Nomacorc Posts Record Sales Gains

ZEBULON, N.C., Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nomacorc, the leading manufacturer of alternative wine closures, has achieved record sales volumes during the first half of 2011. On the heels of a very successful 2010, Nomacorc also saw more than 10 percent year-over-year global growth during Q1 and Q2 2011. In the United States, sales increased by more than 20 percent over 2010 numbers, improving on a market share that, at the beginning of 2011, already approached 40 percent. The company has attained double-digit growth in 10 out of the last 11 years.

"A number of factors are supporting our business growth in 2011: the strength and growth of brands using Nomacorc, geographic expansion of our product offerings, and industry consolidation," said Nomacorc CEO Lars von Kantzow. "Also, organic growth – fueled by the introduction of our new high-performance Select Series corks, which provide the most sophisticated level of oxygen management to date – has contributed to our continued steady growth."

Recent Nielsen and TradePulse data* supports the positive news about Nomacorc's growth and its presence in wine brands in the U.S. market. Of the top 100 bottled wines (by volume) sold year-to-date:

• Nomacorc closes 51 percent of these wines, representing a strong increase compared with similar numbers in 2010, when Nomacorc closed 42 percent of the top 100 wines. Brands closed by natural cork and screw caps remained flat.
• During July 2011, only 13 wines in the top 100 exceeded 20 percent case volume growth. Ten of these 13 use Nomacorc closures.

Using patented co-extrusion technology, Nomacorc closures provide critical oxygen management support to wines, allowing them to develop as intended by the winemaker. Unlike many other corks, Nomacorcs are easy to extract and reinsert into the bottle without breaking or crumbling.

"Nomacorc closures are favored by winemakers and consumers alike," said Malcolm Thompson, vice president of global marketing and innovation for Nomacorc. "Our closures deliver consistent, taint-free wines and an overall positive experience that allows wines to shine."

Nomacorc closures are fully recyclable (RIC: 4) and can be "upcycled" through a retail recycling program with partner TerraCycle (terracycle.net).

To hear more about Nomacorc's growth from Nomacorc CEO Lars von Kantzow, visit http://bit.ly/pFELuL and http://bit.ly/o2uOyJ.

*Data compiled from Nielsen and TradePulse; data last updated 52 weeks ending July 23, 2011.

About Nomacorc

Nomacorc is a worldwide leader in wine closures and the No. 1 closure brand for still wines in many countries including France, Germany and the United States. Dedicated to technological innovation, Nomacorc manufactures its portfolio of products using a patented co-extrusion process. As a result, Nomacorc closures provide consistent, predictable oxygen management and protect against off-flavors due to oxidation, reduction or cork taint. Nomacorc's 100 percent recyclable products are available through a vast network of distributors and sales agents on six continents. With 500 employees worldwide and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the United States, Belgium and China, Nomacorc produces more than 2 billion closures annually. Working with renowned wine research institutes worldwide, the company leads the wine closure industry in fundamental and applied research into oxygen management in wine. For more information, visit nomacorc.com or follow Nomacorc on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Nomacorc