Innovation uncapped

8 June 2015




Innovation uncapped

The unsung hero of branding, product protection and integrity for many years, caps and closures are growing in volume and variety. Packaging Today explores how a drive towards improved function, convenience and shelf-life behind has put them back in the spotlight.

Consumers are unlikely to remember how easy it is to open their water bottle one handed while on their morning run, nor do most of us even think about flipping open the lid on our condiments before applying them. However, the frustration of not being able to open a product, that jar that won't come off, the leaking cap, the impossible to open detergent...these are the negative connotations carried down the aisles by shoppers. The good news is that caps and closures are primed to address these historical problems and deliver innovation and convenience to consumers.

The overwhelming markets for caps and closures are in food and beverage. According to Canadean, the 2014 market for caps and closures was 3444 Billion units, rising to 4027 Billion in 2018. Of this figure, in 2014 there was a roughly even split; 39% for food and 35% for beverage. When household's 10% is included this covers the majority of the markets that this feature will discuss, in order to provide a little more depth to each section. These figures will remain consistent through the next 4 years too.

In food, consumers are driven by the need for freshness, convenience, product integrity and protection. With the proliferation of multi-packs , and single serve meals and food products to provide convenience to consumers going about their busy lives, there is no value to a large value pack or individual serving portion if the contents lose their freshness before they have the chance to be consumed. With food waste high on the agenda globally and across national governments, re-sealability in order to maintain freshness without waste is a vital role of closures.

Hellman's recently launched a new look mayonnaise squeeze bottle in order to address lost product remaining in the bottle, combining three main improvements. One of these was a precision tip in order to ensure that the mayonnaise was dispensed where customers wanted it to go, as against the wider opening previously which could lead to a mess and prevented portion control. In addition they used the 'Clean-Lok Cap' which is a customized cap that stays clean when opening and closing the package avoiding either a jammed opening or a mess of left over product congregating around the lid in between uses. Combined with a bottle design that ensures there is no left overs attached to the inside , Russell Lilly , Marketing Director explains "the Hellmann's consumer loves mayonnaise, and they depend on us to deliver delicious taste, so we want to make sure they're able to enjoy every last drop. The new Hellmann's squeeze is unlike any other squeeze bottle on the market. It is designed not only to satisfy our consumers' taste buds, but also to make sure they don't miss a bite."

Another area where convenience, freshness and reusability are merging is in the dairy market, which will soon see growth in the UK with the launch of the Gu range providing consumers with premium hot chocolate drinks. Commenting on the launch, Crediton Dairy's head of sales and marketing Nick Bartlett, said "Gu is specifically created to meet the growing demand of consumers who want to treat themselves to a premium, café style, hot chocolate at home. The 'Gü' range will bridge the gap between traditional and tired ambient hot chocolate powders and the dynamic, fast growing fresh-flavoured milk market where chocolate is the most popular flavour."

Convenience is provided by the resealable cap on the Pure-Pak carton and has been designed so that there is a consistent pour. With this cap , consumers can purchase a larger carton, store it in the fridge and open and close it multiple times without loss of quality. It also ties into the strategy of the company, as explained by MD Tim Smiddy " to develop innovative milks that expand and increase the quality of the category made with investment into enhanced production facilities coupled with our ability to leverage category, consumer and customer insights".

From innovation in Dairy to the spirits marketing Germany where a spirits company has launched a completely new packaging and closure concept. The U-Boat is a schnapps shot set inside a bottle with soda; previously the drink could only be ordered as separate items dispensed in bars. "We developed a bottle-in-the-bottle concept and mastered the challenge of functionality and product safety. Both bottles are sealed with the same cap which, when unscrewed, detaches the smaller inner bottle ? the "U-boat" ? from the seal; the U-boat then sinks in the bigger outer bottle," explains Günter Ausserwöger, Head of Division Kavo for Greiner Packaging, the company responsible for making the bottle for their client U-Boot Getranke. "The new type of packaging now provides U-boat drinks for the first time as filled, finished products.".

The idea of mixing drinks or ingredients at the point of dispensing is one that is seeing continued growth, allowing consumers to conveniently make their own products and to decide portions. Without a seal or cap or closure to separate the products this type of product category would not be possible. One of the run away success categories over the past 18 months has been in enhancers, for waters, spirits and mixers. Convenient , most are pocket sized and easily portable, they have been resoundingly popular with consumers who want to create their own individual drinking or mixing experience when they want and how they want it. While Robinsons Squash'd and Krafts MIO started the ball rolling, there are hundreds of products spanning the category now. The success of these products is in the dispensing closure that means when squeezed the liquid is dispensed, but it won't leak or dribble. This means that consumers will not have sweet smelling pockets, bags or a mess to clean up.

Recently this category has been updated. Dutch manufacturer of innovative soft drinks, The Better Bottle Company, and global leader that supplies flow control dispensing closures to water enhancers, Aptar Food+Beverage, have joined hands in mainland Europe to start a water enhancer turnkey solution.
In view of rising health issues related to the consumption of soft drinks, the trend of turning to water as the drink of choice worldwide has highlighted the importance of liquid water enhancers.
Aptar's exclusive dispensing closure solution, Micro, is used to offer straight directional dispensing and spill-proof packaging with the help of its flow control SimpliSqueeze silicone valve system inside and the flip-top closure.

In today's fast moving culture, where consumers are having to split focus between multiple sources of information and try to filter out the noise from what matters, caps and closures remain one of the most easily identifiable brand ambassadors for products. By making consumers' lives easier, providing a product that can be opened and closed without loss of quality or taste, they remain one of the strongest tools in the packaging portfolio to drive growth.

No matter the material or the application, there is plenty of innovation still to come from this market.



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