In a landmark move for sustainable packaging in India, Goa’s Rhea Distilleries will become the first Indian brand to adopt the Frugal Bottle – the world’s first commercially available paper bottle – for its award-winning Fidalgo Premium Cashew Feni, a cashew apple brandy, which will make it the first paper bottle to be sold in India.
This pioneering initiative is the result of a ground-breaking partnership between UK-based packaging innovators Frugalpac, ITC’s Packaging and Printing Business, and Goan premium spirits producer Rhea Distilleries.
The Fidalgo Premium Cashew Feni bottle will debut in select markets in Goa later this year, showcasing the potential of sustainable alternatives in one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits markets.
The Frugal Bottle, developed by Frugalpac, is made from 94% recycled paperboard and with a food-grade liner to contain the liquid. It is five times lighter than glass, with a carbon footprint up to six times lower. Designed for easy recycling, the paper shell can be separated from the liner and disposed of through existing waste streams.
This initiative aligns with India’s growing commitment to reduce plastic and glass waste and support circular economy practices in packaging.
By replacing traditional glass bottles with with the unique paper ones provided by Frugalpac along with ITC, Rhea Distillery aims to significantly cut the carbon emissions associated with its packaging and transport.
Frugalpac’s entry into the Indian market is being facilitated through a strategic partnership with ITC, one of India’s largest and most respected companies with deep expertise in paper and packaging solutions. In addition to the supply of bottles, the collaboration will look to indigenize the liner and the paperboard and explore commissioning Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines (FBAMs) in India, helping scale up production for the South Asian drinks market and reduce logistical emissions.
Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh said: “This is a pivotal moment for sustainable packaging in India. Partnering with ITC and Rhea Distillery not only brings an iconic Goan spirit to market in an eco-friendly bottle, it also sets the stage for a broader transformation across the drinks industry.
“Whilst in India, we also had very promising meetings with other well-known drinks brands keen to make the move from glass to our paper Frugal Bottles. The demand for lighter and more sustainable beverage bottles is certainly there, and we look forward to helping many drinks brands move from glass to paper.”
Mr Cherian Kenneth Thomas, CEO of ITC’s Packaging and Printing Business said: “We’re excited to work with Frugalpac to bring their paper bottle to India and Rhea Distillery’s Cashew Feni will be the first of many to come to the Indian market in the Frugal Bottles.
This partnership reflects ITC’s shared ambition and commitment to partner with environmentally conscious brands driving change in India”
Regan Henriques, Director of Rhea Distilleries added: “Feni is a spirit deeply rooted in Goa’s cultural and agricultural heritage, is poised for a modern reinvention through this sustainable packaging initiative.
By using the paper Frugal Bottle, Rhea Distillery is blending tradition with innovation to appeal to a new generation of eco-conscious consumers both in India and globally.
We’re proud that we will be the first to bottle feni in a paper bottle. Feni has a long legacy, and this launch symbolises our commitment to preserving the planet for the next generation.”
Cashew Feni, a unique fruit brandy from Goa, is made from ripe cashew apples. The fruit is crushed, fermented in small batches, then double distilled in copper pots. With a fruity aroma, it’s filtered, bottled at 42.8% ABV, and stored in excise warehouses before reaching consumers.
India’s alcohol industry size is estimated to be worth US$ 55 billion. Frugalpac and ITC aim to appeal to Indian consumers who are now increasingly concerned about sustainability.
The collaboration underpins ITC’s Sustainability 2.0 agenda, which aims to support sustainable livelihoods, pursue newer ways to fight climate change, enable the transition to a net zero economy, work towards ensuring water security for all and create an effective circular economy for post-consumer packaging waste.
About Frugalpac
Frugalpac Limited is a British sustainable packaging company developing a range of innovative sustainable packaging products. It creates and supplies recycled paper-based products with the lowest carbon footprint that are easily recycled again.
In 2020, it launched the Frugal Bottle, the world’s first and only commercially available paper bottle for wines and spirits, with a carbon footprint 84% lower than a glass bottle.
All Frugalpac products are made from at least 90% recycled paper, are easily recyclable again and have the lowest carbon footprint compared with conventional and compostable packaging. They also create and sell the machines that make their paper products.
Frugalpac, which won SME of the Year at the UK Green Business Awards and a King’s Award for Enterprise, has secured £23.5m in funding, £10m since 2019.
www.frugalpac.com
About Rhea Distilleries
Situated in the picturesque village of Nuvem with the fresh spring waters of the river Sal flowing through it, Rhea Distilleries was founded by the Late Antonio Jose Henriques and is the oldest operating distillery in Goa today.
The passion for the Traditional Goan drink Feni led Mr. A.J. Henriques to produce famous brands like Fidalgo Cashew Feni and Old Barrel Coconut Feni very well known among the Goans within Goa and abroad.
The same zest and passion for feni is seen in his older son Regan Henriques who now manages Rhea Distilleries, a family run business.
Regan, a certified distiller from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling is a founder member of the Goa Cashew Feni Association and has been instrumental in cashew Feni getting a Geographical Identification (GI).
www.rheadistilleries.in