.

If you have a product to launch onto the market – or one to revamp – get in touch for more information about our closures. We, at Tapì, are specialists in the production of T closures for the premium and super-premium sectors. Little jewels to enhance any product they seal.

Contact us to find out more

A one-to-one with the illustrator, Alfred Basha, to explore his style and background

Alfred Basha is an illustrator with a deeply dreamlike perspective who takes his inspiration from wild nature for most of his designs. He has been working with the beverage sector for some time, including some key international collaborative work.

Precisely for this reason, we decided to get to know him better by asking him a few questions about his work.

First of all, thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Who is Alfred? Can you tell the Tapì readers something about yourself?

“My name is Alfred Basha and I was born in 1990, in Kruje. It’s a mountain village steeped in history about 40 km, or 25 miles, from Tirana. I came to Italy with my parents in 2002, when I was 12. And this is where we made our new lives.

I’ve always had a huge passion for design. And because of this, I got a degree in Industrial Product Design from the IUAV University in Venice. Shortly after that I started work in the field, but unfortunately, I realised that it wasn’t really what I really wanted to do with my life.

My life as an illustrator started by chance and while I was at university. Back then I used to make hand-printed t-shirts that I’d designed. And I’d sell them to my friends for a nominal amount to cover my costs. Over time demand began to grow and I started to sell them and ship them to retailers across Italy. That was how Alfred Basha was created – a casual t-shirt brand made with my designs.

After I opened my Instagram page to promote my work, I got an email from the team that run the software platform asking me for an interview to include with others they’d done with emerging artists. It certainly was the breakthrough that I’d been waiting for. Although I’m only self-taught, I got 13,000 more followers overnight. People who were really interested in my drawings and my interpretation. This let me create a space in the art world and it was the springboard for everything that’s happened since.

I am currently on the web, with my own website, and on Instagram – that brought me so much good fortune – and Pinterest. This is where I get the majority of my requests for work from the beverage world.”

When did you get involved in the beverage world? And why? What was your first commission for the sector and what else have you or are you currently working on?

“My first piece of work in the beverage sector was about 3 years ago, in 2017. The multinational Boon Rawd Brewery from Thailand that’s famous for its Shinga beer contacted me as it was about to launch Snowy Weizen. It’s an innovative wheat beer in its market segment and they wanted one of my illustrations to print on the can. After some careful discussion, they chose an image of a bear – one of my most well-known and most-liked designs. This experience opened up a new world for me and more work requests came in. I’ve done work for some wine producers from the Napa Valley, in California for some specific customisations on their products. And I’ve worked with other wine companies and with Hine, one of the oldest Cognac producers. I’m currently developing a project that’s demanding and inspiring – it’s the coordination and design for the production of labels for a new range of alcohol-free distillates for a brand in California.

When you take on a new project, what are the different phases? From the brief to the finished article.

“The phases are quite linear and most often I follow a specific process. Firstly, it’s so important to have a dialogue with the customer with the aim of defining a brief covering the key points as well as understanding exactly what they need for the finished product.

Once I’ve received the keywords to focus on, I begin by doing some online and offline research – mostly in vintage illustrated books. This helps me to find so much more inspiration to get on with the work. When I’ve got an idea, I begin making some sketches that I’ll then take to the customer. We then single out the sketch that I’ll develop to finish the design and make the final illustration by adding in all the details.”

Most of your illustrations are linked to wild nature – what does that mean to you?

“Really, wild nature is the direction I wanted to take on Instagram to make a name for myself. As I said earlier, I’m self-taught and I like to experiment and move towards various styles and techniques. That way I can be as versatile as possible, and I can create on paper exactly what the customer is looking for. And it’s just for this reason that I’m thinking of redesigning my website to show off my versatility – or at least part of it.

The idea of showing only images connected to nature on Instagram came from my desire to get myself into a specific world. With my Albanian roots and coming from a mountainous landscape, I sometimes feel the instinct to depict the place where I was born and the animals that live there. Bears, hawks and wolves – all of them wild, free and owe nothing to anyone. What I love about them is that they’re not slaves to life and the system we inhabit. When I draw these images on paper, for me it means hurling myself into another world that represents absolute freedom.”

If you could take on a new collaborative work in the beverage world, which product would you like to experiment with? And why?

“I’d like to have look at the world of spirits. It’s a context that’s very similar to the one I am working in, in terms of creativity, stylistic research and product storytelling. Spirits have a strong taste, a bit like nature, and for me that’d be a real challenge.

Going into the detail, I have always wanted to work alongside a brand to develop images for a liqueur or a grassy or spiced bitter drink. Something with deep flavours that marry well with my passion and nature.”

 

As Tapì is part of the food supply chain, we must keep going. This is how we are dealing with the state of emergency linked to Novel Coronavirus

It’s tough, inevitably tough – and pointless to deny it. There’s the daily glimmer of hope offered by the number of new infections reported by the Italian Civil Protection Agency in their 6pm national address. We always hope that the number of new COVID-19 cases has reduced, as well as the number of deaths caused by this invisible enemy that’s being fought by our nation with all its might.

Then, there’s you, our Customers, who call us every day to find out how things stand. We are touched by your concern for us and we thank you so much for your support.

The news bulletins, newspapers and social networks talk about companies and businesses in crisis, about Italy and its national brand and who knows when it might be re-established at this difficult time. But wait, it’s not just the Novel Coronavirus that bringing us to our knees, it’s everything related to it.

Before the virus spread through Europe and across the world, we, like China, were singled out as ‘spreaders’ and the Made in Italy brand has lost what gave it its power and iconic appeal. Now we are all part of this disaster as the virus has not stopped after spreading through Italy and is now widespread across the globe.

