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Adding Value To Beverages
BY ANNE MARIE MOHAN
From nonspill dispensing caps for kids’ drinks to eye-catching illuminated containers, these technologies are providing new opportunities for interactivity and convenience, as well as supporting novel recipe formulations.
1 June 2006
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In the past 20-plus years, the beverage market has evolved from boring to booming. Prior to the 1980s, a consumer’s beverage choices were limited to milk, coffee, carbonated drinks, tap water, tea, sugared kids’ drinks and alcoholic beverages. Most were packaged in large volumes for home use, or sold as mixes which consumers could prepare. Also, canned beers and sodas were designed for consumption in just one sitting. With the introduction of single-serve milk bottles, aseptic juice boxes for kids, bottled water, and ready-to-drink tea and juice containers in the 1980s and 1990s, the scope of beverage choices exploded, as well as their occasions for use. Today’s beverage options address every age group, and an endless number of ‘need states’ or reasons for use, such as refreshment, fun, hydration, celebration, indulgence, health and more.
In an effort to continue this evolution process, the beverage industry is now testing enhanced package designs, as well as new materials and components that interact with the consumer or the beverage. The ultimate aim is to provide greater convenience and enjoyment, and to encourage the growth of new beverage categories.
Keeping additives fresh
Developed jointly by Ball Packaging Europe (BPE) and Degussa FreshTech Beverages, the new FreshCan Wedge technology is a patented, delivery system that enables dry ingredients, such as vitamins, to be dispensed into a canned beverage when the can is opened. “FreshCan technology is ‘pulling the tab’ on a completely new market segment,” says Dr Ralf Jäger, vice president of marketing and sales for Degussa. “We believe that it is the biggest breakthrough in beverage packaging since the ring-pull itself. It paves the way for a paradigm shift in how we think about what can be delivered as a beverage product.”
The first commercial application of the wedge appeared with the launch of the new Defense Vitamin & Mineral Supplement beverage line from Brain Twist. Offered in Natural Orange and Lemon Lime flavors, Defense combines zinc, pectin, calcium, Vitamin C and Vitamins A, B2 and E in a beverage formulated to combat the germs that cause colds and flu. FreshCan Wedge technology was selected for its ability to maintain the effectiveness of the drink’s vitamins and minerals.
Dr Stewart Gibson, an independent research scientist who evaluated the beverage says, “Scientific studies have clearly demonstrated that vitamins are not stable in normal beverage products, and that the longer they stay in contact with liquid, the weaker they become. Such sensitive substances begin to degrade and lose potency almost immediately when mixed with the liquid beverage at the time of production. In addition, shelf-life and exposure to light promote further loss of their potency.”
Defense is packaged in a traditional, two-piece, 14.5-oz aluminum can. Inside resides the FreshCan Wedge, a two-compartment, PP device containing 10 mL of dry ingredient. Cylindrical in shape and having a total volume of 25 mL, the wedge is activated by a change in pressure.
“Opening of the can results in an immediate drop in pressure inside the can,” explains Jäger. “Because of the wedge’s special design and construction, it cannot adjust to this sudden pressure drop, so its lid pops off immediately. Then its contents are automatically released into the beverage where they dissolve, and the beverage is ready for consumption.”
Degussa adds that other potential applications for the wedge technology include milk, sports or energy drinks, which can be enriched with vitamins, probiotic additives or trace elements.
Eliminating mess and putting kids in control
Waddajuice all-natural juice uses a proprietary, spill-proof beverage cap and eliminates the heat seal under the closure, making it easier for kids to grab-and-go. The brainchild of Jordan Kerner, founder and CEO of Waddajuice, with help from Snapple founder Arnold Greenberg, the juice-packaging concept mimics a sippy-cup style, but has been modified into a kid-friendly sports cap. This makes it “attractive to kids of all ages,” notes Kerner.
Custom-designed to meet parents’ needs for less mess, Waddajuice was launched in an 8-oz PET bottle supplied by Zuckerman-
Honickman and molded by Ball Corporation that is topped by the proprietary cap. While two previous versions of the package “were spill-resistant,” says Kerner, “the current version, through a lot of hard work, is truly spill-proof.”
The patented, triangular-shaped plastic cap is fitted with a silicon valve that provides an airtight bond between the cap and bottle, and controls the flow of liquid. A seal on top of the spout prevents air from entering, eliminating the need for a heat seal under the cap, while a removable overcap keeps the cap sanitary until use. Central to the operation of the cap is the silicon valve, which is supplied by Forest City Technologies. The valve restricts juice flow until pressure is applied either through sucking or squeezing of the bottle. This is made possible by a cut in the valve that, when activated by air pressure, allows the juice to flow. Kerner explains that “silicon is the only material that has a memory and goes back to its original form as such.” The cap with valve is manufactured by Euro Moulds.
