The Case for Cans

the_editor says:

Update: Andrew Mills of Nunc Living Jun weighs in on the debate about the risks of aluminum cans:

The study referred to in the article states “This study investigates and evaluates the performance and quality of two well-known energy and soft drinks brands, Green Cola and Red Bull. Recent health hazards and concerns have been associated with aluminium leakage and bisphenol A (BPA) dissociation from the can’s internal protective coating”. It has long been known that the primary concern with cans leaching was the use of BPA in the linings, and this study confirms the findings of other studies. However, most can producers no longer use BPA (in 2019, 96% of cans produced globally were BPA free), and the linings that are being used today are far less likely to leach harmful substances.

And if you really want to be picky, there is also the chance of leaching from glass – certain coloured glass bottles can contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium, and it is possible in acidic conditions over a long period of time for there to be leaching of silica or other elements.

All materials that come into contact with food/beverages are subject to stringent testing globally (the FDA in USA, FSA in UK, etc), and this testing is based on the latest scientific research.

Further, there are numerous other beverages (for example, soft drinks and fruit juices) with high acidity that have long been packaged in cans without any widespread health issues linked to the packaging. Coca Cola has a pH of between 2.3 and 2.7 and was first packaged in cans in 1955.

It is in all Kombucha brewers best interests to ensure their drinks are the best they can be, which includes ensuring the cans they use are BPA free.

I think it is safe to say that the risk of cans leaching is overestimated in the context of kombucha.

Meanwhile, the benefits of cans outweighs glass and any fear of leaching. Aluminium cans are infinitely recyclable, there are fewer emissions when transporting cans compared to bottles. They protect the contents from UV light, which definitely degrades the quality of the contents, and more.

the_editor says:

Hard kombucha maker Flying Embers posted May 2024 update on Canned Kombucha & Why Canned Is Better:

When you think of kombucha, you might visualize the tangy drink lined up on grocery store shelves in glass bottles. We hate to break it to you, but you might want to adjust that fantasy.

Why? While you might be used to seeing kombucha in glass bottles, aluminum cans are becoming the new preferred packaging. With its preservation abilities and reduced environmental impacts, the future of booch is canned.
Why Drink Kombucha From a Can? 6 Reasons

1: The Impact of Bottles on the Environment

Glass might be recyclable, but it poses a significant threat to the environment — possibly even more than plastic. Both plastic and glass take hundreds of years to decompose and can harm wildlife if they end up in nature.

Glass is made from a combination of raw materials, all of which have to be mined. Mining is not an eco-friendly process, harming wildlife, ecosystems, water, and air along the way. The extraction of raw materials also uses a lot of energy, leaving behind a slew of pollution in its wake.

Turning raw materials into glass isn’t energy-efficient either. Glass is made by heating the mined materials to volcanic-level temperatures — we’re talking up to 1,700 degrees celsius. Once heated, the mixture is cooled back down to get glass. The heating and cooling process requires a lot of energy and can further contribute to pollution.

On top of that, glass is heavy and breakable, making its transportation another energy-eating hassle, but we’ll get more into that later.

2: Cans Are Easier To Recycle

We’ve all heard that we should reduce, reuse, and recycle. When it comes to our kombucha, we want to make sure that all our packaging is recyclable and, better yet, easy to recycle. That’s why we use aluminum cans for all of our drinks.

Aluminum is easily recycled; in fact, we can recycle 100% of an aluminum can and reuse it for new cans. Because it’s so easy to reuse aluminum, less aluminum has to be mined, reducing the destructive effects of mining on the earth.

Unlike glass, aluminum won’t shatter or break easily, so it’s more likely to end up in a new product than broken into thousands of shards somewhere. This property is a huge contributor to why aluminum cans are the most recycled item on the planet.

3: Cans Cost Less To Ship Worldwide

We’ve all had to pay shipping and handling fees at some point — and it’s not always cheap. To cut down on our costs (and yours), we use aluminum cans over glass bottles.

What makes aluminum cheaper to transport? It’s the same thing that makes aluminum easier to recycle — aluminum doesn’t break as easily. Aluminum cans can be packed closely together, so more cans can be transported at once.

Glass, on the other hand, requires more cushioning between bottles in case the delivery truck hits a bump in the road. Bottles have to be more spaced out, so fewer bottles can be transported in a single delivery.

And if something breaks, the kombucha spills out and has to be brewed, packaged, and transported all over again, using more energy in the process. On top of that, glass is heavy and requires more overall energy to transport, furthering its carbon footprint.

Shipping aside, more lightweight packaging makes all transport easier. Whether carrying cans into your house from your car or packing them for a picnic, the lightweight, space-saving nature of cans makes them the obvious choice for any adventure.

4: Cans Preserve Kombucha’s Refreshing Taste

Another reason we love cans? They’re the best for keeping our booch tasting fresh and flavorful. We want every drop of our kombucha to taste just as fresh as it does when we finish fermenting, and cans are the best option for preserving our unique, innovative flavors.

