In The News

Samuel Adams Utopias Brew In Collectible Brew Kettle

Since 2002, Samuel Adams Utopias, a 25% alcohol by volume beer, has been recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "strongest beer in the world." To the delight of beer connoisseurs, Samuel Adams brewers are bringing back this beer after two years of work to take the complexity and flavor to the next level.

Samuel Adams brewed only 8,000 bottles of the limited-edition brew, which is packaged in a collectible brew-kettle shaped bottle reminiscent of the copper brewing kettles used by brewmasters for hundreds of years. The growing popularity surrounding the extreme-beer movement, which Samuel Adams pioneered starting in 1994 with Samuel Adams Triple Bock, includes diverse, finely crafted varieties brewed in small batches that surprise the palates of both beer lovers and appreciators of fine wine and spirits. Extreme beers have a lot in common with collectible ports, fine wines, and whiskeys, because they age well and are often limited in distribution.

Sleever Conveys Glacial Water Quality on a Sleeve

Sleever International has created a new premium packaging solution for Icelandic Glacial brand mineral water. A clear sleeve has been placed on square 50-cl and one-liter bottles with a striking relief design. The concept is to emphasize the purity of the water while creating a unique label. The label, when combined with the water inside the bottle, creates a play of light that can be seen when one looks through the bottle at the reverse side of the label. The Icelandic Glacial mineral water logo was created with a metallic varnish that closely resembles the appearance of foil blocking.

The new package made its premier during the Cannes Film Festival this past May. "We've used a new film formulation to provide Icelandic Glacial with labeling that conveys the high purity of their product," says Eric Masson, Sleever International's European sales director. "The new film—SI-OPS/TH 050—produces the very high clarity needed for Icelandic Glacial's exciting labeling. The new material minimizes the 'smile effect,' as the shape of the bottle makes it an essential technical requirement to preserve the general appearance of the Icelandic packaging."

Unbreakable Single-Serve Wine Bottles From Beringer

Stone Cellars by Beringer introduces the first premium wines to be offered nationally in unbreakable, single-serve bottles. The 187-ml bottles are a quarter of the size of traditional 750-ml wine bottles and can easily go where its large, glass predecessor often could not, such as sporting events, camping, and the beach. Priced at around $8.00 for the four-pack and $14.00 for the eight-pack, the product will be available nationwide by fall 2005.

"To date, wine packaging hasn't really adapted to accommodate people's active lifestyles," said Tom Slone, the Stone Cellars by Beringer brand manager. "Our focus groups confirmed that people want the benefits of an innovative, shatterproof bottle and the portability of the single-serving size. Stones Cellars is responding to that need, and most importantly, the packaging does not compromise the award-winning taste of the wine."

The launch of the new Stone Cellars package comes at a time when wine has replaced beer as Americans' number one preferred alcoholic beverage, according to a recent Gallup poll. "I'm so glad to see a winery come up with a solution for tailgaters," noted David Joachim, author of The Tailgater's Cookbook. "People across the country take their outdoor celebrations very seriously, from serving gourmet food, to providing all the comfort of home."

Clear Outlook for an Unfiltered Beer Brand

Pyramid Breweries, Inc., is undergoing a major branding campaign called "Refreshingly Unfiltered" to introduce Americans to American-style wheat beers. It will also showcase the visual point of difference and appetite appeal of its award-winning line of unfiltered wheat beers. The highlight of the Refreshingly Unfiltered brand positioning includes new breakthrough packaging for the craft-beer industry and two new beer varieties: Pyramid Apricot Weizen and Pyramid Amber Weizen.

The new packaging for Pyramid beers includes information boasting about the growth of the Weizen brand in the Western U.S. Consumers can learn more about the company's history, brewing traditions, and characteristics of Pyramid's family of unfiltered beers. "Our Pyramid HefeWeizen is the way beer was meant to be," said John Lennon, CEO. "With new packaging and products showcasing our Refreshingly Unfiltered wheat beers, Pyramid is positioned to further build our leadership position in this exciting and fast-growing style of beer."

Heinz Belgium's SqueezMe! Portion Packs Are a Big Hit

RPC Cobelplast, the company responsible for the successful launch of Heinz Belgium's SqueezMe! portion packs, has proven its ability to produce a material solution that combines excellent performance in printing, sealing, and product protection. The SqueezeMe! design utilizes a simple and effective twist-and-tear opening device designed to satisfy the consumers' need for convenience. Once opened, the contents of the package can be squeezed out in a way that avoids spilling or getting fingers messy. The pack features double-sided printing, highlighting the Heinz logo.

