Kaufland, the German-based retail grocery giant, announced it is sponsoring a unique wine and cork educational program and sweepstakes competition in four of its key hypermarket stores in Ulm, Ravensburg, Neusäß and Königsbrunn, Germany, during the month of March.
“The purpose of this event is to provide our customers with an environmental perspective on natural cork wine closures and how the choices they make do indeed count,” said Pasquale Rizzo, Sales Director for Kaufland. “We also want our customers to understand our commitment to the environmental movement and sustainable business practices.”
Kaufland’s “Wine & Cork” program is being co-sponsored by the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) and the German Cork Association (DKV).
Joaquim Lima, Director for APCOR, says public interest in all aspects of packaging is growing worldwide. “One of the reasons for Kaufland’s educational program is the fact that the use of natural cork as a wine closure is becoming one of many purchasing decisions wine consumers are making. When you lay out the facts there are many compelling reasons to consider natural cork as the closure of choice:
- Cork closures are 100% natural, recyclable and sustainable;
- Cork forests are an important eco-system and stabilizing factor in global warming;
- Mediterranean cork forests cover nearly 2.5 million hectares and are habitat to many rare plants and threatened animal species;
- Cork is the life-blood of local economies throughout the region and sustains over 100 thousand people;
- Cork oaks are not cut down during harvesting. This is important to understand;
- Cork oaks can be harvested every nine years and can live for over 170 years. And last but not least,
- Cork plays an important role in carbon retention. Each of the estimated 12 billion wine corks produced each year can retain about 8 grams of CO2. And, the manufacturing process is more energy efficient than aluminum or other alternative closures.”
In addition to Kaufland’s March “Wine & Cork” promotion, the company has been collecting used natural wine corks for over fifteen years. The corks are then donated to a public utility institution in Kehl-Kork which processes the corks into insulation material.
The grand prize for Kaufland’s March promotion is a trip for two to the heart of the cork forest in Portugal.
Kaufland is a German hypermarket chain with over 750 stores in Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia.
Notes to the Editor
APCOR – Portuguese Cork Association
APCOR’s mission is to represent and promote the Portuguese Cork Industry, with approximately 250 members, representing around 80 percent of the total national cork production and 85 percent of all cork exports. APCOR is also responsible for promotional activities, with added value to cork, on both a national and international scale, providing, in addition, an extensive Information Resource Centre on cork.
For additional information:
Joaquim Lima – Director
Tel. +351 227 474 040
E-mail: realcork@apcor.pt
