When Miller Brewing Co. launched Miller Chill in aluminum bottles it was more than a new brew. It was another example of satisfying the growing enthusiasm for aluminum packaging for beverages. Suddenly, aluminum is hip. It is making a splash with consumers who gravitate toward edgy graphics and unusual shapes of cans and bottles, and who also appreciate the eco-friendly packaging of both.

The statistics support the grass-roots renaissance for aluminum. The volume of alcoholic beverage cans in the US went up 1.5 percent in 2007 versus 2006, according to Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). Meanwhile, canned beer sales in Canada rose nearly 10 percent while bottled beer sales fell 4.3 percent in 2006, reported the Brewers Association of Canada. Other brewers around the world are turning to the aluminum can to provide a good-tasting beer that keeps its frosty flavor better than other packaging. Cans contain a water-based polymer coating inside to separate the contents from the aluminum and maintain the fresh taste.

Surely, those benefits prompted Miller to plan the launch of 12-ounce slim cans of its new beer as a follow up to its 16-ounce aluminum bottles and 12- and 22-ounce glass bottles. Miller Chill is a light lager beer brewed with lime and salt.
Currently, less than half of Miller’s beers are sold in cans, but that is poised to change as acceptance grows. Julian Green, a spokesperson for the Milwaukee, Wis., USA-based brewer, touts the many benefits.

“There’s a very high filling rate. It’s typically the container of choice for beverage packagers from a productivity standpoint,” he says. “From a merchandising standpoint it stacks and uses space very efficiently. You can get more in the same space than you typically can with the bottles. And also from a marketing perspective you can decorate the entire container. It provides a large billboard for marketing.”

According to Green, those marketing benefits were used by producers of energy and New Age drinks to wedge into the marketplace. Red Bull led the charge of these beverages, and the variety of aluminum can shapes and designs has been notable.

Here are the main types:
Sleek Cans: New Age beverages in elongated cans enhance the shelf presence of such brands as Del Monte’s Bloom Energy, a naturally caffeinated energy drink for women. Michelob, Budweiser and Carolina Blonde are now sold in the Sleek can from Rexam.

Squat Cans: These 8-ounce containers used by Coke, Pepsi, Shasta and others are marketed to health-oriented consumers looking for thirst-quenching beverages with built-in portion control.

Maxi Cans: These 16- and 24-ounce cans for beverages aim to satisfy the most thirsty consumers.

Lug Cans: Jolt in re-sealable 23.5-ounce cans features a screw top for convenience and unique style.

The different sizes and shapes of aluminum cans is not the only reason for the growing popularity. The surface—especially with the larger cans—serves as a marketing billboard and canvas for eye-catching graphics that stand out on the shelf. Crown Holdings has developed a new print technology that enhances the quality of images that can be reproduced on beverage cans. Its High Quality Print technique aims to extend the traditional studio print reproduction process.

Not to be outdone, aluminum bottles are beginning to provide their own canvas for eye-catching art. Mountain Dew last year launched Green Label Art, a limited-edition series of aluminum bottles featuring designs created by a variety of artists. The Green Label Art series (greenlabelart.com) marked the first time a carbonated soft drink was packaged in an aluminum bottle in the US. The package was produced by CCL Container.

Is there room for aluminum packaging to grow in usage? All indications seem to point in that direction. Beverage companies appreciate the production and logistical benefits of the package. Experts say future growth may rest in the hands of marketers with an eye for creative colors and designs that aluminum cans provide and which are prohibitive for glass and plastic containers.

The winning formula seems to be combining style and substance with a dash of the old-fashioned benefits of aluminum.

From Beverage World April 15, 2008.