Heinz needed a material that would allow a high-quality print finish without compromising the products' shelf life or the performance of Heinz's continuous band form-fill-seal machinery. Though development with RPC Cobelplast, it was discovered that the use of a high-barrier co-extruded PS/EVOH/PE as the basic structure could best deliver the combination of these qualities. "The success of the product has depended from the beginning on excellent cooperation and communication with the Heinz Belgium development team," commented RPC Cobelplast's R&D manager Benny De Groof.

Paperboard Scale Model of Stadium Protects Watch

Pro Carton and ECMA announced the winners of the best European paperboard packaging of 2005 contest. Among them was Iggesund Paperboard, who created an envelope that when unfolded reveals a three-dimensional scale model of the new Swiss national stadium in Barne, Stade de Suisse, with a Swatch watch placed on the football field. This was created as a souvenir to the inauguration of the stadium, which took place in July. When awarding the prize, the jury members said they were astonished to discover a three-dimensional model of the stadium emerge from the thin envelope.

The package is made of Invercote G by the Swiss packaging printers Regia HighPack. The design was created by Regia and the C2 design agency. It is printed in a four-color process and varnished with dispersion lacquer. Precision in creasing and die cutting was key in designing the complex package. "This is an excellent example of productions which absolutely require Invercote's high quality," says Oystein Aksnes, market and sales director, Iggesund Paperboard. "The package is a masterwork of construction design, and to do it justice you must use the best paperboard you can get."

Arbor Mist Minis Offer a Twist on Single Serve

Arbor Mist, the number one selling wine with fruit brand in the U.S., is undergoing its seventh national advertising campaign and largest retail promotion ever. Headlining the show is the introduction of Arbor Mist Minis—new single-serve size bottles of the wine.

Arbor Mist Minis are intended to be drunk straight from the bottle like beer or wine coolers, in 187-ml bottles made of frosted glass. The four-pack visually communicates the product's casual and contemporary appeal with bright colors and graphics that display captured moments with snapshot photography. The three flavors that the minis will be offered in are Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel, Strawberry White Zinfandel, and Island Fruits Pinot Grigio. The suggested retail price for a four-pack is $4.99. Retail point of sale support for Arbor Mist Minis has a similar look and feel to the product's packaging, and includes shelf talkers, feature cards, and display stackers.

"Arbor Mist Minis embody the casual, single-serve occasion," said Josie Pagani, marketing director for Arbor Mist. "We've created a product that is easy to drink, convenient, and casual that capitalizes on the popularity of the single-serve category."

Shedding New Light With Glow-in-the-Dark Label

Carneros della Notte vineyards has announced its release of two pinot noirs vintage 2003. The name "Carneros della Notte" translates to "Carneros of the Night." The name was chosen by the three men who created the line of wines to reflect the way in which the grapes are harvested by hand only at night when the juice chemistry is most stable for wine making. The bottle labels also pay homage to this practice by being the first glow-in-the-dark wine label.

Carneros della Notte is a partnership of three men producing ultra-premium pinot noir wines from three different clones and three different rootstocks. One of the releases is the Los Carneros Pinto Noir, which is a 100% pinot noir from the Carneros region of Napa and Sonoma Valleys and retails at $48 per bottle. Another is the Napa Valley DIII Vineyard Pinot Noir, which retails at $150 per bottle.

Cofounder Sal Godineze has been in the winemaking business for 20 years and has conducted vast research and experimentation on pinot noir clones. "I focus on preserving the flavors born in the vineyard," he said. "Each vineyard has its own personality, and I bring that to light."

Technology Innovation for Plastic Perfume Package

The new Christian Dior Fragrance for Men, Dior Homme Perfume, comes with a prismatic cap molded with Surlyn resin and is made of Polyethylene on the inside. The cap (created by Axilone's plastic division) has the "CD" logo engraved on the top and catches the light to play with the color of the fragrance and combines with the deep black Polyethylene inside to give it a masculine feel.

Because of its lower cost compared to glass or crystal, plastic is making itself more present in the fragrance packaging industry. Heavy, very transparent, glossy, and more resistant plastic materials have been utilized by the industry to create an image of luxury. Computer assisted flow simulation analysis (known as "Mold Flow") was used as the bi-injection process to make a package that combines high-tech with estheticism.

New Cookie Canister's Impact Made Possible by Sonoco's SonoWrap

Pepperidge Farm® has launched its Whims™ line of cookies using a package solution that will prolong its shelf life and better utilize space both on the shelf and to the consumer on-the-go. Sonoco, a global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, offered its SonoWrap pack for the national product launch. The cookie canister fits in most car cup holders, and holds 5.3 oz of cookies, and is sealed with a membrane and overcap. It also features a reverse, seven-color, high gloss graphic print so that the product can be displayed either right side up or upside down.

