Eco wine brand honors Earth Day with progress towards their 1 billion bottle goal.
April 19, 2024 Los Angeles, CA Mission-driven winery, The Hidden Sea, is pleased to report they have removed 26 million plastic bottles from the ocean to date, working towards their goal of removing one billion plastic bottles by 2030. The brand has committed that for every one bottle sold of The Hidden Sea wine, ten plastic bottles are removed and recycled from the ocean.
With their mission launched in July 2021, The Hidden Sea was founded to honor ocean heritage and make a positive, verifiable impact on the planet. The brand is independently owned by co-founders Richie Vandenberg and Justin Moran and is crafted from the Limestone Coast of South Australia. The name, ‘The Hidden Sea’ is a tribute to the Limestone Coast, which was once covered by the Great Southern Ocean some 30 million years ago. The whale on the label honors the region’s ocean heritage and the fact that still to this day full size fossilized whale bones can be found in caves beneath vineyards in the Limestone Coast, making the region a world heritage listed site. The wine brand is committed to saving the Earth’s oceans from plastic and has made this the core purpose and give-back movement for the company. The mission is trackable via a QR code on every bottle.
Co-Founder and CEO Richie Vandenberg, a 4th generation grape grower from the Limestone Coast noted, “More than 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. Together we can make a difference and bring awareness to this global issue. Our work is as much about making a tangible difference via clean-ups as it is about education.”
He continued, “Consumers are making more deliberate, socially conscious, and meaningful choices in everything they purchase. We are doing all we can to make it easy for consumers to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. They select The Hidden Sea to support our mission, which provides that sense of purpose but at the end of the day the wine must absolutely stand up and above all else taste great. To that end I’m very proud of my team’s work producing premium quality wine.”
About the mission
This is a mission to help educate and address the issue of plastics in the oceans. For every one bottle sold of The Hidden Sea, they ensure ten plastic bottles are removed and recycled from the ocean, with a goal of reaching one billion plastic bottles by 2030. To formalize and measure the progress, The Hidden Sea partnered with The ReSea Project, as well as having launched a collaboration called ‘The Billion Bottle Clean-Up’ with Zero Co from Australia. To date they have removed and recycled 26 million plastic bottles. The QR code on each bottle allows anyone to track The Hidden Sea’s progress to date.
Co-Founder, Justin Moran, emphasized, “We can’t reach our goal alone. This has been and continues to be a group effort with consumers, market partners, brand ambassadors, retailers, and distributors.”
About the region & wines
The Limestone Coast region in South Australia is known for its maritime climate and rich soils with mineral nutrients and deep limestone deposits. Grapes are sourced both from family vineyards and local growers which are then crafted into fine wine at the family-owned Coonawarra winery, by winemaker Leisha Munro. Each of The Hidden Sea wines are certified sustainable and vegan friendly. The Hidden Sea partnered with Climate Active in Australia and is licensed carbon neutral on all wines. The Hidden Sea range in the US market consists of 4 skus, all line-priced at SRP $19.99. The Hidden Sea Chardonnay, The Hidden Sea Rosé, The Hidden Sea Red Blend, and The Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc are available across the USA. Products (thehiddensea.com)
About The Hidden Sea
Co-Proprietors, Richie Vandenberg and Justin Moran. The Hidden Sea is an Australian wine brand from the famed Coonawarra wine region of South Australia along an area called The Limestone Coast. The brand is committed to cool-climate quality and environmental responsibility, crafting exceptional wines, while leaving a positive footprint on the planet. This purpose-driven ethos resonates with a growing band of consumers who prioritize sustainability and authenticity in their purchasing decisions. The Hidden Sea FAQs.
What else does The Hidden Sea do for the environment?
- All wines are carbon neutral
- We are a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia®
- We are a member of the AZPAC Plastic Pact
- We are a member of APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant)
- We invest in SCRP (Southern Cardamom REDD+ Project) as a part of our carbon neutral commitment
- The SCRP is the watershed for the largest undisturbed mangrove forest left in the Gulf of Thailand and provides clean water for more than 3,000,000 Cambodians
- Without the SCRP the watershed and mangrove ecosystem would be destroyed
- Working toward B Corp accreditation
- Glass wine bottles are infinitely recyclable without compromise on quality
- Labels are laser-printed using organic water-based inks, and the colour is burned off in the recycling process
- The Hidden Sea shippers are sourced via fibreboard manufacturers that use sustainable and recyclable materials. We also don’t add any waxing or varnishing to our cartons, so they remain 100% recyclable
