Sappi Europe (sappi.com) reports that the famed House of Besserat de Bellefon, based in Epernay in the Champagne region of France, has chosen to package its crown jewel, Cuvée des Moines, in a presentation case constructed of elegant, bright-white Sappi Algro Design carton board. The challenge was to find an ultra-bright white carton board that could stand up to the process of applying complex finishes, and Algro Design fit the bill perfectly.
Michel Lassalle, head of the luxury market department of Artigrafiche, the Italian leader in packaging for the wine and spirits market, was a key partner for the House of Besserat de Bellefon in choosing the carton board. He says, “Algro Design is set apart by its peerless white surface, and it does not tear even if it is subjected to very deep and multiple embossing operations. It offers a luxury look and feel and is ideal for complex finishing processes.”
Finding the right solution
Lassalle explains that the graphic design for the packaging required a pure white background with a metallic effect, adding, “Since we were using embossing and hot foil, we needed the very best materials to cope with the stress of these finishing processes. Algro Design from Sappi ticked all the boxes. By printing with a matt varnish, we managed to create a natural finish. The extreme smoothness of the Algro Design material also works well with cold foil, which in turn enabled us to use bespoke metallic colours. In addition, the board remains exceedingly stable on the press, which makes it the perfect solution for packaging high-end luxury products like Cuvée des Moines.”
The Besserat de Bellefon approach to sourcing ensures that only the very best parcels of grapes from the best Champagne vineyards are used. That philosophy also extends to the packaging decisions for Cuvée des Moines and other brands within its portfolio. Marine Gantet, brand manager at Besserat de Bellefon, comments, “From the winemaker to the export director, all of the teams share the same philosophy which is based on tradition and sophistication harnessed together to ensure the excellence of our Champagnes. In order to present our bottles in the best light, we needed a presentation case that was up to the standard of its contents. From a graphic design perspective, the key objective was elegance and purity, and we achieved that with the Algro Design solution.”
Lasalle remarks, “The market looks for brands to enhance luxury packaging. This has led to an increasing use of gold foil, cold and hot silver foils and other metallised films in the finishing process. I am delighted with the results achieved for the Besserat de Bellefon packaging. The packaging really enhances these iconic products.”
Gantet sums up by saying, “Sappi is an invaluable partner. With this exceptional packaging for the House’s line of Champagnes, I can only hope that our consumers enjoy experiencing the presentation case as much as they enjoy discovering the Besserat de Bellefon sensation when they taste the wine.”
Since its launch almost a decade ago, Algro Design has been one of the most popular SBB carton board products for the production of high quality premium packaging. A large number of demanding brand owners and packaging converters have recognised that it is the ideal material for high quality and prestige packaging. Algro Design (front side – double coated, reverse side - uncoated) and Algro Design Duo (symmetrically double coated on front & reverse side) both demonstrate brilliantly how Sappi has been able to channel all of its science and expertise into the art of producing cellulose premium solid bleached carton board. Algro Design’s immaculate ultra-bright white finish, very high UV resistance, and silky touch are extremely impressive. Processors who have used Algro Design have consistently proven that ultra-bright white carton board with a high-quality surface finish is the ideal material to ensure consistent excellence in printing and finishing. The evenness of the material surface creates a unified appearance for the packaging, adding significant shelf appeal.
