Juice Bottles Offer Easy Handling, Distinctive Look

One packaging manufacturer says the latest trend in juice packaging is bottle design that combines easier handling for consumers with a distinctive brand look. York-PA-based Graham Packaging offers its new 96-oz PET plastic juice bottle made for Veryfine Products, Inc. (Westford, MA) as an example.

"The design features a grip that gives the bottle a good ergonomic feel and good center of gravity, which makes it easy for customers to handle," said Roger Prevot, SVP and GM of the Food & Beverage Business Unit of Graham Packaging Co., L.P. "The design also highlights Veryfine's sunburst logo, which is prominently embossed on the 'bell' of the bottle."

Graham Packaging's design, for which a patent is pending, enabled Veryfine to switch to a grip bottle without having to abandon its existing wrap-label technology. Most grip bottles feature a pinch-grip at the lower rear of the bottle, which makes wrap labeling impossible. The new design features a grip under a "bell" situated atop a round body, which permits a wrap label.

Veryfine Orange Juice and Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice Cocktail are currently being sold in the new bottles at 445 Sam's Club stores around the country. Veryfine Fruit Punch in the new bottles is being test marketed at 51 Sam's Club stores.

Graham Packaging this year shared the prestigious first-place Diamond Award in the 12th annual DuPont Awards for Innovation in Food Processing and Packaging. Graham Packaging won for introduction of the first hot-fill, pinch-grip design PET plastic applesauce jar.