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Limited-edition label scores a home run

Beam Suntory works with promotional product development company to create a limited-edition label for Effen Vodka that celebrates the spirits maker’s partnership with the Chicago Cubs.

Supremia’s new Lawrenceville, NJ, facility includes a 2,500-sq-ft package design center.
Supremia’s new Lawrenceville, NJ, facility includes a 2,500-sq-ft package design center.

In 2017, in a “history-making pairing,” according to Chicago-based sprits company Beam Suntory, it became the Official Spirits Partner of 2016 World Series champions the Chicago Cubs, with Beam Suntory’s Effen Vodka named the Official Vodka of Wrigley Field, the home of the Cubs.

Said Beam Suntory CEO Matt Shattock at the time of the announcement, “This dynamic partnership underscores our focus on the City of Chicago, our company’s new hometown [since 2016], and our broader efforts to be where our consumers work and play. After a truly historic World Series, we’re thrilled to be the Official Spirits Sponsor of the 2016 World Series Champions and can’t wait to make history with Cubs fans for years to come.”

To celebrate the news, the spirits maker turned to promotional product development company Supremia International—a partner since Suntory’s purchase of Jim Beam in 2014—to help create a limited-edition co-branded package for Effen. An ultra-premium vodka, Effen is known for its slim, sophisticated clear-glass bottle and unique vinyl sleeve label.

“The team thought it would be an excellent way to commemorate the iconic partnership between the Cubs and Effen Vodka, by customizing and offering a limited-edition bottle with a co-branded Cubs sleeve,” explains Jessica Warwick, Vice President of Sales at Supremia.

In fall 2017, Beam Suntory released the package with custom label to Chicago and surrounding markets. The bottle met with such great response that a second iteration was released in April 2018, just in time for the Cubs’ home opener.

Company adds unique packaging elements

Supremia International – The Premiums Company was founded in 1981 in London and now has offices across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In early 2018, the company relocated its U.S. site from Plainsboro to Lawrenceville, NJ, to a new 10,000-sq-ft facility.

Supremia describes itself as a “one-stop shop for promotional marketing and packaging solutions,” specializing in the food and beverage—premium spirits and beer, in particular­—and health and beauty sectors. Its capabilities range from premiums, gift with purchase, primary and secondary packaging, value-added packaging (VAP), and custom projects, such as custom labels, caps, and bottle embellishments. Explains Warwick, “Supremia has accrued a comprehensive suite of services that includes design, printing, account management, sourcing, quality assurance, logistics, and final delivery of a wide range of luxury merchandise for renowned, global brands.”

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