GOALS

Our primary objectives are to:

  • Further the scientific understanding of the technical performance and environmental impact of Bag-in-Box® (BIB) packaging systems in order to improve the product offered to the final consumer.
  • Disseminate, throughout the entire supply chain, scientifically established knowledge accumulated through the non-profit Association Performance BIB and other sources.
  • Offer technical problem-solving services.

BIB BENEFITS

As many wine consumers have already discovered, BIB:

  • Offers a wide range of high-quality appellation and varietal wines
  • keeps wine fresh for several weeks after opening the package. This is made possible because as wine is poured from a filled BIB the flexible film collapses around the wine under the effect of gravity and no air enters during the pouring process.
  • Encourages responsible drinking since there is no stress to finish the entire package quickly.
  • Has a very low carbon footprint.
  • Is a lightweight package made from 75% cardboard, that is totally recyclable.
  • Is convenient to transport and store and easy to use.
  • Is well adapted to outdoor activities.
  • Lends itself to sharing and fun.

Click here [832KB PDF] to download “Re-think BIB” document providing a description of the essential advantages of BIB packaging for wine.

“BIB Benefits” video

SCIENCE

Our primary scientific focus has included:

  • Quantifying the impact of the primary parameters that determine BIB wine shelf-life, including the type of wine, amounts of SO2, microbiological stability, headspace and dissolved oxygen, gas barrier of the initial package, filling and logistics inflicted damage to the package and storage temperatures.
  • Establishing good practices for BIB filling, transport and storage
  • Standardizing test methods for BIB packaging
  • Understanding package/product interactions including the passage of both desirable and undesirable aromas and other molecules from the package into the beverage and from the beverage into the package.
  • Estimating the environmental impact of BIB and other package systems and determining areas of improvement, including the recyclability of the plastic BIB bag and tap.

To download the above documents and other references please go to the documents section.

DOCUMENTS

SERVICES

Although the primary focus is on wine BIBs, we also offer technical services to those working in the packaged fruit juice, water and post-mixed soft drinks industries. The main service offered is problem solving when there is a quality issue.

Common quality issues include insufficient BIB shelf-life, off-odours or tastes and leakers.

We offer our services to brand owners, BIB filling centres and retail chains but not typically to BIB package or filling machine manufacturers.

If the purpose of the request is simply to try to get someone else pay for a quality issue with little respect for truth or if there is not a willingness to share samples and information openly, we are not the right people to contact.

If on the other hand there is a sincere eagerness to seek out root cause and practical solutions we can contribute as long as there is still enough evidence to work with. This usually implies getting involved very soon after the problem is first identified.

In order to determine if we think that we might be able to help, please send us a clear definition of the problem that we will treat with utmost confidentiality.

If we have the time available we will send an indication of what needs to be done and a rough estimate of costs.

CONTACT

Although other qualified individuals may be called on to help solve BIB related quality problems, the primary contact for these services is Patrick Shea who was raised in Minnesota (USA) and lives in a small village near Montpellier, France.

Patrick’s university background was Food and Agricultural Sciences (BSc, MSc) & Economics (PhD). He has worked as an academic researcher (London University) and teacher (University of Montpellier), a manager of a winery and as Chief Scientist for Vitop, part of the Smurfit Kappa Group.

Since 2020 Patrick has been working as an independent in close association with others having many years of practical experience solving problems related to insufficient BIB beverage shelf-life, off-odours or tastes, leakers and other issues.

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