Can graphics featuring Garfield, the animated feline, are also new. "These ends were popularized in the beer industry, but we're the first juice company to use them for single-serve cans," says Thomas Sherman, Veryfine's segment marketing manager for foodservice/vending. "By itself, the LOE idea is good, but we wanted to add personality to the can, and that's how we came up with the Loud Mouth Cans(TM) name and copy that appears on the cans. On top of that, the graphics show Garfield in different poses on the cans. He's the 'purr-fect' spokescat." Sherman credits the technological prowess of American National Can (Chicago, IL) in supplying the ends with a pop top that's 33% wider than standard openings. The opening is designed to ease pouring and, Veryfine hopes, speed consumption. ANC and Crown, Cork & Seal (Philadelphia, PA) supply cans. Custom-drawn Garfield graphics from Paws (Albany, IN) were incorporated into the overall can design for the brands. The 11.5-oz cans sell as singles, primarily in vending machines, for roughly 70¢. Cases of 24 cans and 12-pack cartons are sold to foodservice accounts, club stores, airlines and convenience stores. The new LOE and graphics did not result in a price hike, Sherman says. "The additional costs for us are modest," he notes. "A sales increase of less than one percent covers the cost. The initial reaction has been overwhelming, though we're just now rolling the product out nationwide. And the chance to add some news in the can business is exciting."
