The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
Glass prices have risen sharply (Juniper bottles nearly doubled); members are exploring both alternatives and creative sourcing to manage costs and supply security. **Bulk forward-ordering:** - **Saverglass** — members who placed large orders mid-2022 secured decorated bottles through March 2023 onwards, though lead times remain uncertain. This strategy requires capital and risk tolerance but hedges against price spikes. **Alternative materials and decoration:** - **Custom bespoke bottles** — one member is pursuing a blue-glass bottle using their own moulds to eliminate the painting step, reducing downstream decoration costs. - **Clear glass + external decoration** — buying plain clear bottles, then outsourcing decoration (painting and screenprinting) to a third party. **Seaways** was mentioned as a potential decorator partner; members were seeking other bottler-decorator recommendations. **Alternative packaging materials:** - Members note that glass alternatives are emerging (e.g. **Avallen** using alternatives), and wider adoption could drive economies of scale. However, no specific alternative materials or suppliers are detailed in this discussion; members acknowledge "there is nothing quite like" traditional glass for certain product categories. **Caveats:** Supply agreements can still surprise with late changes; forward-ordering requires significant upfront capital commitment. Alternatives remain limited and may not suit all product types or markets (e.g., export to the US and Mexico face separate logistical constraints unrelated to packaging choice alone).