How do cans preserve flavor better? Well, one reason is that, unlike transparent glass bottles, aluminum cans don’t allow any light near the liquid inside. We love extra vitamin D on our shoulders, but not near our booch — light can actually alter the taste.

Another enemy to perfect flavors? Air. Bottles with lids may let in more air than the pop-top tabs of cans, which adds more risk of excess air affecting tastes.

5: Glass Is a Fast-Depleting Resource

Glass might seem like a common material, but it doesn’t grow on trees. Glass is actually made from sand, soda ash, and limestone, and, well, they don’t grow on trees either. These materials must be mined, and the process isn’t too kind to the environment.

Mines can disrupt ecosystems for plants and animals with noise pollution, water pollution, and developing the land to a point where it’s unlivable for wildlife.

Both mining and the glassmaking process use a lot of energy, further straining the environment. When the sand, soda ash, and limestone are heated up and melted back down to turn them into glass, a lot of energy is used in the process.

The worst part? The materials that make up glass are nonrenewable — once we run out, we’re out. Glass can be recycled and reused, but it doesn’t recycle as easily as aluminum. When it comes to sustainability, it makes more sense to use cans over glass.

6: Learning From the Craft Beer Can Revolution

One of the best things about beverages is that there are so many different drinks to try. Drinking is an adventurous experience, and the surge in craft beers’ popularity proves that people love trying new drink experiences. And one of the easiest ways to enhance a unique drink is with an equally memorable can.

Unlike big beer producers, craft beers tend to lean towards cans over glass bottles. You might’ve walked through a craft beer section of a store and noticed the shelves dotted with brightly colored cans with eye-catching artwork. With craft beers, the drink experience starts with the visual exterior to set the tone.

While we’re more into hard kombucha than craft beer, we share the same desire to create drinks that are carefully crafted to enhance simple pleasures. We put our own twist on colorful cans so that the exterior of our drinks reflects all the goodness waiting inside. You might not want to judge a book by its cover, but judging our kombucha by our vibrant, lively cans is okay with us.

Canned Hard Kombuchas You Have To Try

Suddenly craving a can of hard kombucha in your hand? Us too. Here are a few recommendations of some of our favorite brews to lighten your mood and liberate your spirits.

>Orange Passion Mimosa: Bright, Smooth, and Juicy

Never had hard kombucha before? Totally okay. If you’re just getting into kombucha, why not start off with a familiar flavor?

Our Orange Passion Mimosa has the juicy orange flavor of a traditional mimosa, complemented by the tangy taste of kombucha. We’ve added notes of passionfruit and guava for an additional tropical twist.

>Grapefruit Thyme: Tangy, Aromatic, and Fruity

Kombucha is known for its refreshing, tangy taste, and we’ve created a drink to perfectly complement those qualities. Our Grapefruit Thyme hard kombucha starts with the spirited, aromatic flavors of pink grapefruit that reflect the characteristic tang of kombucha. It’s followed by a crisp hint of thyme for a refreshingly finish.

If you need some new Instagram content, look no further. All the goodness is wrapped up in a white can with grapefruit pink accents.

>Pineapple Chili: Bold, Bright, and Tropical

If you’re feeling extra adventurous, reach for a can of our Pineapple Chili hard kombucha. This drink starts with the boldly sweet flavor of pineapple, gracefully interrupted by the heat of spiced chili for a blissfully balanced brew.

Canned Kombucha Is Here To Stay

As the world moves forward on the path to sustainability, canned kombucha will continue as the most eco-friendly way to package your favorite booch or beverage. And since aluminum cans can be recycled over and over, you can enjoy all the kombucha you want without adding to your carbon footprint.

Sources:

Glass Bottles Have a Larger Environmental Impact Than Plastic Bottles- Study | Earth.Org

Let’s Compare: Cans vs. Glass vs. Plastic Bottles | Greenpop

Plastic vs. Aluminum vs. Glass: Which Packaging Should You Choose? | RecycleNation

Why Canned Beer Is Way Better Than Bottled Beer | Business Insider

Is glass harmful to the environment? | The Waste Management & Recycling Blog

the_editor says:

A paid placement by the Can Makers Committee in The Grocer (Oct 2, 2024) is titled ‘How beverage cans enable optimum differentiation and shelf-standout‘.

With beverage cans already ahead of the field on sustainability, their modern and colourful design potential, with infinite possibilities, also has the power to differentiate brands on-shelf, giving them a standout wow factor.

Around the world, beverage cans are witnessing historic levels of growth. According to one article, approximately 75% of new beverage launches in North America now appear in cans, which is more than double the rate of five years ago.

Meanwhile, the market for beverage cans is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 2.8% in the UK between 2024 and 2030, according to another study.

