Incap has developed a new cap for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles that infuses dry and liquid ingredients into still or carbonated waters, allowing consumers to mix their own beverages.
The dry or liquid enhancer is stored in a separate chamber within the cap itself, and is then infused into the bottle when it is twisted. Its development meets the emerging trend towards beverages enriched with vitamins, minerals or probiotics and offers a wealth of opportunities to both beverage manufacturers and retailers. For instance, because the bottom of the cap is hermetically sealed, the closure innovation can be sold either as part of the bottle, or as a standalone refill product.
“There is no end to the creative potential of this innovative product,” said Incap’s co-owner and European director.
Axel Hauck continued: “A beverage is so much more interesting if consumers can prepare their very own special drink. Consumers using our product feel that they are contributing to their health and wellbeing. They also regard this cap as a fun novelty item, as these caps allow them to add the ingredients themselves and watch them dissolve in their beverage.”
Jürgen Mangold, managing director of Horst Hähl, which helped to develop the in-cap infusion technology, said: “Mould optimisation trials quickly revealed that the production of Incap dispensing caps required maximum precision in terms of dimensional stability and geometry of the carrier components. To guarantee the process safety and meet the product’s exacting precision and repeatability requirement, an all-electric IntElect machine from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag was used throughout the trials.”
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