A few days after the media ‘bomb’ exploded but before the implementation of the restrictive regulations for businesses and social distancing, within the Tapì Group we had decided to protect our employees and workers. These people are our lifeblood and they help us to grow day by day and they ensure customer satisfaction. 

Consequently, we have implemented remote working for all employees who work in offices to ensure continuity of order management, request response and usual business administration. 

For our production teams, which must continue working as they are part of the food supply chain, we have provided protective masks, single-use gloves and disinfectant gel for hands and body. With the aim of containing the spread of the virus, we also measure each person’s body temperature every day as they enter our sites. And lastly, we have taken the decision to implement a 24-hour shift pattern to reduce the number of people present on our sites to the absolute minimum.

This virus is crushing us as a nation, but we will not break. For our part, we are doing everything humanly possible to continue to offer our best products and services, while fully adhering to the government’s regulations related to workers’ safety.

However, we want to thank all of you for the warmth and support that you have expressed over the last month. We shall not forget it. *

Roberto Casini – CEO, Tapì Group

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We are sponsors of this year’s World Spirits Conference in London – a discussion forum dedicated to the challenges facing the spirits market

The World Spirits Conference Europe 2020 will be held in the historic location of the Honourable Artillery Company. This event will gather together international leaders in the sector to discuss the commercial opportunities and global challenges facing the industry.

From production to packaging design, not forgetting marketing and sales management. Every single detail of the spirits market supply chain will be analysed, along with the upcoming trends driven by a sector in constant flux.

Tapì, as an event sponsor, will also take part in the World Spirits Conference 2020 along with high-profile global market players. An exciting opportunity to discuss and pick up useful knowledge to predict packaging design trends in the near future.

Find out more

Whisky Live London 2020 is back – a unique experience in an exceptional setting

This year we are sponsors of Whisky Live 2020 – the world’s premier whisky tasting show. Masterclasses and smaller events dedicated to visitors from around the world will take place in the stunning surroundings of the Honourable Artillery Company on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 March.

Producers from various countries will come together to showcase their rare and distinctive whiskies to a select audience. There will be producers from Spain, the USA, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and, of course, Ireland and Scotland – all providing an exclusive sensory experience dedicated to enthusiasts of the vast world of whisky.

We, at the Tapì group, are sponsors of the event to be held at the same time as the World Spirits Conference. This will be a really exciting opportunity for us to meet new prominent players in the premium whisky production market.

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Knowledge and discussion – keywords for Together on top, the third Tapì Global Meeting

Together on top, the third Tapì Global Meeting, was a valuable and heart-felt opportunity for all of us to meet colleagues. It’s important to bring people together when the business is so large and spread globally across many countries. For this reason, it’s valuable to meet up once a year at an official event that lets us plan our company’s future together.

This year we tackled many, varied issues in the delightful Chateau de Cognac, France. We discussed the challenges we are facing, and we shared our knowledge, as well as everyday experiences in how we can reach to top of the market together. We also gave a warm welcome to all the Les Bouchages Delage team, which recently became part of our great Tapì family. And once again we discussed the trends we needed to negotiate and predict the demands of a constantly changing market.

These three days saw a huge amount of collaboration and interaction, supporting the 2020 maxim of: Together on top!

The journey Tapì is undertaking as a business and sustainable closure manufacturer is increasingly eco-friendly.  This is how the 3Rs of sustainability are influencing the world of packaging design

As many research studies have shown, various brands are now moving towards more ethical choices when it comes to the environment. A few years ago, using green and recycled materials in sustainable packaging was perceived as a poor-quality product in the popular imagination, but today it’s a genuine trend across all sectors.

Consumer expectations are the drivers behind this change in perception. Millennials are chiefly responsible as they tend to choose their brands based on social engagement criteria. And more than 66% of customers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.

These statistics tell us that researching sustainable solutions has become an important issue. And meeting the continuously evolving demands of current and potential clients even applies in the beverage market.

Packaging trends: innovative materials and sustainable production processes

Until a while ago, packaging consisted of a collection of barely sustainable items. But more recently, the 3Rs of sustainability model has been under way – a green-thinking concept based on three key words, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The aim of this philosophy is to raise awareness, prevent waste and conserve natural resources.

In the last few years, at Tapì, we have adopted this philosophy to bring improvements to our production processes and to design new sustainable closures to enable the brands that use them to relate their own values.

Reduce

The concept that the first R, Reduce, is founded on is to reduce the amount we produce and consume.

If there’s less wastage, then there’s less to recycle or re-use.

And at Tapì we are working on the basis of this principle. Through even greater commitment to innovative solution research, we are reducing and completely eliminating waste, by using fewer materials that have a negative impact on the surrounding environment.

Reuse

The second R, Reuse, is based on the reuse of components and on giving them new life, or even using them in a different way to the one they were designed for.

We should be trying to create today’s packaging using components and materials which can be re-used over and over again.

Recycle

The third R is for Recycling. This is about the genuine transformation of an asset into a new raw material, that can be shaped into new objects. There really are very few materials that cannot be recycled.

We need to learn which products can be recycled and which ones can’t. Making sure to choose raw materials which can be recycled can be a giant step towards efficient recycling.

Tapì case studies

On this basis, at Tapì, we are launching the Rethink process with the gradual alteration of the company’s vision and by offering innovative, sustainable solutions in packaging design. As a result, our R&D team has developed new products such as Abor and Devin, both based on the Reuse and Reduce concepts. We also have Monoblocco and Duo – entirely recyclable – and Mekano that, as well as being recyclable, helps to prevent waste as it can be used as a solution in many closure contexts.

Request more information on our new eco-friendly products
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