The introduction of a stackable 3-litre bottle from Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) in July 2006 was aimed at addressing consumer demand for a bottle format that could store water in the home more easily.
The bottles certainly saved space in comparison to one-gallon jugs, which could only be stored in one layer (usually at floor level). Besides optimising storage space and offering more volume than traditional large pack sizes, the bottle design also incorporated an ergonomic grip and convenient twist cap.
Two years later, Canadian company Add-vanced Creations has added a slightly different twist on the NWNA approach. Unveiled for the first time at InterBev 2008 in Las Vegas last October, the proprietary Add-vanced Bottle System is as much to do with providing cost savings throughout the supply chain as offering consumers convenience in the home.
Using cuboid-shaped bottles made from 100% recyclable PET, the packaging stacks and interlocks together, providing dramatic levels of volume efficiency on pallets in the process. Add-vanced Creations claims that liquids typically packed in round bottles and then shipped in boxes on a pallet would only achieve 605 litres per pallet.
The Add-vanced Bottle System packs a more hefty pallet at 1,080 litres. The company highlights that’s the difference is 78% more product per pallet, and clients can eliminate any cardboard waste.
Add-vanced Creations co-founder Dean Lane says: “Our patented 3-litre bottle system is especially attractive for premium waters and other liquid products. For example, our closest competitor of branded water is Nestlé’s 3-litre bottle carrying such known brands as Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ozarka and Ice Mountain. Our bottles can also be used for ice tea, and we’re in negotiation with two famous brands at the moment as well as for other liquids such as vegetable oil, branded juices or milk products. However, as the total packaging, shipping, storage and handling costs are significantly reduced, our packaging system is also a competitive solution for discount brands.”
Even more interesting, the design of the bottle system has an ergonomic handle enabling customers the prospect of carrying the bottle with one rather than both hands. That’s no mean feat bearing in mind the nature of the deep recess in the base of the bottle, which is central to how the bottles interlock.
Another nifty bit of wizardry is how the company’s bottles interlock on all six sides. This fact, twinned with a low centre of gravity, ensures that the bottle system is very safe, with the company claiming a theoretical top-load of more than 20 bottles.
Portability is certainly an issue for consumers. The company highlights that one gallon (or 3.78 litres) containers are regarded by consumers as an uncomfortable weight to carry, so the 3-litre bottle is a relatively new size that fits its own market niche.
“We feel that three litres is the perfect maximum weight for a bottle with a squeeze grip handle; manageable for the young and elderly,” says Lane. “Also, with the weight of the product as it is, we’re eliminating the need for a bail handle.”
Nevertheless, Add-vanced Creations is now looking at developing the concept in a 2-litre format. The stackable packaging would certainly be a hit for airlines or cruise liners, particularly as they can be stacked vertically or horizontally.
Two colours for the bottle system currently exist: clear or light blue. More pigmentation is obtainable, and the company is also considering using biodegradable polymers.
The PET bottle system at three litres weighs about 75g, but lightweighting efforts are under way to bring the bottle weight below 70g without sacrificing tensile performance. The company claims its containers are already the least heavy in the 3-litre stackable bottle market.
So, has this bottle system moved into the market yet? “Our bottles are currently on store shelves in Ontario, Canada, as the first bottle production facility is located near Toronto,” says Lane.
“The company is currently taking orders from other water companies in eastern Canada, and our products will soon be on store shelves in the US later in 2009,” he adds. “The packaging is also going to be introduced to Japanese bottled water consumers. About 70% of the bottles in Japan are square, to save storage space and room in refrigerators, so the concept should appeal.”
Nayl D’Souza is editor of *Water Innovation* magazine, which you can subscribe to here.
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