In fact, trade body Can Makers’ research has revealed that more than a quarter of UK consumers are buying more canned beverages than ever before, with the increasing variety of premium beverages in cans, including high-quality wines and bar-quality cocktails, leading to more consumers (63%) trying a new drink in a can.

So why has the beverage can become so popular of late?

Beyond some of their more obvious benefits, such as relative sustainability compared to other beverage packaging – including their lightness, recyclability and flexibility – beverage cans present the perfect foil on which to create a huge variety of intriguing designs.

Not only does the can offer a 360-degree canvas to help brands differentiate themselves but also, as brand design company Paropop explains in an article, with a surplus of brands competing for shelf space in the world of beverages, “product differentiation is critical”.

“The beverage can design is a smart way to promote your brand. It is the most cost-effective marketing tool available and can be used in many ways,” adds Paropop. Among these, it cites creating awareness and recognition of a brand name or logo, as well as boosting brand awareness and creating standout on shelf.

A good can design is also able to attract new customers, who might hitherto have been unaware of a particular brand.

Clear attractive packaging designs motivate consumers to make purchasing decisions and enable brands to stand out on the shelves, agrees another article by Can Pack, which highlights how can design “can also influence consumers’ emotions through aspects like colour, typography and material”.

“The psychology of colour plays an incredibly important role in packaging and marketing. The right choice of colour(s) can significantly increase brand recognition/association, and influence purchase decisions. This tool becomes even more powerful when combined with special patterns, effects and textures.”

The route to modern-day success

In a recent study on can design, entitled ‘Aluminium Beverage Cans: A Journey Through Design Innovation’, Can Makers examines why cans have become a go-to packaging format for new market entrants and major brands in the beverage industry. “Technological advancements have transformed the aluminium can into a versatile packaging format, suitable for a diverse and growing range of beverages, from everyday products to luxury brands,” notes Tim Conybeare, chairman of trade body Can Makers and commercial director UK & Ireland at Crown Bevcan EMEA.

“The shift from analogue to digital processes has created an industry where high-speed production lines are now capable of printing approximately 2,000 cans per minute using a ‘dry offset printing process’. Meanwhile, the digital process employed in can design means that technical teams are now able to use advanced software to translate artwork into precise print-ready files.”

While innovation in printing technology has made the production process cheaper and more efficient than ever, the sheer flexibility that it brings to can design is unparalleled. Beverage brands opting to present their products in a can are able to choose from matte, tactile and even thermochromic finishes that change colour with temperature, or customisable prints, says Conybeare.

What’s more, variable printing techniques enable up to 24 graphic variations per run to be printed, allowing for even more differentiation for seasonal (such as Halloween or Christmas) and limited-edition packaging, for example.

Looking to the future, innovation in can design is only set to be enhanced as technology evolves. “The possibilities presented by AI have yet to be fully realised and present fascinating prospects, including the digitisation of the sample matching process and the development of a Pantone colour chart specifically for the metal decoration industry,” says Conybeare. “There is no doubt the stage is set for brands of all sizes, including an increasing number of new entrants to the market, to drive growth in every category.”

The consumer angle

There is also little doubt that consumers are attracted to certain types of can, either because of the values they convey to their peers or simply for the convenience angle.

In recent research commissioned by Can Makers, four out of 10 consumers say they had bought more alcoholic beverages in cans instead of visiting a pub, due to the cost-of-living crisis, while the trend for low and no alcohol options has seen more than a quarter of consumers trying a new soft drink in a can.

Plus, respondent groups highlighted the appeal of smaller ‘slimline’ cans, which were felt to be more elegant, nicer to hold and conveying a more premium/quality values related to the drinks they contained.

Can Makers Accolades

To recognise the growing influence of can design and those brands taking it to a new level, Can Makers has introduced a bi-annual Design Award Accolades programme, where representatives from the trade body’s committee, including design and print experts, meet quarterly to recognise can design cohesion across brand, shelf standout and the innovative use of inks, among other attributes.

Those brands recognised for excellence in design and use of design to create an impact are awarded an Accolade logo, which they can then use on their packaging.

“Contemporary beverage cans have transcended mere functionality, becoming a canvas for brands looking not just to participate but to make a lasting impact and set new standards in design,” says Tim Conybeare, Can Makers chairman. “As the can is adopted by an increasingly wide variety of brands either launching exclusively in cans or offering consumers a new format, the market has never been so competitive. The Can Makers Accolades were launched to celebrate excellence in design and recognise its vital role in helping brands to differentiate and drive growth.”

One company that achieved the Can Makers Design Award Accolate last year was Genius Brewing’s Gen!us IPA can, which adopted a blue-on-gold design – an inversion of its Gen!us Craft Lager can – while mirroring core brand elements including its logo and 3% laurel. According to co-founder Jason Clarke: “In a craft beer segment awash with garish colours and visual gimmicks, the Gen!us IPA can had to be eye-catching yet subtle, elegant yet distinctive”, and the company paid tribute to its talented design team for creating the new look.