Sniffing out an emerging trend in smart packaging, Aroma Water, LLC, Haverford, PA, has introduced the new Aroma Water™ line of 100-percent-pure water products “flavored” through the use of an aroma-infused bottle cap. The second such application known by PD of ScentSational Technologies' (www.scentsationaltechnologies.com) Encapsulated Aroma Release™ technology for bottled water—the first being NutriSystem, Inc.'s release in 2004 of the Aquaescents™ sports bottle line—Aroma Water contains no sweeteners, sodium or calories, but relies on the cap's aroma to provide the sensation of flavor.

“Since approximately ninety percent of taste is from the sense of smell, consumers experience the sensation of delicious flavor, while their bodies get the pure hydration they need,” explains Aroma Water director of marketing Brooke Mills. She adds that the product was created in response to what Aroma Water viewed as the lack of healthy, good-tasting beverage options on the market.

Aroma Water is available in Lemon Lime and Mandarin Orange flavors, with Peach, Mixed Berry and other varieties soon to be released. The crystal-clear, pure water, filled by independent bottlers, is packaged in a trim, 16.9-oz, polyethylene terephthalate bottle, custom-designed by Zuckerman Honickman (www.zh-inc.com) and molded by MPI Packaging, Inc. (www.mpi-pet.com).

The threaded sport cap is supplied by ScentSational, which Mills says uses several of the countries' leading injection molders to create its components. As ScentSational chief technical officer Steven Landau once explained to PD, flavors are added to the plastic in the molten stage. Supplied by Firmenich (www.firmenich.com) the flavors are engineered to withstand the heat that the product goes through.

Label graphics, created by Spencer Advertising (www.thinkspencer.com), provide refreshing photography of a slice of lemon or a slice of orange being dropped into water.

As it is sold now, the cap is covered with plastic film to provide tamper-evidence, but future caps will incorporate a tamper-evident feature. The cost per bottle for new Aroma Water is from $1.29 to $1.49, depending upon the retail location.