18.12.2009

Briefly shaken, not stirred: cocktails dressed in aluminium

Canco puts three ‘ready-to-drink’ mixes on the market

Ratingen, 18th December 2009. A good cocktail is fruity, pleasant to drink ad perfectly mixed – and of late comes in a can. The three classics Mai Tai, Sex on the Beach and Piña Colada of the Canco brand are now on the market as ‘original can cocktail’ in the slim 250 ml can from Ball Packaging Europe. The fast cooling packaging is absolutely impermeable to light and oxygen and at the same time ensures a reliably authentic taste.

Cocktails are the ideal prelude to a cheerful evening – and of late they can also be enjoyed spontaneously. Whether dry fresh Mai Tai, creamy exotic Piña Colada or sweet fruity Sex on the Beach – whoever fancies these popular cocktails in future needs neither a recipe nor lots of ingredients, since the new ‘ready-to-drink’ mixes from Canco are already perfectly mixed and available from Ball Packaging Europe in silvery, elegant aluminium cans. Briefly shaken they can be drunk straight from the can with the attached drinking straw.

It all depends on the correct mix

The producers took great care with the selection and composition of the ingredients: over a two-year development phase they tested the perfect combination of alcohol and fruit juices, so that the cocktails are in no way inferior to the freshly mixed ones. But what is important in the case of ready-to-drink cocktails: you can rely on the alcohol content. Ten percent alcohol, no more and no less, is to be found in every Canco can. In addition, the high fruit content in the case of Sex on the Beach and Mai Tai ensures that there is the authentic taste while pineapple and coconut cream make the Piña Colada the Caribbean experience.

Packaging: practical and environmentally friendly

The light aluminium cans proves to be ideal packaging for the ‘ready-to-drink’ mixes. Optimum barrier characteristics protect the cocktails from light and oxygen and hence keep them fresh for longer. At the same time, the slim 250 ml can printed all round in glittering colours appeals above all to younger target groups. And the environment also gets its fair share: constant further developments have resulted in the aluminium can now weighing only 13 grams and being as thin as a human hair. In that way, today three times as many cans can be made out of the same starting material as 30 years ago. And since in Europe about 70 percent of the beverage cans are recycled, these are therefore the most environmentally friendly one-way drinks packages.

Ball Packaging Europe

Ball Packaging Europe is one of the leading beverage can makers in Europe with 2,900 employees and twelve production sites in Germany, France, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Poland and Serbia. The company is a subsidiary of Ball Corporation which produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging for the beverage, food and household goods industries.  In addition Ball Corporation supplies aerospace technology and services, predominantly to the US-American government.  Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 staff worldwide and in 2008 reported turnover of some 7.6 billion US Dollar.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available at our Web site and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including our beverage can end project; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the current global credit squeeze and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including in respect of chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

<- back to overview