(Richmond, VA). Now, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO, is teaming up with its joint venture partner, American National Can Co. (ANC) (Chicago, IL), to introduce its own version of the widemouth easy-opening end to give consumers "a more glass-like drinking experience." The 204 aluminum end is the new standard for all Coors Light cans. For now, Coors Light foil laminated paperboard carriers, produced by Graphic Packaging Corp. (Wayne, PA), carry a corner violator calling attention to the changed cans inside. With the number two and three U.S. breweries opening wide so consumers can have less restricted access to their suds, can Anheuser-Busch, number one in the market, be far behind? Probably not. Word around the beverage can industry is that AB's Metal Container Corp. (St. Louis, MO) is perfecting its own big mouth. Reynolds and ANC, meanwhile, have developed families of LOEs for use on teas, juices, still drinks and carbonated soft drinks. With everyone citing research showing strong consumer preference for the big mouths, and no one citing overly challenging technological hurdles in developing and producing the new ends, one wonders why this good idea didn't come along sooner?
Now beverage cans will open wide-- really, really wide
Suddenly, it seems, U.S. brewers are looking to change one of the most popular and endearing features of their cans--the easy-opening features. Last month (See PW, August '96, page 8), we reported on the conversion by Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI, from its standard, easy-opening stay-on tab (SOT) end to a large opening end (LOE) developed for Miller by Reynolds Metals Co.
Aug 31, 1996
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