Stories
In bars and restaurants, there is a growing need to precisely control beverage costs while improving quality for guests. Wine on tap offers convincing advantages in this respect, as it is more efficient and economical than traditional bottled wine.
A study from Switzerland shows: Switching from serving wine in bottles to wine KEGs can save an average of around 20% of costs per litre of wine.
The savings result from reduced packaging and labour costs, lower logistics costs and minimal losses when serving wine. This article explains exactly how these benefits are realised and why KEGs are an economical solution.
Anyone considering switching to KEG bottling will want to know whether the changeover is economically viable. A detailed comparison between bottled drinks and wine KEGs clearly shows why the latter is a cost-effective alternative. Savings are mainly made in two areas: Packaging and labour costs.
Acquisition and packaging costs at a glance
When serving wine in bottles, considerable costs are incurred for bottles, labels, corks and outer packaging. This results in relatively high packaging costs per litre of wine, which ultimately reduce the profit per glass in the catering trade.
According to a Swiss study, the use of KEGs reduces these costs by around 20%. In concrete terms, this means that a 20-litre wine KEG contains the same amount of wine as around 27 standard bottles (0.75 litres), but only requires a single reusable container.
The result is a considerable saving on materials and packaging - with clearly measurable effects on the overall cost structure of a business.
Labour costs: less effort thanks to KEGs
In addition to packaging material, labour costs also have a decisive influence on profitability when serving wine. Bottles have to be stored, opened, uncorked and disposed of - activities that are largely eliminated when using KEGs.
The Swiss study mentioned above confirms this: Eliminating bottle handling reduces labour costs by an average of 17%. Employees spend less time on storage and disposal tasks, allowing them to concentrate more on service.
The reduced workload leads to measurable cost benefits and more efficient processes throughout the catering business.
In addition to pure cost savings in terms of materials and personnel, KEG filling offers additional logistical advantages that have a long-term impact on overall costs.
Stainless steel KEGs are particularly impressive due to their robustness, compact shape and stackability. Compared to bottles, they are much easier to store and transport.
While wine bottles are fragile and must be stored in special crates, KEGs can be easily stacked, which significantly reduces storage space requirements.
The Swiss Institute of the Lausanne Hotel School determined that wine KEGs require up to 85% less storage space than the equivalent amount of bottles. Less storage space not only saves costs, but also simplifies logistics considerably.
In addition, stainless steel KEGs are robust and there is virtually no risk of breakage. Whereas broken glass bottles often lead to avoidable additional costs, these losses are almost completely eliminated with stainless steel kegs.
Furthermore, the robustness and ease of handling of KEGs make daily work easier – employees can move the kegs more quickly and safely. All these logistical advantages add up to noticeable cost savings in the long term and simplify operational processes.
Note: Stainless steel KEGs save up to 85% of storage space and effectively prevent breakage. This reduces overall costs in the long term.
| Cost factor | Bottle dispensing | Wine KEG (Stainless steel) | Savings through KEGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packaging costs | High (bottles, corks, labels, boxes) | Low (one container for 20 litres of wine) | approx. 20% less |
| Personnel costs (Handling) | High (storage, opening, disposal) | Low (faster, easier handling) | approx. 17% less |
| Storage space | High (space for crates and bottles) | Low (stackable, compact) | up to 85% less |
| Risk of glass breakage | High | Very low (robust stainless steel container) | virtually no losses |
Another significant cost advantage of wine KEGs is the precise portioning of the quantities served. Traditional bottle service often results in unwanted waste: opened bottles spoil quickly and excess wine must be disposed of regularly.
According to an analysis by the Lausanne Hotel Management School, opened wine bottles have a shelf life of only 2–3 days.
This means that every drop of wine that is not sold within this short period of time results in a direct financial loss.
In contrast, the KEG system ensures significantly longer freshness thanks to an integrated protective atmosphere, for example nitrogen.
Wine remains fresh and of high quality in stainless steel KEGs for up to four months. This allows restaurateurs to serve their guests perfect wine at all times without having to accept losses due to spoiled products. In addition, the precise dispensing technology allows each portion to be served with millilitre accuracy.
This prevents over-pouring and makes it possible to calculate the cost of goods precisely. This increased efficiency significantly improves the profitability of the beverage offering.
Note: Thanks to precise portioning and long shelf life, the KEG system drastically reduces serving losses and improves cost calculation.
Sustainability pays off: less packaging waste and lower CO₂ emissions The use of stainless steel KEGs not only has a positive impact on direct costs in catering businesses, but also significantly improves the environmental balance. Traditional glass bottles generate considerable amounts of packaging waste, as each bottle must be recycled or disposed of after a single use. Switching to stainless steel KEGs drastically reduces this waste: as described above, a 20-litre wine KEG replaces around 27 wine bottles, saving around 17 kg of packaging material per fill. Calculated over a year, this means that an average restaurant can avoid several tonnes of packaging waste. Added to this is the reduced carbon footprint: according to studies, the CO₂ emissions of a stainless steel KEG are around 42% lower than those of wine bottles. Over its entire service life, a stainless steel KEG even causes up to 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. These savings make investing in kegs particularly attractive in the long term – both from an ecological and an economic point of view. Stainless steel kegs are fully recyclable A decisive factor in the high environmental friendliness of stainless steel kegs is their complete recyclability. Stainless steel can be melted down and reused almost indefinitely without any loss of quality. This creates a closed material cycle that conserves resources and significantly reduces environmental impact in the long term. Switching to stainless steel KEGs therefore means not only short-term cost savings, but also sustainable business practices for the future.
Schäfer offers high-quality stainless steel KEGs that are specially tailored to the needs of the catering industry.
The KEGs impress with their robustness, ease of use and high cost-effectiveness. Catering businesses benefit from a reliable system that not only saves costs but also protects the environment in the long term.
How long does wine stay fresh in KEGs?
Wine stays fresh for up to four months in stainless steel KEGs thanks to the use of a protective atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen). Opened bottles, on the other hand, lose a significant amount of their quality after just 2–3 days.
Are stainless steel KEGs also suitable for high-quality wines?
Yes, high-quality wines benefit particularly from stainless steel KEGs, as the system prevents oxygen from entering. The quality remains consistently high, which is particularly advantageous for premium wines.
How quickly does the investment in KEGs pay for itself?
The investment in KEGs usually pays for itself within 6 to 12 months in the catering industry. The decisive factors here are savings in packaging, personnel, logistics and reduced serving losses.
