ATLANTA -- Next year, Coca-Cola will begin testing Coke and Coke Zero products in aluminum bottles.
Coke joins Budweiser, PepsiCo and a small handful of other beverage makers who are embracing this cutting edge form of packaging, Brandweek reports.
While they cost three times as much as glass bottles, aluminum bottles offer enhanced graphic capabilities and the ability to keep beverages colder.
“The bottles stay colder longer and look cool as hell,” said Michael Sands, the former Snapple CMO who was the first to introduce an aluminum bottle in the U.S. Mistic Re Energy launched in 2002 and Snapple Elements followed in 2003.
Budweiser is credited for being the first company to offer aluminum bottle products en masse in America in 2005. Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra are among the A-B brands to launch in the “bottlecan.” (The word is a literal translation from the Japanese, who first created the packaging in 2000 as an answer to that country’s backlash to PET bottles.)
Sales of beer in the aluminum bottles spiked 33 percent in 2007.
The new bottles will first be seeded at high-profile events and clubs in markets such as Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Coca-Cola also launched its new Caribou Coffee line in 12-oz. Alumi-Tek bottles in August.
While Coke is scaling back the graphics on its bottles, Mountain Dew will splash six new designs on its ornate Green Label Art series of aluminum bottles beginning Jan. 28. Created by contemporary artists, the limited edition bottles will be available at retail for the first time.
Next week, Greenlabelart.com will begin a countdown until the launch of the new designs. A 16-oz. bottle will cost $1.99 versus $1.19 for a regular 20-oz. plastic bottle. The new bottles (several hundred thousands of which will be offered) will be touted online, via wild postings and print advertising.
Other companies are starting to make the investment as well. Miller Chill will be available in an aluminum bottle in the spring. Dos Equis has one in Mexico and “there are lots of energy drink projects that haven’t hit yet, but they are being looked at very hard,” said Martin.