Jolt cola was relaunched in Battery Bottles in February 2005. Originally introduced in 1985, the brand’s new Battery Bottle is an innovative aluminium beverage package designed and manufactured by Rexam Beverage Can North America. It is also reported to be the industry’s first resealable 23.5oz aluminium container.
Jolt’s parent company, Wet Planet Beverage, of Rochester, New York, decided to relaunch the Jolt Battery Bottle, the battery-shaped resealable aluminium package, in view of aluminium’s versatility and ability to add value in packaging and also with a view to position the beverage as an energy drink. Beverage packagers are turning to aluminium because of its guaranteed freshness, good carbonation retention and long shelf-life. It is also economic and has high recycling potential. The new Jolt Battery Bottle is a combination of Rexam’s 23.5oz Monster can body with Cap Can closure technology.
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DEVELOPING THE BATTERY-SHAPED CONTAINER
Wet Planet Beverage signed up with Mason Selkowitz McDermott, Inc., Penfield, NY, for the designing of the new Jolt cola container. The company wanted to communicate the concept of ‘energy’ through its new design and the battery-shaped container was developed. Brad Schultz, the creative director at Mason Selkowitz McDermott (MSM) designed the container, applicable to an aluminium can or PET bottle.
Wet Planet then wanted to make this Battery Bottle a unique can with elements that had never been combined before and zeroed in on Rexam Beverage Can North America, to hand over the task of refining the new resealable aluminium can. Rexam’s strategic partner Dayton Systems Group, Inc., Miamisburg, Ohio, developed the patented design, forming process, and equipment technology to manufacture the Cap Can with a standard rubber EVOH sealing material. The closure design is suitable to take the pressures experienced during the filling, sealing, and shipping of the Jolt soda products.
ARCO Aluminum, headquartered in Louisville, KY, is the single-source supplier of coil aluminium sheet for production of the dome and decorated cap components of the can. Once complete, the Jolt Battery Bottles are shipped to Pri-Pak, an independent beverage co-packer located in Lawrenceburg, IN, where they are filled with the Jolt cola. Rexam worked in partnership with Pri-Pak to develop a flexible filling process for this exclusive beverage package.
Wet Planet also worked with Rexam’s Graphic Art and Printing Plate Operation in Elk Grove, IL, to set the colour and graphic tolerances for perfect brand reproduction on the Jolt Battery Bottle.
PRI-PAK MACHINERY IS USED TO FILL JOLT’S BATTERY BOTTLE
Rexam adopted the Pri-pak’s automated glass and plastic-bottle filling machinery, which can fill up to 700 of the 24oz cans per minute.
PRINTING THE BODIES AND SEALING THE VESSELS
The 23.5oz aluminium can body is produced and printed on one of Rexam’s high-speed can manufacturing lines and then transformed into a resealable container by seaming on a Cap Can end and closure developed by Dayton Systems. Dayton developed this patented concept, including the forming process and equipment technology to manufacture the Cap Can closure assembly.
Wet Planet Beverages also simplified the flavour selections. So “Red Eye” became just “Red” and “Electric Blue” just “Blue”. The Citrus Climax and Orange Blast were dropped, Cherry Bomb remained the same, and a no-calorie, lemon-lime Ultra flavour with ginseng, taurine, and guarana was added to its range.
SUPERIOR FRESHNESS, CARBONATION AND SHELF-LIFE IN A RESEALABLE PACKAGE
The Jolt cola’s new Battery Bottle offers the inherent benefits of the aluminium can – guaranteed freshness, superior carbonation retention and longer shelf-life, quick chilling, distribution and filling efficiencies, and the best in recycling. And with the unique feature of resealability, consumers can experience the fresh taste and energy boost of Jolt cola at their own pace.
With its bold new battery shape, the new aluminium can package reinforces Jolt cola’s already existing brand strength as a culture drink. The new Jolt Battery Bottle even features a power gauge printed in thermochromic ink that changes colour when the beverage is chilled. As the drink is consumed, the ink above the drink line returns to ambient temperature and returns to its original colour, showing the consumer how much is left.
Wet Planet also feels that the new bottle would motivate its distributors, although it can confuse consumers with its new packaging. The company feels that Jolt enthusiasts would connect with the new design without much confusion as it retains the old logo. The old logo was intended to evoke a premium coffee-like experience, and the caffeine rush associated with it.
FRESHNESS AND FLAVOUR ON DEMAND WITH JOLT’S BATTERY BOTTLE
The new Battery Bottle’s resealability offers the experience of freshness, coupled with the distinctive taste and energy boost demanded while drinking. Any of the beverage that is not consumed straight after opening can be enjoyed later because of the can’s resealability. The gauge on the side of the can lets the consumer know how much liquid there is left to enjoy inside the container.
