Rigid containers rally on

Bottles, jars and cans march forward in today’s market.

In our industry it looks like a great deal of food and beverage items are opting for pouches, but rigid containers still have a strong market presence. According to the study, “Canned Food: A Global Market Overview” from market intelligence firm Report Buyer (reportbuyer.com), worldwide sales of canned foods will approach nearly US$80 billion by 2014. New developments are emerging in this segment that are boosting growth and keeping this packaging format relevant.

After ten years in development Ardagh (ardaghgroup.com) and Bonduelle have launched a new food can which delivers enhanced consumer appeal with significant environmental benefits. In developing this new steel can for Europe’s leading vegetable canner, Bonduelle, Ardagh Group has taken draw and wall ironing (DWI) food can production technology to a new level. The company has been able to employ nitrogen dosing techniques, similar to those used in the beverage industry, for the first time in food canning.

The new 400g can uses 15% less material than previous Bonduelle cans thanks largely to a 43% reduction in the can wall thickness. According to Ardagh, metal cans, which are 100% recyclable, are the ultimate container for preventing food spoilage and do so without preservatives, refrigeration or freezing.

New design features have also been added to enhance the can’s appeal, including the removal of beading on the can for a premium look and feel. In addition, the sleek surface of the can allows for premium label application or for direct printing onto the can.

It isn’t just canned vegetables making headlines in the rigid segment, many beverage producers are looking for more sustainable alternatives to traditional PET, glass and aluminum containers. Big players like Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other beverage companies have released new packaging (like Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle) to help achieve their sustainability goals.

Novelis (novelis.com), the world’s leading supplier of aluminum to the beverage can industry, is enabling beverage companies to get closer to their sustainability goals with Novelis evercanTM, the world’s first independently certified, high-recycled content aluminum can. evercan guarantees cans are comprised of a minimum of 70% recycled content—higher than any other aluminum beverage can on the market.

According to Novelis, the creation of evercan is a rallying cry to the rest of the beverage industry (including competitors) to increase sustainability across the entire supply chain—and get consumers involved in these efforts as well.

According to a series of INDUSTRYInsight reports from Priority Metrics Group (PMG; pmgco.com), the market size for rigid plastic bottles and jars stood at more than $32 billion globally in 2012, making it by far the largest segment in rigid plastic packaging.

Move over bottles, the can is here

For the first time in The Boston Beer Company’s nearly 30 years, the company will start selling Samuel Adams in cans. The can, known as the “Sam Can,” is not your typical beer can; it is the result of two years of ergonomic and sensory research and testing. The company designed the can to offer consumers various features for a ‘more comfortable drinking experience.’ A wider lid provides more air flow, while the opening is slightly further from the edge, designed to allow the nose to smell as one tastes. The lip is extended to allow the beer to hit the front of the palate for maximum flavor.

RPC Containers Corby (www.rpc-group.com) has launched a plastic alternative to the traditional tin can. The new 380ml Apollo container offers the extended ambient shelf life (associated with metal) with the lightweight, easy handling and safety benefits of plastics, including the convenience of re-closing.

The high barrier Apollo features a PP/EVOH/PP multilayer structure for protection against oxygen, ensuring the product’s long shelf life. The container is suitable for a variety of food processes including hot fill, retort and pasteurizing.

The container offers a fluted design in the same diameter as a can, with full sleeving and labeling options to create effecting branding and on-shelf appeal. It is also stackable to maximize shelf space. The foil seal features a plastic ring pull for easy opening and there is an overcap for re-closing. The lightweight pack is resistant to breakage and denting and avoids any sharp edges to provide maximum safety and convenience.

H.J. Heinz and Ardagh Group have developed a stylish new 300g jar for the European launch of a new range of culinary ketchups. The new ketchup range aims to drive new usage occasions by allowing consumers to spoon a serving of the ketchup onto more of their favorite meals.

Ardagh’s development team in Poland collaborated with Netherlands based FLEX/the INNOVATIONLAB (flextheinnovationlab.com), who provided the company with a realistic prototype model, from which Ardagh’s product development team was able to make calculations for producing the molds used in the glass manufacturing process.

Ardagh was able to successfully meet the challenge of creating detailed full body debossing, which gives the jar its distinctive Heinz identity. An eye catching shrink sleeve complements the overall effectiveness of the package, which ideally suits premium usage occasions and table presentation.

Cans & bottles represent a large portion of packaged food and beverage items and offer the stability, functionality and eco-conscious qualities consumers demand. And it is a demand that is here to stay. Report Buyer’s aforementioned study forecasts that worldwide sales of canned foods will approach nearly US$80 billion by 2014. It will then reach a projected US$99.7 billion in 2020, reflecting a CAGR of 3.5% over 2010-2020.