The cookies come in two varieties: Crispy Waves™ cookies, which are crispy-thin snacks, and Crunch Clusters™ treats, which are bite sized clusters of cookie morsels. "We're pleased to have played a major role in the national launch of Pepperidge Farm Whims," said Tim Hoover, senior account representative at Sonoco. "Consumers are more selective about the products they choose, and the unique SonoWrap pack used for Whims helps differentiate the product from its competitors by offering distinctive features that are new to the cookie market and meet consumers' needs."

German Companies Fork Over A New On-the-Go Meal Solution

RPC Bebo Plastik has created an innovative new microwaveable package that contains a built-in fork compartment in the package's base. It is designed to enhance the eat-on-the-go experience, meeting increasing popularity of complete meal and snack solutions. This design was developed in cooperation with German meat manufacturers Cuxfleisch Busse and Halberstädter Würstchen & Konservenfabrik and is being used for Currywurst, a traditional German curried sausage. Within the tray, a secondary, inverted compartment stores a fork and packet of curry powder. By putting this on the inside of the package, it does not affect the outside appearance.

"Our customers were keen to provide consumers with a complete meal solution that would include an eating utensil and flavoring," says Marc Rademacher of RPC Bebo Plastik. This compartment is sealed with an adhesive label with an opening tab so that the customer can remove the fork and curry packet before placing the product in the microwave. The thermoformed tray is sealed with a color printed film sheet for product freshness and on-shelf appeal.

RoundUp Weedkiller Package Receives Prestigious Award

A new weedkiller product featuring a bottle manufactured by RPC Packaging Gent has received the Product of the Year 2005 award in the Garden Products category on the prestigious French-based consumer Web site www.consobusiness.comProduced by Monsanto, RoundUp Express is a powerful weedkiller available in France and the UK.

The package features a swan-neck spray bottle specially designed to spray downwards for easier, more precise weeding. The 1.5-liter HDPE bottle was designed and developed by Monsanto's Lawn & Garden team in Antwerp in collaboration with RPC Gent. The award was given based on a study of 20,000 consumers.

MLR Provides BIKE with Proprietary Structural Design and Graphics

BIKE Athletic introduces new cutting-edge packaging and graphics for its athletic protection line to rejuvenate the sports protective gear category. BIKE partnered with MLR Design, a leading national strategic branding and design company in Chicago, to create the high impact structural packaging design and graphics.

The package features a new patented manufacturing technology, innovative printing techniques, and form moldings. The sleek, clear plastic package casing is molded around the product, making it the central point of focus. The structural design, which curves and fits with additional packages when stacked, allows retailers to maximize limited shelf space and fit over 50% more products on each peg wall display. The unique packaging also conveys BIKE's commitment to quality as well as the company heritage.

"BIKE's new packaging really changes the image of the BIKE brand in the market," says Jenny Shulman, BIKE brand manager. "Our products are all about protection and the new packaging definitely portrays this." Key consumer sizing and product information is displayed in a clean and user-friendly manner, making correct product selection and use simple.

MLR Design also coordinated its efforts with BIKE's internal art department for future implementation of product lines. "Focusing on defining brand identity, developing innovative packaging and creating dynamic design is essential to be successful in today's competitive store environment," says Tom Jones, creative director at MLR Design.

11-Year-Old Michigan Boy Wins Twinkies® Contest and Scholarship

To celebrate "75 Years of Fun," Interstate Bakeries Corporation, the maker of Twinkies, held a contest to design a special anniversary box. Web surfers voted on 10 finalists, and the winner was Donovin Cox of Tecumseh, Michigan. Earlier this year, Interstate Bakeries produced the Limited Edition 75th anniversary boxes in wide release.

Kids ages 6-11 were eligible to enter the contest. Entries were judged based on the appropriateness of the drawing to the theme; originality and creativity; and fun and appeal. Design submissions were required to be hand-made, using colored pencils, crayons, markers or paints.

Donovin Cox was awarded a $40,000 college scholarship, and the 10 finalists each received scholarships of a lesser value. More than 1,300 youngsters from around the country put their artistic talents to work to create a special, limited-edition box for the iconic snack cake.

Cox is now a 6th grade student at Tecumseh Elementary School, and he has been a Twinkie fan most of his life. Cox said his final design resulted from "drawing several pictures and then taking little bits out of every one and putting them into the final drawing." As a bonus, Cox got a special invitation to Interstate Bakeries' Chicago bakery to see firsthand how Twinkies are made. Originally sold two-for-a-nickel in the 1930s, Twinkies got its name from a St. Louis billboard advertising "Twinkle Toe" shoes.