CIRCO Hub Portugal’s team organized a Track on circular business models, targeting the wine packaging value chain. They did so in cooperation with the Alentejo Regional Winegrowing Commission, in Portugal.
The initiative was integrated in the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme, initiated in 2013. It is a pioneer, free and voluntary programme in Portugal, aiming to provide its members with a tool to assess the current state of their activities and give recommendations for using best practices to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of Alentejo wines. esides focusing on the viticulture and/or cellar, the programme promotes sustainable practices in the field of packaging, to which the outcome of the CIRCO Track was perceived as a valuable input.
The Track was successfully concluded with the participation of 8 companies from the wine packaging value chain: a glass bottles producer, wine producers, a large retailer, a design studio and a printing company that produces labels and cardboard packaging. Such a value chain approach allowed for very fruitful discussions and the development of circular solutions with the potential collaboration of different participants.
After the conclusion of the Track, a follow-up event took place at the premises of Casa Relvas wine producer in S. Miguel de Machede, in collaboration with LNEG. 38 participants attended the workshop, which programme included presentations on circular design of packaging, the CIRCO method and project in Portugal, the main results of the track and testimonials of members of the Sustainability Programme, including Esporão, one of the wine producers that attended the CIRCO Track. Of course the Track ended with a winetasting.