When it comes to wine, more people are embracing the box — Bota Box, that is. The premium boxed wine brand not only took home three Growth Brands Awards this year, but it also enters the Growth Brands Hall of Fame.
That means that it’s won 15 Growth Brands Awards since The Beverage Information Group started the program in 1997. In fact, Bota Box has missed just one year of growth since the 2009 Growth Brands, in 2022, and it bounced back the following year to earn a Comeback Brand Award with more than 12.2 million 9-liter cases sold.
Bota Box Breeze, a line extension launched in 2021 that’s lower in calories, carbohydrates and alcohol, also won a Rising Star award this year. Bota Box Mini, a 500-ml. Tetra-Pak format launched in 2012, won a Fast Track award.
How has Bota Box managed to keep up the growth? Parent company Delicato Family Wines, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024, is “100% focused on quality with Bota Box,” says marketing director Andrew Blok.
“One of the big shifts was during the pandemic, when consumers were going to the store less often,” he notes. This inspired them to try the large-format Bota Box, and when they did they were surprised by the quality.
It also helps that acceptance of the 3-liter boxes of wine has risen over the years, compared to when Bota Box launched in 2003. The bag-in-a-box packaging was used for wines in Europe but not really in the U.S., Blok says.
Negative perceptions about boxed wines have dissipated as well, adds Blok. “Younger people in particular like the value, quality and eco-friendliness of Bota Box.”
Earth-Friendly Appeal
Delicato created Bota Box in the spirit of the traditional Spanish wine skin known as a “Bota” used to carry wine for centuries. The Bota bag became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with outdoor enthusiasts and eco-conscious consumers who wanted to bring wine without the weight, waste and inconvenience of glass bottles.
Made at Delicato’s certified sustainable winery in California, Bota Box is available in 3-liter and 1.5-liter BPA free Mylar bags in 100% recyclable boxes and in 500-ml Tetra Paks. The packaging produces 96% less landfill waste compared to the equivalent volume of wine in glass bottles, Blok says.
Bota Box wines include cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, dry rosé, pinot noir, merlot, old vine zinfandel, riesling and a Redvolution red wine blend. Nighthawk by Bota showcases bolder and richer expressions of the top varietals including rum barrel red wine blend, bourbon barrel cabernet sauvignon and others.
High quality, Good Value
In addition to quality product in signature packaging, value is a key tenet for Bota Box, Blok says. This is particularly important now, when many people — especially younger consumers — have less discretionary income.
Each 3-liter box contains the equivalent of four bottles of wine and lasts four weeks. The boxes offer about 20 glasses of wine (5-oz.) pours, at the equivalent of just $5 a bottle.
It’s an eco-friendly and economical format for parties, picnics, tailgating, etc. And for on-premise operators, “Bota Box provides good value and great margins: It’s a brand that consumers trust,” says Blok.
How will the company continue to grow the Bota Box brand? It’s all about listening to customers, Blok says. “We’re always working to meet consumers’ needs.”
