Packaging Concepts 10413

Coors Light launches silver bullet in aluminum pint
Coors Light is bringing another eye-catching, highly functional packaging innovation to market that is bolder, colder and more portable than ever before. The co. has launched the 16-oz resealable Silver Bullet aluminum pint in Alumi-Tek bottles from Ball Corp. (www.ball.com) just in time for football season. “The Coors Light Silver Bullet bottle represents a great opportunity for us,” says Rick Gomez, vp, Coors Family of Brands. “We’ve seen our past innovations drive share and volume growth. And we’re going to really leverage the Silver Bullet bottle to gain incremental distribution.” The unbreakable, 100-percent recyclable bottle helps keep beer cold and is said to be perfect for any occasion, including patios, beaches, sporting events and other occasions in which glass may not be appropriate.

With its striking design emphasizing the cold-activated mountains, the new Silver Bullet aluminum pint delivers portability with a resealable twist-off cap and wide-mouth opening for a smooth pour. The mountain on the logo is printed with the temperature-sensitive ink supplied by Chromatic Technologies Inc. (www.ctiinks.com). The thermochromic technique is based on special pigments in the inks that change color as the temperature rises or falls. By changing color, this indicates to the consumer whether the beverage is at the optimum drinking temperature. Cold-activated technology provided by thermochromic graphics printed on the bottle, plus a cold-activation window in the secondary packaging, lets consumers see that the beer is cold before they buy it.

Just as with conventionally printed cans, thermochromic cans are absolutely light and oxygen tight, ensure a fresh taste experience at all times and have a long shelf life. In addition, they have a very good environmental score: Beverage cans are the most recycled containers in the world, and it is possible to recycle them infinitely without any quality deterioration. Ball leverages its two-piece aluminum beverage can manufacturing expertise to produce the Alumi-Tek bottle because the manufacturing technology for both packages is very similar. The bottles have the same high quality graphics found on cans and are decorated with the same printing process. Ball manufactures both 12-oz and 16-oz bottles at its plant in Monticello, IN.

Cherry Nectar by Surprise Drinks
A new concept from Dutch holding co. Surprise Drinks takes a playful approach to children beverages. Surprise Drinks’ Cherry Nectar utilizes a 300 mL, injection stretch blown PET bottle that incorporates the company’s patented Drink & Play concept.

   Surprise Drinks says Drink & Play is the global brand name for its patented concept of a specially shaped drink bottle and a capsule, which contains an advertising item or toy, inserted into the body of the bottle. The system also comprises a shrink label that holds the capsule and the bottle together.

The company’s Cherry Nectar beverage is a prime example of the drink & play concept at work because the injection stretch-blown PET bottle is tooled with an indentation. Within this indention is a plastic egg that contains a surprise toy.

Surprise Drinks says its concept is especially powerful when used in concert with licensed characters, such as the Disney and comic character W.i.t.c.h bottle shown here. The co. says other popular licensed characters can be used with this packaging and specifically cites examples such as Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse and Hannah Montana.

Colorful graphics are gravure-printed onto the bottle’s shrink sleeve, and a tamper-evident PP push/pull cap offers easy dispensing and easy reclosure for growing children in the company’s target market.

Coconut-water sports drinks stand tall in long-neck PET bottle
Greater>Than’s sports/hydration beverage based on coconut water has been introduced in the first 20-oz stock PowerFlex™ PET container from Amcor Rigid Plastics (www.amcor.com). The hot fill bottle gives Greater>Than a unique shelf appeal by offering a glass-like appearance, a smooth feel and easy labeling. Greater>Than, a start-up co.  based in Highland Park, IL, undertook extensive research to develop a novel beverage formulation and a different brand concept that capitalizes on Amcor’s distinctive long-neck, no-panel packaging. “The PowerFlex bottle is unique,” says founder Mark Sider. “It is taller than other 20-oz sports drink containers, clean-looking and gives us a big edge in terms of providing eye-catching shelf appeal.”

The start-up firm teamed up with sports scientists and beverage nutrition formulators to create a sports/hydration drink that uses healthy coconut water as the main ingredient. The product is scientifically formulated to deliver high-performance hydration via natural ingredients with no fat or cholesterol. Powered by healthy coconut water, the beverage is said to have more electrolytes than leading sports drinks. Greater>Than contains no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives. The 70-calorie/per 20oz beverage is sweetened with a combination of sweeteners, including Stevia. The product line currently includes three flavors: lemon lime, orange and tropical.

Amcor’s stock PowerFlex bottle features a patented no-panel design that takes hot -fill (185 deg F) bottle options to a new level. Amcor’s structural design eliminates the panels, and unlike competitive containers, provides a large, completely smooth rib-less label panel. Amcor used design and manufacturing techniques to create a patented bottle that absorbs vacuum via a specially designed base. A unique diaphragm within the base draws upward as the liquid cools. It has the geometric characteristics to enable the inverted cone-shaped diaphragm to deflect upward as the vacuum is created.

