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Viva la difference! Winemaker Wins 2009 WorldStar Award with Lightweight, Sustainable PET Bottles from Constar


Being different proved to be a winner for French winemaker Boisset Family Estates. The World Packaging Organization has awarded Constar International a 2009 WorldStar Award, the international packaging industry’s most prestigious honor, for a lightweight, sustainable 750ml PET wine bottle for Boisset Family Estates’ 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau.

The annual competition drew nearly 300 entries from around the world. Boisset Family Estates’ Beaujolais Nouveau PET bottle from Constar was one of 11 winners selected from the United States. Formal presentation of the WorldStar Awards took place in Sri Lanka in November 2009. In 2008, the Institute of Packaging Professionals recognized Boisset Family Estates' Beaujolais Nouveau PET bottle from Constar with an Ameristar Award as the top beverage package of 2008.

Commenting on the WorldStar Award, Constar CEO and President Mike Hoffman said, “It is
very gratifying to be recognized by the global packaging industry with this award. Boisset Family Estates is truly a leader in sustainable winemaking and packaging. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with Jean-Charles Boisset (Boisset's president) on this package. Early on, he recognized the sustainability advantages afforded by our advanced oxygen scavenging technology for PET containers. The result is a bottle that meets Boisset Family Estates' goals of sustainability, product protection and overall consumer experience.”

This is the second year in a row Constar has earned a prestigious WorldStar Award. In 2008, the company took top honors for a monolayer PET bottle with DiamondClear® oxygen scavenging technology for Hunt's® Ketchup.

Winners of the WorldStar Awards are selected as international standards of packaging excellence. Boisset Family Estates, which has vineyards in France and California, is recognized for its progressive, sustainable approach to wine making and packaging. It chose a lightweight PET bottle with Constar's MonOxbar® oxygen scavenging technology for its 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine it traditionally air freights around the world in November. The move was made to significantly reduce package weight, and in turn, reduce its carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions and freight costs.

At first glance, the PET bottles are nearly identical to glass. However, these lightweight plastic vessels are an environmental and consumer "home run." According to Boisset Family Estates, a case of wine in glass bottles weighs 38 pounds. In plastic, a case weighs just 22 pounds, a weight savings of more than 40 percent. Boisset Family Estates passed the lower freight costs on to fans of its Beaujolais Nouveau wines. The vineyard's 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau in PET bottles retailed for $12.99 rather than the $13.99 and $14.99 previously charged for the wine in glass bottles.

The PET bottles with Constar's MonOxbar® technology assure wine lovers of the anticipated vivacious flavor of the Beaujolais Nouveau. MonOxbar keeps oxygen from permeating PET bottle walls, thereby protecting the flavor, aroma, and deep, rich color of the wine. MonOxbar in monolayer PET bottles delivers superior protection to oxygen-sensitive foods and beverages.

The Boisset Family Estates' Beaujolais Nouveau PET bottles are shatterproof and include a convenient screw cap for anytime, anywhere consumption..  The lighter weight also translates to more convenient portability.  Consumers can now take wine along to concerts, sporting events and other outdoor venues where glass bottles are prohibited.  Once the contents are enjoyed, the PET bottles can be dropped into a curbside recycling bin, collected, and recycled into a wide range of new products such as packaging, sleeping bags and clothing.

About Constar International Inc.  

Philadelphia, Penn.-based Constar International Inc. (OTC: CNRN.PK) is a leading global producer and supplier of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic containers and preforms for food and beverages. The Company provides full-service packaging solutions, from product design and engineering, to ongoing customer support and material licensing agreements.  Its customers include many of the world's leading branded consumer products companies. Visit www.constar.net.

About the World Packaging Organization
The World Packaging Organization is a non-profit, non-governmental, international federation of national and regional packaging institutes, association, corporations, and trade association. Its members are committed to improving the quality of life through better packaging to more people. The World Packaging Association is included on the roster of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The WorldStar Competition is one of its major global events. For more information, visit www.worldpackaging.org.
Source:  CONSTAR (www.constar.net)

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