Packaging plays a key role in differentiating brands and driving sales throughout the beverage industry. However, for wine and spirits brands, which operate at the top tier of the spectrum, the importance of packaging is intensified. These premium products often epitomize leisure and luxury. As such, they need to project an outward appearance of high quality, elegance and sophistication. When you factor in that wines and spirits are popular as gift items during the holidays and for special occasions, the need for unique packaging is heightened even further.
Consumer demand drives product proliferation across a wide variety of food and beverage categories. In order to keep their interest at point of sale, brands are increasingly going the extra mile to capture consumer attention. On second thought, let’s change that to five miles – representing the five senses that manufacturers can tap into with metal packaging solutions.
Consumer perception of the metal can is very positive. Canned food and beverages are a time-tested and highly dependable method of safely and efficiently packaging the products consumed daily. Cans stack easily on store shelves, fit neatly into refrigerators, are easy to store, chill quickly and stay cold longer.
Engagement between brands and consumers has never been greater. Modern technology has enabled a new generation of shoppers, who are able to comment on, share and review their experiences in real-time. This dialogue means that ‘brand experience’ is no longer shaped by the few, but by many. With the appetite for interaction increasing steadily in our digitally driven world, now is the perfect time to harness the power of connectivity to engage directly with consumers.
The food can is a kitchen cabinet essential, with products ranging from staples like beans and soups to the more obscure, like a hamburger in a can! This vast variety of foods housed in tin and metal cans got us thinking–what canned products do people eat the most? In 2017, The Grocer partnered with Harris Interactive to find the answer, polling 2,025 consumers in the U.K.
In recent years, the veganism movement has spiked globally. In the U.K., people are now eating 50% less beef, in Portugal, 60,000 people identify as vegan and in the U.S., there were as many searches for vegan Thanksgiving recipes in 2018 as there were for traditional turkey meals. To commemorate this rising ideology, World Vegan Month takes place every November, but the celebration is not just for those who choose to avoid meat or dairy products. Today, at least 40% of consumers are trying to incorporate more vegan foods into every meal.
Projected to have the most spending power of any generation, millennials make up approximately 20% of Europe’s population – creating a significant market opportunity for brand managers. Naturally, food manufacturers are eager to capture a competitive share of this demographic, but to do so, they must understand the buying behavior of these spontaneous, but value-driven consumers.
In 1892, Crown’s founder, William Painter, invented a better way to package soft drinks and beer: the crown cork, more commonly known as the bottle cap. This sparked a revolution in the way we know not only beverages to be packaged across the world, but also food. The numerous benefits of cans, including convenience, production efficiency, durability, shelf life, and sustainability have led to the format remaining a top choice for food producers and consumers around the world for more than 200 years.
From candy galore on Halloween to feast-like spreads on Christmas, the holiday season is full of indulgence. This year, we’re getting a head start on our New Year’s resolutions to combat the all too common side effects of excess food consumption—and we’re taking you with us!
