The expression 'old-wine-in-new-bottle' seems to be coming into vogue in the US market with a slight difference: the bottles contain beer rather than wine. A sleek, sexy-looking bottle made of aluminium, instead of the traditional glass, is now making its way onto store shelves -- and could well hit Asia's shores in the future.
While aluminium packaging may not be new -- Americans have, after all, been consuming all kinds of beverages in cans -- drinking beer out of aluminium bottles is a more recent trend.
Tokyo-based Sapporo Breweries introduced aluminium beer bottles in Japan back in 1998. The bottle, designed and created by Daiwa Can Company, had the ability to use many different types of caps such as crown or lug closure.
US breweries have been inspired by the success stories of Japanese beer companies marketing their beer in aluminium bottles, with Pittsburgh Brewing company becoming the first to introduce its Iron City Beer in aluminium bottles last year.
Alcoa, which manufactured aluminium bottles for Pittsburgh Brewing, says aluminium bottles keep beer cold for an additional 50 minutes. The bottles have three times the aluminium of a typical beer can, thus giving them higher insulation, Alcoa claims.
The aluminium bottle has also been successfully used by Anheuser-Busch. It recently introduced its sixth brand called Budweiser Select -- joining its other brands Bud Light, Budweiser, Michelob Light, Michelob and Anheuser World Lager -- in the innovative package. According to Anheuser-Busch, "demand has been so high that bars, restaurants, clubs and supermarkets are selling out", leading it to double its capacity for the package by fall 2005.
"We knew people would love the aluminium bottle because it is cool and different," says Mike Owens, vice-president of sales and marketing, Anheuser-Busch. "We are excited by the magnitude of interest in this new package. Young adults, particularly in bars and clubs, tell us they really like the way it makes drinking cold beer a tactile experience. In fact, this package is so popular that it's selling out and it's doing its job -- to help enhance the drinking experience."
Along with brewers, wineries are also contemplating a switch to aluminium bottles. Environment-conscious wineries have been searching for new packaging solutions that provide the answer to the recycling problem, the cork taint and high shipping costs. Glass bottles break, scratch and have to be sensitively handled in transport. Made in spun aluminum with rich, luminescent colours, aluminium bottles are light-weight and can be recycled. Printing can also be done directly on the bottle, minimising labelling costs.
Aluminium bottles containing other beverages are making an inconspicuous appearance on shelves in supermarkets and convenience stores in some Asian markets. The Kikicha, a Chinese tea introduced in Japan by Kirin Beverage Corp, is an eye-catching bottle which resembles white porcelain tea ware with patterns of pretty birds and leaves. "The drinks disappeared soon after they were put on shelves though we did not promote the products," says an official of Daiei, a supermarket chain.
While beer companies and aluminium bottle manufacturers in the US are raving about the new packaging, there are others who believe that cost would, eventually, be the deciding factor in terms of its long-term survival. Eric Shephard, the executive director of Beer Marketers Insights, which publishes a specialised newsletter on the beer industry, feels that the costs of producing aluminium bottles are still high.
"I believe the recent introduction of beer in aluminium bottles was, basically, meant to test how the market would react to this form of packaging. The beer companies claim that the aluminium bottle is quite popular among the consumers. However, if the costs of producing aluminium bottles could be brought down, it could gain in further popularity," he explains.
Shephard did not rule out that the Japanese-originated packaging innovation could again find its way back to other Asian countries. But, he believes, costs are also crucial for consumers in Asia. "The popularity of the aluminium beer bottle can further grow in Japan, if the production costs can be brought down, making the large-scale use of the aluminium bottle commercially viable."