Cork giant Amorim has launched a new product in a bid to claw back market share from alternative closures.
With sales of screwcaps and synthetic corks estimated to have reached 6.5bn closures annually, the producer aims to win back customers in the high-volume market with its Acquamark cork.
The new cork is a one-piece natural cork sealed with a water-based sealant rather than the solvent based-product traditionally used by cork manufacturers.
Amorim claims this will increase the sealing capacity of the cork as well as prevent any cork particles falling into the wine.
Carlos de Jesus, Amorim's marketing and communiciations director told decanter.com: 'This closure will allow us to be more aggressive in taking marketing share from plastic and some screwcaps. It can undercut plastics by as much as 50%.'
'New technology has allowed us to produce natural whole cork stoppers at price points that were previously unaffordable for wineries,' he added.
Synthetic closure producer Supremecorq claimed it has no concerns about the price point of the new closure.
Simon Waller, vice president global sales, said, 'We are already undercut by cork producers but we are still growing.
'Winemakers are not looking for a cheap closure; they are looking for consistency, reliability and good performance. I think this is more likely to take business from other natural corks but it won't make any difference to us.'
Have your say... To post your comment on this story, email us at news@decanter.com
Amorin continue to miss the point. The reason their product has lower acceptance in not a pricing issue. It is a quality issue ranging from crumbly texture to contamination. Users are exasperated by the several contaminants contained in corks, from TCA to hydrogen peroxide (used over the last 12 years in a misguided attempt to reduce TCA contamination, with the disastrous effect of premature oxidation of the wine). The wine spoilage from these and other chemicals used by cork manufacturers is totally unacceptable.
Cork manufacturers cannot see the forest for the diseased trees and the chemical cloud.
Ken Bignill, Sydney
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