But that’s exactly the kind of conversion now underway at water marketer hiOsilver of Palo Alto, CA.
“We are focused on delivering maximum oxygen concentration, so choice of packaging is a big concern,” says Howard Hoffman, president of the six-year-old firm. “Plastic does not have an adequate oxygen barrier, and consumers have indicated that glass lacks the convenience and flexibility they desire. So offering hiOsilver Oxygen Water in aluminum cans makes perfect brand building and bottom-line sense. Our partnership with Rexam BCA is enabling our move to aluminum cans, complete with package advantages that include the best in filling speeds, logistics, recycling, shelf life, and retail space utilization.”
The water needs barrier properties because of its high concentration of naturally occurring magnesium and the pure oxygen that’s added to it. Glass bottles are still available, says Hoffman, who adds that the cans are filled by a contract packager. He also says cans can be filled at three times the speed of glass bottles, which helps his firm keep the same $1.99 selling price for a 16-oz aluminum can as was charged for the same product in a 12-oz glass bottle.
HiOsilver worked closely with Rexam’s Graphic Art and Printing Plate Operation to set the color and graphic tolerances for perfect brand reproduction on the sleek aluminum cans. The 16-oz cans are available in grocery, natural foods, and convenience stores in the West, Texas, and Illinois. A national rollout is planned. Multipack formats are being evaluated.
