SipNShut: Reclosable all-aluminum can to hit shelves next year

12 Nov 2018 --- SNSTech’s latest launch, an all-aluminum, reclosable beverage called SipNShut, is said to tackle production, usability and sustainability issues that have thwarted the adoption of other reclosable can options in becoming commercially viable. Aside from a few major brands, reclosable can systems are not seen often on store shelves, the company notes.

US-based SNSTech sought to design a reclosable can that is all-aluminum, as opposed to an aluminum-plastic mix, in a market-first move.

“In the end, we were able to engineer a three-piece design, incorporating a shutter, lever and can end, that is reliable, easy to open and liquid-tight,” Chris Schorre, Chief Marketing Officer at the company, tells PackagingInsights.

“We know that some of the criticism of current reclosable options is that they require significant adjustments to existing canning line equipment, slow down line speeds and can require capital expenditures. SipNShut addresses all of those concerns,” he adds.

The can should also ensure easier consumer use, with the company describing it as easy to open and close with a smooth pouring ability and easy drinkability.

The company notes that it saw a gap in the market regarding beverage can use. While cans remain popular and have seen growth among new categories such as craft beers and even wine, they have lagged behind the growing demand for on-the-go options. Research cited by the company notes that among 339 US adults surveyed, 60 percent said they would like to see resealable cans.

The all-aluminum concept is also a consumer appeal-point. “We see a growing pushback against plastics from consumers and that is driving more can use. In the US market, we continue to see a growing acceptance of cans in the craft beer market but also in categories such as wine, energy drinks and waters,” Schorre tells PackagingInsights.

“We expect that trend to continue primarily due to the superior sustainability of aluminum cans. Plus, there are many situations where consumers want to take beverages with them, such as the beach or a golf cart, but it’s not especially practical because once a can is opened they are easily spilled or things, such as sand or insects, can get into the can,” he adds.

SipNShut’s patented design is being developed in cooperation with can industry partners and will be unveiled at the BevNet Winter show in Santa Monica, California, on December 3, 2018. It is expected to hit shelves with selected brand partners in the third quarter of 2019. The company is accepting inquiries from brands wishing to be considered for phase one market introduction.

Aluminum packaging: A sustainable option?
In theory, aluminum can be recycled countless times without loss of quality and has excellent barrier properties capable of extending shelf life, thereby countering food waste.

However, aluminum’s second-biggest market is soda drinks, and this market has experienced declines – leading to the necessity of diversification.

“Consumers are drinking less soda and the can market has declined somewhat from peak shipments of can sheet in the mid-1990s of around 4.3 billion pounds to around 3.7 billion pounds today,” Matt Meenan, Senior Director of Public Affairs at The Aluminum Association, US, tells PackagingInsights.

One such example of an innovation that adequately elevates aluminum to fit driving trends is the SipNShut and its suitability for consumption on the go.

A further consumer and customer concern is sustainability. Despite aluminum cans’ recyclable profile, the rate of aluminum recycling in the US remains low. 

“The recycling rate of aluminum cans is around 50 percent – higher than completive packaging materials but still far lower than it should be. To put this in perspective, in 2016 44.5 billion cans – US$760 million worth of aluminum – ended up in a landfill, a major loss to the economy and the environment,” says Meenan.

However, the UK’s Aluminum Packaging Recycling Organization (Alupro) reported earlier this year that the recycling rate of aluminum cans both in the UK and the EU has surpassed 2017 rates. A recycling rate of 85 percent will be achieved by 2020, it notes.

By Laxmi Haigh