The cap with valve is manufactured by Euro Moulds. He adds that the elimination of the heat seal under the cap makes the beverage even more manageable for younger consumers. “It allows a child to easily remove the seal [on the cap] and drink, without help from parents, but at the same time keeps the vacuum, which ensures shelf-stability,” he says.
Brightening marketing options
A new packaging concept from UK-based Cognifex is shining a fresh light on brand marketing. Using a tiny, electronic unit with a LED and silicon chip (with a self-contained button-cell power source) Cognifex has found a way to illuminate plastic and glass beverage bottles for marketing and promotional purposes.
“Brands can try and shout louder than their competitors, using large advertising and marketing spends to cut out any noise their competitors are making”, says Bryn Griffiths, cofounder and managing director of Cognifex. “But we realized that most brands can’t afford this, and so they have to behave differently.”
In development for three years, the Cognifex unit (which is currently not on the market) is designed to fit on the bottom of a standard-sized beverage bottle and can be triggered in several ways. Consumers can activate the unit with a manual depression of a switch; the pulling of a tab; the removal of the cap or lid with a special opener; by an infrared signal; or by a magnetic switching or an external radio-frequency signal. Once triggered, the LED will illuminate the bottle and its contents for a predetermined period of time.
According to Griffiths, the bottle can be lit in almost any color, including red, white, blue, green, yellow and even ultraviolet. “Ultraviolet is perfect for illuminating UV-sensitive labels in darkened environments,” he comments. Combinations of colors can also be used—for example, red fading into blue, fading into white—as well as different flashing or pulsing patterns. In order to transmit properly, the light must be able to pass through the bottle, so clear containers are optimal. But take note, the bottle’s contents must also be able to transmit light, not absorb it, advises Griffiths.
Depending on what the brand owner is trying to achieve with the illumination effect, the Cognifex device can be designed to function for anywhere from a few minutes to several months. For example, Griffiths relates that units for beverage bottles that are activated upon opening have been designed to run down after about 30 minutes “because there’s no requirement for the devices to illuminate once the beverage has been consumed.” For on-shelf marketing purposes, he says, the unit could be designed to provide a pulsing effect for up to six months.
Making milk consumption fun
According to a recent study by The Milk Processor Education Program that surveyed 300 US schools to discover what it takes to make milk a more popular choice among American school children, when kids were offered a variety of milk flavors, such as vanilla and strawberry, in colorful, kid-friendly packaging, they chose milk more often. Long hoping to achieve just such a response, Peter Baron, founder, inventor and director of Unistraw has been engaged for the last seven years in perfecting a milk-flavoring solution that is mess-free, convenient, wholesome and tasty.
Officially introduced at Germany’s Anuga 2005 food and beverage tradeshow last October, Sipahh milk-flavoring straws employ the patented Unistraw system, which enables flavor 'beads' to be dissolved in a beverage as the liquid passes through the straw. The system has three elements—a straw, filters and flavor beads—that together eliminate the drawbacks found with previous flavored straw products, Baron says.
The system’s first component, the straw, is made from transparent, recyclable, food-grade PP, mixed with a food-grade plasticizer/toughener that prevents the straw from cracking or splitting. The straw measures approximately 0.26’ in diameter and is 7.08” long.
Also made from food-grade PP, filters, heat-welded into both ends of the straw, use a patented cone shape that allows an optimal flow of liquid through the straw, while keeping the company’s UniBead flavor beads inside.
Each straw holds approximately 4 g of UniBeads, which are 0.08” in diameter, that can be dissolved into a beverage to add flavor, vitamins or other ingredients.
In Australia, Sipahh hit the retail market in October in Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana and Caramel varieties. “Sipahh tastes great and offers a unique, fun milk-consumption experience for kids,” says David Levine, marketing director. “Sipahh contains natural colors and no artificial flavors or preservatives and adds only a half teaspoon of sugar to a glass of milk.” Packaging formats include a 10-pack canister for supermarkets, a 3-pack for convenience stores and single straws for sale in schools.
sLevine relates that since its introduction, Sipahh has experienced “an incredibly strong start.” He adds, “Locally, we’re currently experiencing week-on-week growth, causing the milk-fl avoring category to grow by more than twenty-five percent.”
Other applications envisioned for the Unistraw system include the delivery of vitamins and other nutrients, nutraceuticals and bioactive ingredients or pharmaceuticals into beverages.
