When In Rome, the UK’s leading alt format wine producer has partnered with Nimbility to expand their markets in APAC and build their brand across the region. As sustainability and environmentally friendly options are becoming all the more important in the eyes of consumers across APAC, this is perfect timing for brands offering these choices and When In Rome is excellently positioned to take advantage of the growing interest within this segment of the market.

“Nimbility has an enviable track record in helping premium drink brands succeed in APAC, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them,” says Rob Malin, CEO and Co-Founder of When in Rome. “We’re convinced that APAC retailers and consumers alike will respond well to the combination of quality, genuine Italian provenance and sustainability that the WiR brand represents.”

When In Rome was born when Rob Malin, Andrea Marchesi and Lorenzo Canali met in Milan and decided to bring the joy of drinking wines the way the Italians do to the world in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. Their aim is to make wine drinking as sustainable and accessible as possible for everyone which is why they use alt formats for their wine as opposed to traditional glass bottles. These currently include bag-in-box, cans and flat bottle formats.

Formed in 2015, they have grown quickly in the UK selling to major retailers such as Waitrose and Ocado, local independent wine shops and the on-trade. They have been widely featured in all of the national UK newspapers – The Sun, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent – for their efforts in driving awareness around sustainability and providing more eco-friendly choices for consumers.

Approximately 40% of the wine industry’s emissions globally are caused by single use glass bottles. When in Rome is on a mission to change that! All their wines are sold in eco-friendly packaging that generates up to x10 less C02 than single use glass bottles. The production, transportation and packaging of wine accounts for the vast majority of a producer’s carbon footprint. Accordingly, When In Rome’s environmental principles are focused on these areas:

1. Production. They produce a small range of mainly Italian varietals for their different formats sourced from sourced from small, independent producers in Italy, most of whom are family owned and run for generations and are therefore environmental stewards by definition. When in Rome actively work with their producers to reduce their environmental impact such as using solar power, reducing water usage and avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

2. Transportation. Wherever possible they transport by train or ship. The shape and weight of boxed or canned wine also means they can move more than double the volume per pallet which implies a 50% reduction in transport volume (and cost).

Packaging. They only sell in eco-friendly packaging – alternative format packaging that has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to glass bottles. They work closely with their packaging suppliers to make continual improvements to further reduce C02 generation and other forms of pollution.

To ensure they maintain their environmental principles, help them understand their environmental impact in more detail and further reduce the negative environmental impact of their business, When In Rome works with two external, independent partners – Carbon Cloud and Ecotricity.

In addition to having a positive impact on the planet, When In Rome’s packaging offers multiple benefits to today’s modern consumers. Bag-In-Box and canned formats are excellent formats for protecting wine quality. They are vacuum sealed to maintain quality and freshness and there are no issues with cork taint or light damage. In addition, they are light, compact packaging formats that are more practical for day trips, picnics, camping and parties. What’s more, cans provide high quality wine at a more accessible price point and are a great size if you don’t want to drink a whole bottle!

“We are really excited to be introducing When In Rome to potential buyers in APAC,” says Polly Aylwin-Foster, Nimbility Founding Partner. “It is more and more important that we address sustainability in the wine industry and while we know it will take time to adopt we can really see younger consumers taking to alternative packaging options such as cans which are the perfect size and weight to carry around and drink on the go. With their attractive branding and great story When In Rome is well positioned to take advantage of these trends.”

Nimbility will be introducing When In Rome to prospective buyers from February.

For more information about When In Rome in APAC, please contact info@nimbilityasia.com

UK’s Leading Alt Format Wine Producer When In Rome Partners With Nimbility For APAC Expansion