On May 8, leading convenience store retailer 7-Eleven debuted self-chilling cans for its new Fizzics Sparkling Cold Brew Coffee at 15 stores in the Los Angeles area. Fizzics lets consumers enjoy the beverage cold wherever and whenever they drink it.

“Because the self-chilling can technology is so groundbreaking, we wanted to introduce it with a super innovative beverage,” said Tim Cogil, 7-Eleven director of private brands, in a press release. “Sparkling coffee sodas met all the criteria. Previously available in some coffee shops, a handful of exclusive canned carbonated brews began showing up last summer. Fizzics will be the first that can be chilled on demand, bringing a new level of convenience to customers who want to enjoy a chilled drink whenever and wherever they are.”

Made with 100% Arabica beans, the cold-brew coffee sells for $3.99 and comes in three flavors: Regular, French Vanilla and Caramel. Using Chill-Can technology from The Joseph Co. Intl., each Fizzics can holds 8.4-ounces of coffee, and has only 50 calories, 10 grams of sugar and less than 80 milligrams of caffeine.

According to Mitchell Joseph, chairman/CEO of The Joseph Co. Intl. and West Coast Chill, 4,000 cans were digitally printed for the 7-Eleven test. By twisting the can’s bottom cap, consumers easily activate the internal heat-exchange unit to lower the temperature of the beverage by about 30 degrees within 90 seconds. Read more about the technology in Packaging Digest’s earlier article “Chill-Can presents a new twist in on-demand cold beverages.”

The Chill-Can is 100% recyclable. The self-chilling technology uses CO₂ that is recaptured from the atmosphere and reused in a process that earned an award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The “About Us” area on the retailer’s website says, “7‑Eleven introduced the world to the Slurpee, Big Gulp, Big Bite and other proprietary products. But we’re not finished. Our test kitchens and product development teams are in relentless pursuit of new flavors, better recipes and useful inventions to satisfy time-constrained customers.”

This new Fizzics beverage in the Chill-Can is definitely a great example of the company’s pursuit of innovation.

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