Ensuring hot drinks are safe
Another innovation of Aussie origin is the Color-Changing Disposable Lid from Smart Lid Systems. It provides consumers with a visual indicator of product temperature for beverages in paper or PS coffee cups. Infused with a color-changing additive, the Smart Lid coffeecup lid goes from 'coffee-bean brown' to glowing red after being placed on a cup containing a hot beverage.
“Paper cups now feature corrugated portions, thermal retardants and all manner of thermal barriers, which means that endusers can no longer judge the temperature of their beverages by touch,”explains Nick Bayss, managing director for Smart Lid Systems. “So how do consumers test the temperature of their drinks? With their mouths! With the Smart Lid System, a consumer can tell straightaway that their coffee is hot just by looking at the lid, making the color-changing lid the safest lid on the market.”
A further visual indicator ensures that the lid has been placed securely on the cup—a dark ring forms around the edge of the cup. The lid is made from high-impact PS, which is mixed in the cold pellet state with a color-changing additive from Matsui that has been approved for food contact by the US Food & Drug Administration. No retooling of requipment is required to produce the smart lid. It can be manufactured in either flat or dome styles, and in virtually any size. According to Bayss, while the lid can be designed to change color at virtually any temperature, Smart Lid Systems has found that a range of 37°C to 45°C, from when the lid begins to change color to a full color change, best reflects the average serving temperatures of hot beverages. As the lid cools, it gradually returns to its initial brown color.
While Smart Lid Systems’ first foray into color-changing packaging is focused on coffee, Bayss says that there are many more potential applications for the technology. “At this stage, we are planning on exploring the soup market in particular.
More Information
Ball Corporation www.ball.com
Ball Packaging Europe www.ball-europe.com
Castle Co-Packers
(724) 339-4040
Cognifex www.cognifex.com
Degussa FreshTech Beverages www.freshcan.com
Euro Moulds
(905) 624-7534
Forest City Technologies www.forestcitytech.com
Matsui www.matsui-color.com
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) www.milknewsroom.com
Rema Industries & Services www.rema.com.au
RPC Bramlage www.rpc-bramlage.de.
Smart Lid Systems www.smartlidsystems.com
Unistraw www.unistraw.com
Zuckerman-Honickman www.zh-inc.com
Thinking Outside the Box
True intelligent packaging delivers real value.
For instance, they:
• Help the product arrive
to the consumer in a
better condition
(e.g. barrier films,
moisture scavengers);
• Deliver the product at
the right temperature
(e.g. self-heating and
self-cooling cans);
• Indicate to the
consumer the
condition of the product
(e.g. ripeness indicators,
time/temperature gauges);
• Make certain the
product is used
correctly
(e.g. timing devices); and,
• Apply the product
more effectively
(e.g. electronicallypowered
applicators);
• Ensure that the product
is genuine
(e.g. anti-counterfeiting
features).
In an effort to continue this evolution process, the beverage industry is now testing enhanced package designs, as well as new materials and components that interact with the consumer or the beverage. The ultimate aim is to provide greater convenience and enjoyment, and to encourage the growth of new beverage categories.
Keeping additives fresh
Developed jointly by Ball Packaging Europe (BPE) and Degussa FreshTech Beverages, the new FreshCan Wedge technology is a patented, delivery system that enables dry ingredients, such as vitamins, to be dispensed into a canned beverage when the can is opened. “FreshCan technology is ‘pulling the tab’ on a completely new market segment,” says Dr Ralf Jäger, vice president of marketing and sales for Degussa. “We believe that it is the biggest breakthrough in beverage packaging since the ring-pull itself. It paves the way for a paradigm shift in how we think about what can be delivered as a beverage product.”
The first commercial application of the wedge appeared with the launch of the new Defense Vitamin & Mineral Supplement beverage line from Brain Twist. Offered in Natural Orange and Lemon Lime flavors, Defense combines zinc, pectin, calcium, Vitamin C and Vitamins A, B2 and E in a beverage formulated to combat the germs that cause colds and flu. FreshCan Wedge technology was selected for its ability to maintain the effectiveness of the drink’s vitamins and minerals.
Dr Stewart Gibson, an independent research scientist who evaluated the beverage says, “Scientific studies have clearly demonstrated that vitamins are not stable in normal beverage products, and that the longer they stay in contact with liquid, the weaker they become. Such sensitive substances begin to degrade and lose potency almost immediately when mixed with the liquid beverage at the time of production. In addition, shelf-life and exposure to light promote further loss of their potency.”
Defense is packaged in a traditional, two-piece, 14.5-oz aluminum can. Inside resides the FreshCan Wedge, a two-compartment, PP device containing 10 mL of dry ingredient. Cylindrical in shape and having a total volume of 25 mL, the wedge is activated by a change in pressure.
