In the context of a cognac market seeing strong growth - Cognac sales increased 30.9% in value to more than €3.6bn in 2021, according to industry body BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac) - Maison Courvoisier (Beam Suntory) has embarked on a packaging revamp. The redesign, which includes its XO, VS and VSOP cognacs, is rolling out globally across its portfolio.
Maison Courvoisier looked to its archives for its new cognac packaging, which is intended as a modern manifestation of Courvoisier’s historic brand codes. The company worked with UK-based Studio Minerva on the redesign, which includes the packaging for its XO, VS and VSOP cognacs.
The XO comes in a bespoke decanter; whose design is inspired by a drop of perfume. “Modeled on our original XO bottle, first launched in 1984, the middle of the decanter has a distinctive teardrop shape with movement incorporated into the sculpture of the glass on the sides to highlight the liquid,” Jon Potter, Managing Director of Maison Courvoisier and House of Suntory at Beam Suntory, tells Luxe Packaging Insight.
Sustainability was a key driver in the revamp, says Potter. “We achieved a lower weight across all of our glassware, which means a reduced CO2 footprint. We've also moved away from plastic closures, to opt for more sustainable materials and made strides towards 100% recyclable packaging* for the full range,” he explains. “For our highest volume SKUs featuring outer packaging we now offer a corrugated cardboard gift box, which maintains quality while reducing weight. Our labels and cartons are all FSC certified.”
Cognac’s continued resilience
When it comes to the cognac market, Potter affirms it has been “incredibly resilient”, almost doubling in value in the last decade. “We see this track record of growth continuing as cognac is projected to grow 50% faster than overall spirits between the 2020-2025 period,” he says.
While cognac accounts for less than 1% of global spirits in volume, it represents around 3% of global spirits in value, highlights Potter. “The market is driven by premium and super-premium brands and products and this is forecast to endure as the appetite for prestige qualities continues to grow globally,” he concludes.
*Maison Courvoisier declined to share the names of its packaging suppliers.
