Natural cork is gaining a unified industry voice in the United States. The Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) and the Natural Cork Council (NCC) have recruited 19 American wineries and distilleries to their '100% Cork' educational campaign, which frames the responsible-drinking message around the closure itself: 'Drink Responsibly. Choose a Bottle with a Natural Cork.'

The Operator Roster

Winery partners span California's North Coast to the Pacific Northwest, including Ridge Vineyards, Rombauer Vineyards, Charles Krug, Paul Hobbs, Dry Creek Vineyard, Ehlers Estate, Brassfield Estate, Eleven Eleven, Appassionata Estate / Loosen Bros, Schweiger Vineyards, J. Lohr Vineyards, Hillock & Hobbs, Neal Family Vineyards, Abacela, Airfield Estates, and Master of Wine Jane Masters. On the spirits side, Sagamore Whiskey, Chicken Cock Whiskey, and High West Distillery round out the coalition — a notable signal that cork's sustainability argument is resonating beyond the wine aisle and into premium American whiskey.

"The wine and spirits industries have long recognized natural cork as the closure that best reflects both quality and sustainability," said Paulo Américo Oliveira, President of the Board at APCOR. "We're proud to unite producers from across the United States, encouraging consumers to choose bottles sealed with natural cork and to enjoy them responsibly, celebrating both exceptional craftsmanship and environmental stewardship."

Why It Matters for Operators

For on-premise operators and beverage directors, the campaign adds marketing infrastructure behind a material that many premium producers already use. Natural cork is 100% renewable, recyclable, and sourced from cork oak forests — attributes that increasingly matter to sustainability-minded guests and align with the broader beverage industry push toward eco-conscious packaging. Cork's traditional association with quality cellaring also supports upselling narratives around fine wine and aged spirits programs.

The NCC, a nonprofit whose membership includes leading cork closure suppliers, is a key campaign partner and provides the supply-chain backbone that connects Portuguese production to U.S. bottlers. Campaigns of this kind — pairing responsible-consumption language with a specific packaging material — are relatively rare in the closure category, and the coalition's breadth gives it credibility across both tasting-room and trade audiences.

The Bigger Picture

The closure debate — cork vs. screwcap vs. synthetic alternatives — has quietly intensified as producers weigh quality, cost, and environmental footprint. APCOR's campaign is a direct response to that competitive pressure, deploying producer endorsements and responsible-drinking rhetoric to keep natural cork positioned as the premium, planet-friendly default. For restaurateurs building wine lists or beverage programs that emphasize provenance and sustainability, the 100% Cork coalition offers a ready-made supplier network and co-marketing language.

Industry professionals can track developments in sustainable packaging and closure innovation through our ongoing restaurant beverage program coverage, as well as reporting from our sister publication Food & Beverage Magazine.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.