Available in Polar Raspberry, Glacial Mango, and Arctic Strawberry flavors, Fruit Chillers are sold in the canned fruit aisle alongside other Del Monte shelf-stable, snack-size fruit products. Fruit Chillers are marketed in four-counts of 4.5-oz retortable plastic cups per sleeve and have approximately eight months nonrefrigerated shelf life. They can be stored in home pantries and then put in the freezer overnight where they become frozen fruit sorbet.
James Locke, creative director of graphic design and packaging for Del Monte Foods, reports that the single-serve, seven-layer retortable plastic cups are polypropylene-based and are supplied by Printpack Inc. (www.printpack.com). The multilayer plastic membrane lids are from Curwood/Bemis (www.curwood.com) and printed by Printpack. Rock-Tenn (www.rocktenn.com) provides the paperboard sleeves. Point-of-purchase displays are supplied by The Strive Group (www.strivegroup.com).
Among the critical challenges the CBX packaging design team had to address were: 1) Leverage Del Monte’s strong equity in the premium fruit product segment by incorporating the brand’s well-known shield logo; 2) Convey that the product is made with real fruit; 3) Communicate the sorbet-eating experience through package imagery and photographs; 4) Explain that while the product is shelf-stable, it should be frozen prior to serving; and 5) Incorporate bold visuals to depict each fruit flavor.
The paperboard sleeves are offset litho-printed in six colors and feature the color blue and a swirl background. The four-packs are priced at approximately $2.59. According to early marketing reports, consumers have given a warm reception to Fruit Chillers.