PowerFlex bottles are easier to label because they don’t have sidewall vacuum panels. Packers don’t have to worry about mislabeling, that is—missing the vertical bars in applying labels. Nor do they have to deal with the ripple effect that can occur when labeling over panels. The long-neck bottles deliver significant performance and cost advantages, including portability (no breakage), light weight, recyclability, and reduced transportation costs.

The stock PowerFlex bottle has a 38-mm finish and features a screw-top closure and an attractive coated paper label. Greater>Than coconut water is currently sold in the Chicago area at supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, gyms, and also online at www.DrinkGT.com and Beverages Direct (www.beveragesdirect.com).

Bottled water gives back
Give Water debuts new packaging that enables consumers to support one of four causes: GIVE Hope, to women with breast cancer; GIVE Love, to protect our environment; Give Strength, to fight muscular disorders; GIVE Life, to children in need. Each bottle sold puts 10 cents in the pocket of a local charity focused on one of the four causes. An environmental message remains prominent on the backside of the label, as sustainability is also a core value of the brand, and the bottle is made from oxo-biodegradable materials. PurBlu Beverages, GIVE’s parent company, collaborated with strategic brand design co. Little Big Brands (http://www.littlebigbrands.com) on the design.

According to Little Big Brands, GIVE’s oxo-biodegradable bottles are 100 percent recyclable, degrade within in 10 years and represent the first such application in North America. “Our philosophy as a company is to give back more than we take,” said Ben Lewis, founder & CEO, PurBlu Beverages. “The redesign of GIVE water gets us closer to that goal.”

Mexico’s Victoria beer  debuts in Chicago
Crown Imports, U.S. importer of a premium portfolio of international beer brands, has launched the popular Mexican beer, Victoria, in Chicago. Product launches in other U.S. imported beer markets will follow. Victoria, known as Mexico’s “best-kept secret,” is a Vienna-style lager beer that combines a unique copper color with a perfectly balanced taste and a smooth, crisp finish. Victoria has been produced in Mexico since 1865, making it the country’s oldest and most traditional beer brand. Until now, Victoria was only available in Mexico.

Chicago was a natural choice for Victoria’s U.S. introduction, due to its strong ties to Mexico, and the city’s well-established beer culture, according to Bill Hackett, president of Chicago-based Crown Imports. “The Chicago area has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the country, so it makes perfect sense to launch Victoria here, where many consumers will remember the taste of this distinctive beer from their home country,” says Hackett.  “And, based on Chicago’s impressive beer culture, we are excited to introduce Victoria to general market import and draft beer aficionados, who will be eager to discover Mexico’s best-kept secret‚ themselves.”

Victoria, which translates to “victory” in English, will be available in six-packs and 24-packs of 12-oz. bottles in the Hispanic market. The first products were delivered to Hispanic retail accounts the week of June 14, with the first 50 cases bearing a commemorative label to mark Victoria’s official U.S. arrival. Victoria will also be available on draft in select general market on-premise accounts.

Blue glass creates spectacular beer bottle
An combination of cobalt blue glass and clear film labels evokes sea spray and the feel of the coast for the latest bottled beer from Adnams Brewery in Suffolk, U.K. Spindrift is a light, blonde beer that was originally launched as a keg product and was introduced in the blue bottle in April 2010, with distribution extended over the summer. The striking blue glass bottle is made at O-I’s (www.o-i.com) glass plant in Rinteln, Germany, which specializes in producing bottles in unusual colors. Its repertoire includes more than 20 shades of blue, green and amber glass. The co.’s color experts blend different minerals and metals to create the right optical effect. The graphic design of the label strengthens the image of the sea. Clear film neck and body labels feature waves and invigorating bursts of sea spray.

The product is a very different from Adnams’ traditional cask beers. “Spindrift is a fresh take on beer, and we decided to take a different approach to the packaging,” says Mark Holmes, head of take-home at Adnams. “Glass reflects the brand’s premium positioning, and the blue bottle provides the distinctive, highly contemporary feel we wanted.” Named Spindrift to reflect Adnams’ coastal location, the beer is made from a blend of East Anglian malted barley, Boadicea and First Gold hops and high grade malted wheat. This is chilled and filtered to allow the aromas and flavors within the beer to remain. Spindrift is a top-fermented beer delivering a creamy white, continental style head and is designed to be served chilled.

Designed with simple lines
Clean, modern and responsible, echo Beverages’ bottled water packaging features quick-peel removable labeling in a blue and green color palette that evokes the purity of the water.

Designed to minimize its environmental impact with minimal decoration, the product labeling was printed by carbon neutral, wind-powered converter, Label Impressions Inc. (www.labelimpressions.com). The design was created by echo Beverages and its design agency Ferroconcrete (www.ferro-concrete.com). Creative direction was done by Yolanda Santosa; the designers were Santosa and Owen Gee. Design manager was Wendy Thai.

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