Pechiney Plastic Packaging (Chicago, IL) blow-molds the ergonomically shaped 32-oz bottles of Pechiney’s proprietary Gamma material. The material is polypropylene with an ethylene vinyl alcohol barrier layer. Called the BarPac™ by Ocean Spray, the patent-pending bottle is hot-filled and topped with a standard hot-fill PP beverage closure. For proprietary reasons, Ocean Spray representatives were unable to discuss label specs or supplier information.
Color-coded labels make product identification easy, while a graphic outlines the benefits of the BarPac container. Unopened, the shelf life of Original Fruit Mixers is six months. After opening, the product will last two to three weeks in the refrigerator.
In the past, some bar operators blended and poured drink mixes into generic speed-pour containers. The Fruit Mixers container fits any bar well, replacing the generic bottles. According to Arun Hiranandani, marketing manager with Ocean Spray, “Our bottles eliminate the food safety concerns” of transferring the mix from one container to another. With generic bottles, “sometimes bartenders couldn’t tell the bloody mary mix from the strawberry mix,” adds Zeb Robbins, packaging engineer at Ocean Spray. “our label makes it easy for them to identify the product.”
“Initial reaction has been fabulous,” Hiranandani says. Original Fruit Mixers are available nationally in six varieties. (ALR)
