Virginia Craft Brewers Guild

2021 WestRock Packaging Innovation Challenge

Submit to the 2021 WestRock Packaging Innovation Challenge!

Calling all Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Creatives – We are excited to announce the return of the WestRock Packaging Innovation Challenge! This unique competition allows brewers to blend their creativity with the engineering skills of the WestRock team to design and produce some of the most innovative packaging in the industry.

“The WestRock Packaging Innovation Challenge marries creativity and engineering to produce amazing results. We are the only Guild in the U.S. with this unique competition and the VCBG is honored to continue its great relationship with WestRock.”

Brett Vassey, VCBG President & CEO

In order to focus the creative energy, WestRock would like Guild members to think about a package that is not a traditional multipack. Instead, we’re interested in seeing ideas for smaller pack sizes – think single bottle cartons or unusual smaller pack configurations. Typically, these would be packs for limited release items, such as anniversary beers or seasonal/holiday packs, but it just needs to be smaller in size or non-traditional!

This year, we’re going DIGITAL with the print technology. That means we can print multiple items on small lot size print runs and there are no cutting dies! 

WestRock is chipping in $1,000 towards the future order of the winning design. 

Stay tuned for the official kickoff of the contest submission window during this year’s Virginia Craft Beer Cup Gala, Trade Show & 10th Anniversary Celebration. The submssion period will be open until September 27th, and Guild members will have an opportunity to vote on finalists November 17th-24th. We will have the winning product prominently displayed at the in-person 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Caucus on February 7th.

If you have any questions about the contest guidelines, please reach out! We look forward to seeing your best ideas.

The Black Lotus (2019 winning design by Adroit Theory Brewing Company):

Submit to the 2021 WestRock Packaging Innovation Challenge!
The Black Lotus opened.