“Opening of the can results in an immediate drop in pressure inside the can,” explains Jäger. “Because of the wedge’s special design and construction, it cannot adjust to this sudden pressure drop, so its lid pops off immediately. Then its contents are automatically released into the beverage where they dissolve, and the beverage is ready for consumption.”
Degussa adds that other potential applications for the wedge technology include milk, sports or energy drinks, which can be enriched with vitamins, probiotic additives or trace elements.
Eliminating mess and putting kids in control
Waddajuice all-natural juice uses a proprietary, spill-proof beverage cap and eliminates the heat seal under the closure, making it easier for kids to grab-and-go. The brainchild of Jordan Kerner, founder and CEO of Waddajuice, with help from Snapple founder Arnold Greenberg, the juice-packaging concept mimics a sippy-cup style, but has been modified into a kid-friendly sports cap. This makes it “attractive to kids of all ages,” notes Kerner.
Custom-designed to meet parents’ needs for less mess, Waddajuice was launched in an 8-oz PET bottle supplied by Zuckerman-
Honickman and molded by Ball Corporation that is topped by the proprietary cap. While two previous versions of the package “were spill-resistant,” says Kerner, “the current version, through a lot of hard work, is truly spill-proof.”
The patented, triangular-shaped plastic cap is fitted with a silicon valve that provides an airtight bond between the cap and bottle, and controls the flow of liquid. A seal on top of the spout prevents air from entering, eliminating the need for a heat seal under the cap, while a removable overcap keeps the cap sanitary until use. Central to the operation of the cap is the silicon valve, which is supplied by Forest City Technologies. The valve restricts juice flow until pressure is applied either through sucking or squeezing of the bottle. This is made possible by a cut in the valve that, when activated by air pressure, allows the juice to flow. Kerner explains that “silicon is the only material that has a memory and goes back to its original form as such.” The cap with valve is manufactured by Euro Moulds.
The cap with valve is manufactured by Euro Moulds. He adds that the elimination of the heat seal under the cap makes the beverage even more manageable for younger consumers. “It allows a child to easily remove the seal [on the cap] and drink, without help from parents, but at the same time keeps the vacuum, which ensures shelf-stability,” he says.
Brightening marketing options
A new packaging concept from UK-based Cognifex is shining a fresh light on brand marketing. Using a tiny, electronic unit with a LED and silicon chip (with a self-contained button-cell power source) Cognifex has found a way to illuminate plastic and glass beverage bottles for marketing and promotional purposes.
“Brands can try and shout louder than their competitors, using large advertising and marketing spends to cut out any noise their competitors are making”, says Bryn Griffiths, cofounder and managing director of Cognifex. “But we realized that most brands can’t afford this, and so they have to behave differently.”
In development for three years, the Cognifex unit (which is currently not on the market) is designed to fit on the bottom of a standard-sized beverage bottle and can be triggered in several ways. Consumers can activate the unit with a manual depression of a switch; the pulling of a tab; the removal of the cap or lid with a special opener; by an infrared signal; or by a magnetic switching or an external radio-frequency signal. Once triggered, the LED will illuminate the bottle and its contents for a predetermined period of time.
According to Griffiths, the bottle can be lit in almost any color, including red, white, blue, green, yellow and even ultraviolet. “Ultraviolet is perfect for illuminating UV-sensitive labels in darkened environments,” he comments. Combinations of colors can also be used—for example, red fading into blue, fading into white—as well as different flashing or pulsing patterns. In order to transmit properly, the light must be able to pass through the bottle, so clear containers are optimal. But take note, the bottle’s contents must also be able to transmit light, not absorb it, advises Griffiths.
Depending on what the brand owner is trying to achieve with the illumination effect, the Cognifex device can be designed to function for anywhere from a few minutes to several months. For example, Griffiths relates that units for beverage bottles that are activated upon opening have been designed to run down after about 30 minutes “because there’s no requirement for the devices to illuminate once the beverage has been consumed.” For on-shelf marketing purposes, he says, the unit could be designed to provide a pulsing effect for up to six months.
Making milk consumption fun
According to a recent study by The Milk Processor Education Program that surveyed 300 US schools to discover what it takes to make milk a more popular choice among American school children, when kids were offered a variety of milk flavors, such as vanilla and strawberry, in colorful, kid-friendly packaging, they chose milk more often. Long hoping to achieve just such a response, Peter Baron, founder, inventor and director of Unistraw has been engaged for the last seven years in perfecting a milk-flavoring solution that is mess-free, convenient, wholesome and tasty.
Officially introduced at Germany’s Anuga 2005 food and beverage tradeshow last October, Sipahh milk-flavoring straws employ the patented Unistraw system, which enables flavor 'beads' to be dissolved in a beverage as the liquid passes through the straw. The system has three elements—a straw, filters and flavor beads—that together eliminate the drawbacks found with previous flavored straw products, Baron says.
The system’s first component, the straw, is made from transparent, recyclable, food-grade PP, mixed with a food-grade plasticizer/toughener that prevents the straw from cracking or splitting. The straw measures approximately 0.26’ in diameter and is 7.08” long.
Also made from food-grade PP, filters, heat-welded into both ends of the straw, use a patented cone shape that allows an optimal flow of liquid through the straw, while keeping the company’s UniBead flavor beads inside.
Each straw holds approximately 4 g of UniBeads, which are 0.08” in diameter, that can be dissolved into a beverage to add flavor, vitamins or other ingredients.
In Australia, Sipahh hit the retail market in October in Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana and Caramel varieties. “Sipahh tastes great and offers a unique, fun milk-consumption experience for kids,” says David Levine, marketing director. “Sipahh contains natural colors and no artificial flavors or preservatives and adds only a half teaspoon of sugar to a glass of milk.” Packaging formats include a 10-pack canister for supermarkets, a 3-pack for convenience stores and single straws for sale in schools.
sLevine relates that since its introduction, Sipahh has experienced “an incredibly strong start.” He adds, “Locally, we’re currently experiencing week-on-week growth, causing the milk-fl avoring category to grow by more than twenty-five percent.”
Other applications envisioned for the Unistraw system include the delivery of vitamins and other nutrients, nutraceuticals and bioactive ingredients or pharmaceuticals into beverages.
Ensuring hot drinks are safe
Another innovation of Aussie origin is the Color-Changing Disposable Lid from Smart Lid Systems. It provides consumers with a visual indicator of product temperature for beverages in paper or PS coffee cups. Infused with a color-changing additive, the Smart Lid coffeecup lid goes from 'coffee-bean brown' to glowing red after being placed on a cup containing a hot beverage.
“Paper cups now feature corrugated portions, thermal retardants and all manner of thermal barriers, which means that endusers can no longer judge the temperature of their beverages by touch,”explains Nick Bayss, managing director for Smart Lid Systems. “So how do consumers test the temperature of their drinks? With their mouths! With the Smart Lid System, a consumer can tell straightaway that their coffee is hot just by looking at the lid, making the color-changing lid the safest lid on the market.”
A further visual indicator ensures that the lid has been placed securely on the cup—a dark ring forms around the edge of the cup. The lid is made from high-impact PS, which is mixed in the cold pellet state with a color-changing additive from Matsui that has been approved for food contact by the US Food & Drug Administration. No retooling of requipment is required to produce the smart lid. It can be manufactured in either flat or dome styles, and in virtually any size. According to Bayss, while the lid can be designed to change color at virtually any temperature, Smart Lid Systems has found that a range of 37°C to 45°C, from when the lid begins to change color to a full color change, best reflects the average serving temperatures of hot beverages. As the lid cools, it gradually returns to its initial brown color.
While Smart Lid Systems’ first foray into color-changing packaging is focused on coffee, Bayss says that there are many more potential applications for the technology. “At this stage, we are planning on exploring the soup market in particular.
More Information
Ball Corporation www.ball.com
Ball Packaging Europe www.ball-europe.com
Castle Co-Packers
(724) 339-4040
Cognifex www.cognifex.com
Degussa FreshTech Beverages www.freshcan.com
Euro Moulds
(905) 624-7534
Forest City Technologies www.forestcitytech.com
Matsui www.matsui-color.com
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) www.milknewsroom.com
Rema Industries & Services www.rema.com.au
RPC Bramlage www.rpc-bramlage.de.
Smart Lid Systems www.smartlidsystems.com
Unistraw www.unistraw.com
Zuckerman-Honickman www.zh-inc.com
Thinking Outside the Box
True intelligent packaging delivers real value.
For instance, they:
• Help the product arrive
to the consumer in a
better condition
(e.g. barrier films,
moisture scavengers);
• Deliver the product at
the right temperature
(e.g. self-heating and
self-cooling cans);
• Indicate to the
consumer the
condition of the product
(e.g. ripeness indicators,
time/temperature gauges);
• Make certain the
product is used
correctly
(e.g. timing devices); and,
• Apply the product
more effectively
(e.g. electronicallypowered
applicators);
• Ensure that the product
is genuine
(e.g. anti-counterfeiting
features).
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